EU and US agree to strengthen collaboration on climate change
The inaugural meeting of the EU-US 'High level dialogue on climate change, clean energy and sustainable development' has taken place, with delegations agreeing a plethora of areas for closer collaboration. At an EU-US summit in June, leaders agreed to establish this dialogue, recognising the serious threat of climate change and the common need to promote clean energy and achieve sustainable development. Meeting in Helsinki, Finland, on 25 October, EU and US delegations discussed policies and measures to promote low greenhouse gas emission technologies, cleaner energy, cleaner vehicles, and the threat of biodiversity loss. Delegations agreed to strengthen cooperation in the following areas: - promoting the commercial deployment of clean coal and carbon sequestration technologies, including through the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum; - promoting energy efficiency, particularly in the transportation sector and for buildings and appliances; - enhancing methane recovery, including through the methane-to-markets partnership; - researching, developing and deploying second-generation biofuels; - overcoming barriers to the use of renewable energy sources and biofuels, including through the development of international standards; - addressing global biodiversity loss through natural resource conservation and other joint efforts; - enhancing energy access for sustainable development. Both the EU and the US reaffirmed their commitment to continuing a joint dialogue through the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
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United States