The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mrs Caroline Spelman)

I represented the UK at the Environment Council in Brussels on 19 December. Stewart Stevenson, Scottish Minister for Environment and Climate Change, also joined the delegation.

After lunch, over which Ministers continued to discuss the importance of resource efficiency, there was an exchange of views on the result of the 17th conference of the parties (COP 17) to the United Nations framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC) in Durban. Most member states agreed that the result was an important step forward, and that the EU’s speaking with one voice, with a clear position, and in coalition with the least developed countries and small island states, were key factors that contributed to the success of the conference, and elements which should be built upon in future. Many member states noted, however, that there are still significant challenges to be overcome in the coming months, such as defining the EU’s emission reduction target, the length of the second commitment period of the Kyoto protocol, and how to tackle the issue of surplus assigned amount units. I made the case that further progress depended on the EU’s leadership, and to this end I made the case that an EU emissions reduction target of 30% (compared to 1990 levels) was the right place to be in 2020.

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