Minister of National Development, also in charge of climate change affairs, Tamás Fellegi chaired the climate change issues at the informal meeting of European Union’s environment ministers on 26 March 2011. As the only agenda item of the Gödöllő meeting, the participants discussed the various issues of the international climate protection regime, and during the working lunch, the European Union’s forward-looking low carbon roadmap to 2050 was addressed out.

The purpose of the ministerial working discussions was to align the various climate change strategies and positions represented in the European Union, as part of the preparatory work for the international climate change negotiations to be organised this year. During its EU Presidency, Hungary’s task is to coordinate the approval of a joint position of the European Union and collective thinking in major strategic issues, and represent the European Union at international negotiations.

Regarding the measures of the Cancún climate conference, the ministers discussed three topics related to the Council Conclusions approved on 14 March 2011:

1. What time horizon do you foresee for the perspective of reaching a legally binding outcome that encompasses all major emitters? Would a mid-term perspective – based on non-binding decisions on the Convention track in 2011-2012 and striving for a legally binding comprehensive regime within the framework of the 2013-2015 review - be acceptable for the EU?

2. What risks and what benefits do you foresee if the EU agreed to a short 2nd commitment period in terms of the EU negotiating position, short and mind-term impacts on the carbon market, achieving a balanced outcome in Durban and beyond? What would be the proper timing – if any – for reaching such an agreement?

3. What approach and measures during 2011 would ensure best the continuity of the existing Kyoto mechanisms and security of the carbon market after the expiry of the 1st commitment period?

In the course of the discussion held about these issues, the ministers confirmed that the earliest possible creation of a comprehensive legal framework was required in order to put up an efficient fight against climate change. The ministers voiced the European Union’s continued openness to the second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol, and believed that the Cancún session held in December 2010 had drawn us closer to the achievement of the objectives. The Member States agreed that there was a need to size up the possible consequences of a failure to reach an agreement on the post-2012 climate change regime.

During the working lunch that followed the meeting, the ministers discussed the EU 2050 forward-looking low carbon roadmap, to promote the negotiations related to the European Union’s long-term strategy. As it is well-known, on 8 March 2011, the Commission approved of the low carbon roadmap, which charts a path that can be considered cost-efficient from among various scenarios for meeting the long-term reduction target and the ensuing reduction trajectories. Concerning the roadmap, the ministers discussed the milestones of achieving the long-term reduction target. It was pointed out that conversion to a low carbon economy was a measure required for improving the EU’s competitiveness, in compliance with the objectives formulated in the EU 2020 Strategy, and increasing energy safety, which also implied job creation opportunities.

(Ministry of National Development , Department of Communication)