Reducing global warming is our priority, say Chirac and Blair
French President Jacques Chirac and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair have pledged to make reducing global warming a priority when the UK takes over the presidency of the Group of Eight (G8) in January 2005. At European level, France and the UK will push the EU to look into 'eco-efficient innovations' to tackle climate change, said the two leaders. In a joint declaration issued after talks in London on 18 November, both governments said they want the EU to promote 'eco-efficient innovations' aimed at reducing global warming while serving as a 'driving force for innovation and growth' in European economies. 'Climate change is the world's greatest environmental challenge,' Mr Blair and Mr Chirac said. 'We remain determined to show leadership. We are both on course to meet our Kyoto targets, but we agree that we need to go much further and have set out national plans to enable us to do so,' they added. 'As well as furthering the work started under the French presidency of the G8 in 2003 to advance the uptake and development of cleaner technologies, we will actively participate in the scientific conference in February 2005, the meeting of Energy Research Institutes in spring 2005, and other related events. We will continue to provide leadership in this matter,' the declaration states. The UK, which will also hold the EU presidency in the second half of 2005, will develop a 'medium- and long-term strategy to tackle climate change' said the leaders, adding that 'by 2010 we would like the EU to achieve the same level of green public procurement as that currently achieved by the best member states.'
Countries
France, United Kingdom