Save the Planet : “Not Without Europe …”
- January 22nd, 2007
- Posted by EUA Editor
Joe Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commisison, is promoting Europe’s goals on energy and global warming as a leading contiribution to action that needs to be taken worldwide.
He says the commemorative Berlin Declaratioin to be made by the EU in June, celebrating its fiftieth anniversary, should include combating climate change as a priority.
Mr Barroso told the European Parliament, 17.1.07, the anticipated European Summit at Berlin should sign on to a five-points plan:
A European Union with more “cohesion”, meaning greater Europe-wide powers to provide social as well as economic advances; sustainability and the war on climate change, listing environmental concerns as a “defining mission for Europe’s future”; full democracy with “accountability, transparency and access to information” as obligations of the European institutions of government; guarantees of security for Europe’s citizens while safeguarding fundamental freedoms; and promotion of Europe’s values to the world, as “accountability, solidarity, security” – which “must not stop at Europe’s borders.”
He saw the recently announced European energy program, including a unilateral move by the EU to dramatically reduce its own levels of emissions of greenhouse pollutants, as a strong example that other powers might take notice of.
Whether or not he has succeeded in foreshadowing Europe’s grand statement, Mr Barroso has aligned his position with moves to try and get the rest of the world to follow a European lead in protecting the future of the planet.
As a very large world producer, and polluter, it was in a prime position to make a change, by taking up ambitious objectives:
“Firstly, the strategic goal of agreement by developed countries to cut their emissions by 30% by 2020; essential to ensure that gloabal temperatires exceed pre-industrial levels by no more than two percent. …”, he said.
“Secondly, three pillars to deliver our objectives of sustainable, secure and competitive energy …
“These are issues which touch the lives of every European, where the European dimension is absolutely essential …
“You cannot tackle global warming; you cannot deliver sustainable, secure and competitive energy, without Europe.”
Reference: Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, “Presentation of the Working Program of the German Presidency”, European Parliament, 17.1.07; SPEECH/07/14