Asia and Europe — cooperating on climate change

The event has particular relevance as tomorrow the Danish government will host the 'Asia-Europe Meeting' (ASEM) in Copenhagen. ASEM is an informal dialogue between EU Member States, the European Commission and 13 Asian countries.

The EEA panel debate is organised in cooperation with ASEM's Environment Forum (ENVforum) and should provide valuable food for thought for delegates attending Tuesday's meeting.

With the approach of 2012, and the end of the first phase of the Kyoto process, it is a good time to begin evaluating the progress and setbacks the world has encountered in drawing up a global framework of action on climate change.

There have been many claims and counter-arguments as to the effectiveness of global climate change policy. It is clear that there is still a great deal to be done. The debate will assess current policies and suggest future strategies. Key areas of discussion will include:

• the costs and benefits of a global climate policy;
• the roles of governments and societies in global climate policy;
• the experiences of stakeholders with the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM);
• the importance of aid and cooperation with developing countries.

The debate aims to:

• provide an impartial platform for genuine dialogue and debate on post-2012 climate change regimes, presenting viewpoints from many stakeholders: governments, scholars, researchers, NGOs, the business sector and young people;
• formulate recommendations, particularly on Asia-Europe cooperation within the ASEM framework;
• contribute to an ASEM perspective within the global discourse on post-2012 climate policy, in view of the expected definitive international negotiations at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change 13th Conference of Parties which will take place at the end of 2007.

Information on the outcomes of the panel discussions will be presented in a report that the ENVforum will prepare for the ASEM Environment ministers.