asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make a report on the recent international ministerial conference on atmospheric pollution and climate change; and the efforts he has made to persuade the United States to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.
Written Answers. - Conference on Atmospheric Pollution.
72.
The Ministerial Conference on Atmospheric Pollution and Climatic Change which took place in Noordwijk, the Netherlands on 6-7 November 1989 was attended by almost 70 countries, including Ireland, and by about ten international organisations.
The conference adopted a declaration entitled "The Noordwijk Declaration on Atmospheric Pollution and Climatic Change" which recognises the seriousness of the problems associated with increased global warming and the related climatic changes that might occur.
Copies of the declaration have been placed in the Library of the House for the information of Deputies. In addressing the conference, the Minister for the Environment stressed that climatic change is a very real and serious problem which will require extensive international co-operation and action if it is to be tackled effectively. The Minister urged that agreement should be reached on the inclusion in the text of the declaration of an appropriate reference to stabilisation of CO2 emissions. The declaration that was agreed recognises the need to achieve such stabilisation as soon as possible.