The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr Owen Paterson)

I represented the UK at the European Environment Council meeting in Brussels on 13 December. Paul Wheelhouse, Minister for Environment and Climate Change in the Scottish Government, and Alun Davies, Minister for Natural Resources and Food in the Welsh Government, also attended.

In other business, the presidency provided an update on the failure to reach agreement in the Energy Council of 12 December on the proposed directive to address the indirect land use change impacts of biofuels. The presidency then introduced the outcome of the 19th session of the conference of the parties to the UN framework convention on climate change (C0P19). Looking ahead at the timeline for developing the EU’s contribution, Germany, France, Denmark, Belgium, Sweden and the UK all emphasised the importance of the March Council and of the June ministerial meeting.

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