madam president i have participated in a number of meetings in the arctic region focusing very much on climate change
normally the first day in such meetings is devoted to the serious effects for the region its wildlife the livelihood of its people and so on because of global warming
the second day is very often devoted to opportunities in terms of geological exploitation
something of a contradiction
i would submit that rapid exploitation of geological resources would of course entail very serious risks
i agree that you cannot draw an exact parallel between the arctic and the antarctic i agree with the commissioner there
at the same time since we do not have a careful sustainable environment framework in place for the kind of activities that are now being explored by the nations in this region i think this resolution sends a very important signal be careful
the fact that all political groups are behind it i think is significant
we list three alternative ways forward one an international treaty with of course special provisions for this region compared to the antarctic two a moratorium pending new scientific research and a better understanding of the region and its vulnerability or sensitivity but also pending the results of many energy alternatives that are now developing very progressively
maybe in the future we will not need those fossil reserves at all
so i think that even if colleagues in this parliament may differ on the margin about the most responsible way forward i think it is very significant that we are all behind this resolution
i want to stress that we want to go beyond just enhanced multilateral cooperation and dialogue we want to ensure that the safety of the environment and the livelihoods of the people are protected
