§ Mr. DafisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the reasons for his delegation's objection to a side declaration reaffirming targets on greenhouse gases at the recent earth summit meeting.
§ Mr. MacleanWe believe that international efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions should concentrate on the United Nations Framework convention on climate change, which the United Kingdom and more than 150 other countries signed during UNCED. The President of the European Community, in signing the convention, made a statement on behalf of the Community and its member states which, amongst other things, reaffirmed the objective for Community carbon dioxide emissions as originally stated in Council conclusions of 29 October 1990. In common with many other countries, we did not consider that other side declarations were appropriate for UNCED, which was the occasion to bring countries together in making environmental commitments.