EU environment ministers discuss future plans

New and existing environmental legislation is likely to be a topic of conversation during a meeting between EU ministers.

European representatives met in Sopot yesterday (July 11th) for a two-day informal discussion about how the continent can better manage its natural resources.

Minister of the environment Andrzej Kraszewski believes measures need to be taken to move Europe away from being a throwaway society.

Indeed, he claimed that parts of the EU are currently wasting resources and "living on ecological credit".

"As the presidency leader, Poland will strive to implement such environment protection tools, which will eliminate the dependence of the economic growth on degradation of natural environment," he remarked.

In a press statement, an EU spokesperson suggested that attitudes among consumers and manufacturers must change if the continent is to become sustainable.

Europe is in danger of being left behind by developing countries in terms of spending on renewable energy sources, after figures released by the United Nations Environment Programme showed a sharp rise in investment among emerging nations in 2010.

Posted by Claire Manning