Swedish Presidency puts environment at heart of priorities

The new Swedish Presidency of the EU put the environment at the heart of its priorities for its six-month spell as chair of the European Council. Its major environmental priority will be helping broker an international agreement on climate change at the Copenhagen Climate Conference in December. The Swedes have also called for a review of the EU’s sustainable development strategy, have stressed the importance of adopting an EU strategy to address environmental degradation and will push for a binding international treaty to tackle mercury pollution. Biodiversity also features high on the Swedish Presidency’s agenda.