Asean can tap EU's know-how on environmental issues, says PM

Keith Lin, Straits Times 23 Nov 07;

ONE grouping has the expertise and experience in dealing with the issue of climate change.

The other has just made a strong commitment to deal with environmental challenges such as pollution and the protection of forests.

Yesterday the European Union and Asean pledged to make a difference at next month's climate change conference in Bali.

There, negotiations will begin on a new pact to deal with greenhouse gases which contribute to global warming, when the present Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.

Speaking after a meeting of Asean and EU leaders, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong noted the leading role that the EU has played on the issue of climate change.

Asean can benefit from the EU's experience and expertise and welcomes its help and support to protect and manage forests in the region, he said.

Both sides have agreed on key principles, including the need to set goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This requires everyone to play their part.

But, as Mr Lee pointed out, this also means there is a need 'to reconcile very different views of this problem between the developing and developed countries'.

While developing countries acknowledge their responsibilities, they have expressed concern that adherence and strict targets could put the brakes on their economic growth.

EU president Jose Socrates, who is Portugal's Prime Minister, agreed yesterday that climate change was an issue where Asean and Europe could do more about together - especially in preparing a roadmap for a new international post-Kyoto protocol.

Signalling the EU's intent to push for progress on the issue, Mr Socrates called for concrete targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to be set at the Bali meeting.

Referring to a declaration that East Asian leaders signed at their summit this week to curb greenhouse gas emissions, he said he was glad that Asean has placed the issue on top of its agenda.

But beyond working out clear targets to reduce emissions, Mr Lee pointed to other ways in which Asean and the EU could work to achieve a greener global environment.

These include spurring global participation in the issue, and getting developing and developed countries to come to a consensus on how the problem should be tackled.

Responding to a question on the skyrocketing oil prices, Mr Lee said it was a manifestation of how fluctuations of markets can have major implications for the lives of ordinary men and women.

Its impact was 'on the poor, the not-so-poor, the cost of living, public transport, utilities, electricity'.

'Many adjustments will have to take place in the economies and there's a lot of significant social hardship which is inflicted, particularly in Asian countries, which governments have to worry about and do something about,' he said.

Agreeing, Mr Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission, said that was precisely why the EU was giving so much attention to the issue of climate change.

'That is another reason, from our point of view, to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. This is one of the reasons why we should not be so dependent on fossil energies,' he said.

'We should invest in renewable energy and should also try to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy.'