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The debate "The global and local environment: thoughts on the eve of the world wide meeting on climate change" was introduced by mr. Patrick Van Haute, Director of the OECD Council and Executive Committee Secretariat.
The speaker, from a family of Belgian diplomates, has a very important function at the OECD, which regroups the industrializd countries. In this way he is familiar with the options considered with respect to the general environment, energy, and climate change. He discussed the OCDE reports concerning the Belgian situations and the challenges our federal and regional governments ahve to cope with.