last march the council and the spring european council further refined a new position for the international climate change negotiations in particular in view of the copenhagen conference
at this meeting of nineteen twenty march two thousand and nine the council stressed its conviction that the economic crisis and the policy measures in response to it provide an opportunity to achieve the necessary economic reforms and at the same time speed up reforms towards a safe and sustainable low-carbon resource-efficient economy
the presidency conclusions of the european council of march this year stated that the european union remained committed to playing a leading role and bringing about the global and comprehensive climate agreement in copenhagen in december this year designed to limit global warming to below two celsius
to this end the european council recalled the eu's commitment to a thirty emission reduction as its contribution to such an agreement provided that other developed countries commit themselves to comparable emission reductions and that advanced developing countries contribute adequately according to their responsibilities and respective capabilities
the european council will further discuss these issues at its june meeting
