ABOUT TURN

With the world's most important environment conference ever taking place in Copenhagen later this year I am throwing myself back into the work of curbing the global warming that threatens our future. These days I am regarded as the European political expert on carbon capture and storage technology that can take CO2 out of coal and inject it into old gas bearing rocks beneath the sea. It's hugely important. Coal provides one third of our electricity but if we don't reduce emissions from it we will not slow climate change.

Over the next 5 years we have the chance to reform the Common Fisheries Policy, and I plan to take a lead in pressing for radical reform to restore fish stocks. We must save our seas or there will be no fish left for our grandchildren to eat.

And on the international scene I shall continue to campaign for a Palestinian state. The new Obama administration in the USA is a breath of fresh air. Securing peace and justice in the Middle East is essential because the lack of it helps recruits terrorists who menace us all.

Chris Davies is the Liberal Democrat MEP for the North West and his party's environment spokesman in the European Parliament.