Climate change Lisbon priority

TACKLING global warming is an important part of the Lisbon Treaty, thanks to the insistence by Ireland that it be included, the Taoiseach said last night, ahead of climate change talks in New York.

Mr Cowen will meet with other leaders tomorrow at the UN Summit on Climate Change. On Wednesday morning, he will attend the UN General Assembly, with an address by US President Barack Obama.

Mr Cowen said: “Ireland sought and secured EU agreement to the explicit inclusion of combating climate change as an EU competence in the Lisbon Treaty.”