Connie Hedegaard, the EU's first Climate Action Commissioner and President of last year’s UN Conference on Climate Change (COP15), yesterday gave a powerful speech in London imploring the US administration to push for progress on domestic and international legislation on climate change, and for the EU to keep hold of its competitive edge on green energy.
 

Green technologies key for EU’s economic growth

Hedegaard urged the EU to be forward thinking in their approach to tackling climate change. She told the audience that development of green technologies is not an ‘anti-growth’ agenda but a ‘green growth’ agenda.

Hedegaard warned EU countries not to be complacent in their attitudes to about low carbon, efficient energy production – if we stand still, she argued, we stand to lose our front runner position. China, she told the audience, is now the leader for wind turbine production and the lead exporter of solar power.
 

No excuses, we have the solutions

Speaking to a room packed with press, NGOs, and academics the EU Commissioner said, “there is no excuse [for inaction on climate change], we know the problems…we have the solutions”.
 

Watch Connie Hedegaard’s speech


Courtesy of IIED
 

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