The snow isn't the only thing visiting Utah this week. John Bruton, European Union ambassador to the United States, was in Utah Thursday urging cooperation between the United States and Europe on issues from global warming to the emergence of China and India as world powers.

Over three days, Bruton was scheduled to meet with Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also spoke to the Legislature before he came to Utah County to address students at Provo High School and BYU. At BYU, staff at the Hinckley Alumni and Visitors Center had to set up extra chairs for the crowd, but some students still had to sit on the floor.

He explained to students the history of the European Union and issues where he would like to see more U.S. cooperation, such as climate change.

"We've got to make change if we're going to preserve," Bruton said.

The ambassador was advocating an international agreement in which nations emitting more than their allotted tons of carbon into the atmosphere would have to buy allowances from countries emitting less than their quota of particulate matter.

Bruton said that the E.U. was created after World War II to keep peace between France and Germany by making them economically dependant on each other, so one could not attack the other without hurting itself. Now the organization supports free trade between member countries. It also spreads democracy and works for peace. Burton said part of his job is to educate Americans about Europe.

"I think [Americans] have no idea," said BYU sophomore Marie Conway. She liked that the ambassador advocated understanding different points of view.

Bruton compared the organization of the E.U. to the federalist system in the United States. He said it was sometimes easier to explain the structure to an American familiar with federalism than to explain it to a European.

Students at BYU asked Bruton about Turkey, the structure of the E.U. and his relationship with the president. In a statement, Bruton called for "more telephone, less megaphone," referring to communication between countries. Bruton said he meant that public expression of grievances should be talked about between parties and not aired publicly.

Bruton also spoke about the upcoming presidential election when a student asked him what he would like to see from the president come January 2009. Bruton said he would not advise an American on that issue, but if he were to speak to Europeans he would tell them not to expect too much change if the party in power changes.

"Don't expect anything to change just because the party label on the person has changed," Bruton said.

He said that meant that Americans have a world view and Europeans have a different world view. The differences have less to do with politics than with history, and we can learn from each other.

Students at Provo High asked the ambassador questions about Northern Ireland, refugees to Europe and his job as a diplomat.

Provo High is in its first year of the International Baccalaureate program where students can chose to enter the program and receive a globally focused education.

Assistant Principal Stacey Briggs said students were able to gain an understanding of what the E.U. is politically and economically.

"We are part of a global economy as we're trying to prepare our kids," Briggs said.

Bruton's remarks to the state Legislature centered on climate change and trade.

• Brittani Lusk can be reached at 344-2549 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it