Climate Change Conference
The conclusions from the T-PAGE dialogue on Climate and Energy were presented at a conference in Washington DC on 24-25 April 2008. The conference brought together representatives of civil society organisations from the EU and US to exchange views and experience on the development, implementation and advancement of policies to mitigate climate change on both sides of the Atlantic.
Participants at the conference represented a variety of environmental NGOs, environmental advisory councils, academic and other research institutions, think tanks and trade unions from some 10 EU Member States and the US. Some representatives of public authorities at the Federal and State level in the US and at the local, national and EU level in Europe also attended the conference and contributed to the debate as keynote speakers and experts.
Following two days of debate and discussion, participants concluded that there is an urgent need to reduce transport emissions such as those from automobiles, trucks, shipping, and aircraft, which are not covered by existing cap-and-trade systems; and called for complementary policies that address both the supply and demand sides of transport. On the issue of biofuels, the Washington meeting concluded that there ought to be a moratorium on the expansion of biofuels production in Europe and North America until the broader transport strategies have been established, and until there is greater certainty regarding the optimum use of biomass that can be developed for climate change mitigation purposes without damaging essential food production and conservation goals.
For further details on the discussions at the conference please see the summary document.