Swedish king expresses concern over global warming

dpa German Press Agency
Published: Tuesday October 3, 2006

Stockholm- King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden expressed concern over global warming Tuesday in remarks at the formal opening of the newly-elected Swedish parliament. Commenting on the unusually warm and sunny autumn, the king asked if this was "just a natural variation between cold and warm summers? Or is it the effect of global warming?"

"It is one of our generation's fateful issues to establish how our way of life affects the environment," the 60-year-old monarch who has no formal political powers said.

"We have to find wise and effective measures that secure the terms for all life on earth," the king added.

The king also welcomed the higher voter turnout in the September 17 elections, and Sweden's contributions to various international peacekeeping operations.

A four-party centre-right coalition of the conservative Moderate Party, the Centre Party, the Liberal Party and the Christian Democrats won a majority of 178 seats in the 349-seat chamber in last month's general elections.

Parliament elected a new speaker Monday. Speaker Per Westerberg, who was first elected to parliament 1979, ranks second to the head of state, King Carl Gustaf, but ahead of the prime minister.

On Friday, Moderate Party leader Fredrik Reinfeldt was slated to present his new government.

© 2006 dpa German Press Agency