A Commission Green Paper on adapting to climate change promises a 2008 Communication on the health impacts and policies necessary because of climate change.
The European Commission, DG Environment, adopted a Green Paper on Adapting to Climate Change in Europe: options for EU action , on 29 June 2007. Commissioner Stavros Dimas gave a lecture on the subject in a conference that took place in Brussels on 3 July 2007.
The Green Paper on climate change is the Commission’s first comprehensive policy initiative that aims to adapt the European strategies to the changes caused by climate change. It is built upon the work and findings of the European Climate Change Programme and urges Europe to take adaptation measures to decrease the impacts of current and future warming. Concretely, it argues that Europe is now faced with a double challenge: to make deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions but also, to adapt to the changing climate conditions.
The Green Paper recognises health as one of the key sectors that will be impacted by climate change thus requiring adaptation policies. Work by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has improved understanding of the health impacts likely as our climate warms. The findings have formed an important contribution to the IPCC report adopted in Brussels, on 4 April 2007. This work will now need to be reflected in a Communication that the Commission is currently preparing on health and climate change and which the Green Paper promises for 2008.
On the 3 July 2007, the Commission held a high level conference on climate adaptation to publicly present the Green Paper, which will also include an internet consultation that will last until November 2007. Stavros Dimas, Environment Commissioner, said in the conference that climate change is in some places literally a question of “adapt or die” and added that adaptation means anticipating the effects of climate change.
Green Paper on Adapting to Climate Change
The main objective of the paper is to start a Europe-wide public debate and consultation on how to take it forward by setting out four lines of priority actions to be considered:
-Early action in areas from agriculture to trade that are backed by EU policies and available Community funds
-Integrating the idea of adaptation into existing EU external actions, particularly in developing countries
-Intensification of climate research, in particular on the impacts of global warming, and technological innovation
-Involvement of all segments of society, business and the public in the further development of adaptation strategies
Next steps:
-A web-based public consultation will be open from mid-July until end of November 2007.
-Four regional workshops will take place in Finland, Portugal, UK and Hungary during the autumn of 2007.
For further information:
Green Paper on Adapting to Climate Change
Commission’s Conference Release
European Climate Change Programme