Press Release
Belgian EU Presidency: good on biodiversity and governance, bad on climate and finance
20th December 2010
An environmental assessment published by the EEB today praised the Belgian EU Presidency’s leadership for opening an important debate on a possible Seventh Environmental Action Programme and their work on biodiversity.
The EEB was also pleased with the Presidency’s repeated initiatives to bring nanotechnologies forward on the agenda of the European council and the EU as a whole.
“No other Presidency has so far held so many debates on a variety of issues and we really applaud Belgium for that. It coordinated excellently and opened many important discussions, particularly on nanotechnology, biodiversity and a Seventh Environmental Action Programme”, said John Hontelez, Secretary General of the EEB.
However the assessment was critical of the Presidency’s action on finance where the EEB has been calling for active discussions on reviewing the EU’s spending to put it on a track towards a low-carbon, resource efficient and sustainable future.
In addition, the EEB criticised the fact that the Presidency failed to enter serious discussions about moving from a 20% to 30% carbon emissions reduction target.
“The Belgian Presidency had a real chance to make a name for itself by triggering a decision for the EU to go to an unconditional 30% emissions reduction target, ahead of climate talks in Cancun. But instead it did nothing, fearing the reaction of countries such as Italy and Poland. It was a lost opportunity,” continued Hontelez.
The EEB has released an assessment for every Presidency since 1998, based on its Ten Green Tests. EEB views the six month Presidency as a convenient period over which progress on the EU’s environment-related policy and legislation can be measured.
READ THE ASSESSMENT OF THE BELGIAN PRESIDENCY
Read previous news about the EEB's Ten Tests for the Belgian Presidency (June)
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