[Reader-list] Denmark to host the UN Climate Summit

Pawan Durani pawan.durani at gmail.com
Sat Aug 23 10:39:06 IST 2008


Denmark is to host the UN climate summit, COP 15, in 2009.

This is clear after the group of Latin American and Caribbean countries have
decided to "swap" their status as host with the group of West European and
other nations that have nominated Denmark as host for the 2009 Summit. The
decision to change host was based on Denmark's offer to host the COP 15 in
2009; the year in which Denmark and the EU will push for a new international
climate agreement.

*"This is a great day for Danish environment policy. We will lead the way in
one of the most important environmental challenges facing our generation,
and together with the government I will fight to ensure that our efforts
bear fruit, so that Denmark's hosting of the summit also benefits the global
climate"*, says Minister for the Environment Connie Hedegaard (Conservative)
and she continues:

*"I look forward to this important task. The government has worked hard to
host the Summit, because it will give Denmark a unique opportunity to
further the international climate agenda in the years to come. Our goal is a
new global agreement in 2009 on CO2 reductions after 2012, when the Kyoto
Protocol expires. We know that it will be a long and hard battle to reach
this goal because there are still many central players who are both reticent
and reluctant. However, the Danish government is prepared to take the lead
in this long haul. And we are pleased that at the EU summit recently,
Denmark succeeded in achieving a joint EU position that a new agreement
should replace the Kyoto Protocol no later than 2009"*, says Ms Connie
Hedegaard (Conservative).

It is now a reality that Denmark will host the Summit even though it will
not be formally announced in the UN until later this year. The group of
Western European and other nations have agreed to support Denmark's
candidacy.

*"Today Denmark enjoys solid international recognition, not least because we
have succeeded in decoupling economic growth and energy consumption over the
past decades, but also via our ambitious reduction commitment with regard to
the Kyoto Protocol, the so-called Greenland Dialogue, that was launched on
Denmark's initiative, and also because of Denmark's leading position within
wind energy and energy efficiency. Denmark's hosting of the summit is
therefore a unique opportunity to brand Denmark and to show the world what
we can do in Denmark. It could be an excellent showcase for Danish
enterprises and therefore also a platform for increased exports and new
foreign investments. At the same time it will be an extraordinary
opportunity for our capital to profile itself towards the many international
guests"*, says Ms Hedegaard.

Already in Arpil, the Danish Government will host the Asia-Europe
Environment Ministers' meeting, and in May the Danish Minister for the
Environment will be going to the US to address the American senate about
climate challenges and other environmental issues.

*For additional information contact:*

   - Thomas Becker, Head of division, Danish Ministry of the Environment,
   tel. +45 33 92 76 70 and +45 29 61 70 10 or
   - Peter Stensgaard Mørch, Head of Press, Danish Ministry of the
   Environment, tel. +45 33 92 74 92 and +45 20 72 47 00


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