§ Mr. WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with(a) US and (b) European colleagues on the progress of global environmental policy. [126731]
§ Mr. MorleyDuring 2003, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State had discussions with US and EU colleagues to take forward global environmental policy and international sustainable development in the following fora: the G8 Environment Ministers meeting in Paris in April; the High Level Ministerial Segment of the eleventh session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD11) in New York in April; the Kiev Environment for Europe Conference in May and the European Environment Councils in Brussels in March and June. She has also corresponded in writing and by telephone with US and EU colleagues on these issues. The WSSD highlighted the need for real change and action—this has remained her main focus.
The positive outcome of the CAP reform negotiations at the European Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Luxembourg in June will also play an important role in reducing environmental degradation and pursuing sustainable development objectives.
Other Defra Ministers have also discussed these issues with US and EU colleagues at, among others, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) 22nd Governing Council in Nairobi, the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit in February and the 3rd World Water Forum in Kyoto in March.