Sustainability for an ever-more populous world / Europe has the most experience in the green economy / European Parliament Resolution.

The EU should take the lead in the UN Conference on Sustainability taking place in Rio in June 2012. This the gist of a European Parliament Resolution adopted in Strasbourg today. "20 years after the first conference in Rio, we should aim at globally binding targets. The EU should play a key role as it has some practical experience in the fight against climate change and other sustainability issues", said Karl-Heinz Florenz MEP.

MEPs are calling for an early EU position on the Rio Conference. "We need to have a common EU approach by November as negotiations for the Rio Declaration are going to start in the spring of next year. The fact that a green economy need not mean de-industrialisation, but prosperity and employment, should encourage us Europeans", said the German MEP.

Florenz emphasised the growing responsibility of industrialised countries in the fight against poverty and starvation. "Developing countries have the main share of the growth of the world's population. Europe and the other wealthy regions of the world must take their responsibility seriously. This also holds for global actors, such as China and India. This is not a one-off issue, but a long-term sustainability measure."

The European Parliament calls for raw materials, energy efficiency and forestry to be put on the agenda of the UN Conference on Sustainability. "There is going to have to be an environmentally-friendly economy as a global standard. Europe's leading role is an economic, environmental and social opportunity", said Karl-Heinz Florenz.

(Translation from the original German)

For further information:

Karl-Heinz FLORENZ  MEP, Tel: +32-2-2847320

Thomas Bickl, EPP Group Press and Communications Service, Tel: +32-478-215372

Notes to Editors:

The EPP Group is by far the largest political group in the European Parliament with 264 Members.