German-speaking countries pledges more cooperation in environment

At a traditional quadripartite meeting Friday in Austrian eastern state Burgenland, the environment ministers of Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein and Switzerland agreed to strengthen their cooperation in climate protection, renewable energy and energy efficiency. A central theme of discussions was also the World Climate Change Conference in Durban in South Africa later this year. The four countries hoped to take this meeting as an opportunity to reach consensus for the conference. German environment minister Norbert Roettgen said that the meeting was a platform to help the four countries to go into a common direction. The ministers also exchanged views on subsidy policy for the development of renewable energy and nuclear policy. They all expressed a willingness to see that nuclear stress tests can be done properly and by independent experts. In view of the World Climate Change Conference in Durban, the European Union is willing to take a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol, but not without conditions. In this regard, Austrian environment minister Niki Berlakovich said, "we are pioneer but we expect the rest of the world would also make clear commitments. A solo run of the EU cannot rescue the climate at the end."