Dr. ThomasTo ask the Prime Minister if she proposes to support the five-point plan to protect the global atmosphere, set out in the address by the Norwegian Prime Minister before the world conference on the changing atmosphere: implications for global security.
§ The Prime MinisterI welcome Mrs. Brundtland's contribution, delivered to the Toronto conference. Several of her points were also stressed by my noble Friend the Minister for Environment, Countryside and Water in a written message to the conference, in particular the need for international co-operation in seeking solutions to the problems posed by climate change, in developing renewable energy resources and co-ordinating scientific research. The special problems of the poorest countries, stressed by Mrs. Brundtland, have already been recognised by the agreement we reached on debt relief at the Toronto economic summit. For the moment, however, it would be premature to place high priority on the proposal to establish a global convention on protection of the climate. The best immediate use of our resources lies in the difficult task of reducing uncertainty about the nature and consequences of atmospheric change.