• Environmental Organisations Propose Programme for Ambitious and Achievable EU Sustainable Development Strategy

    Ahead of the Environment Council on 9th March, a coalition of environmental NGOs focusing on European policy today launch a dynamic and comprehensive programme for the sustainable development of the EU. The programme urges Europe’s leaders and decision-makers to action with a set of concrete proposals to transform the EU’s Sustainable Development Strategy into an ambitious but achievable game plan.

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    [mailchimp_signup][/mailchimp_signup]Measurable objectives are seen as crucial for all key themes – ranging from climate and energy to social exclusion and transport – as is the better implementation of existing environmental legislation across EU Member States. Other priorities in the programme include a 10% tax-base shift from labour to environmental pressures; reducing by half fuel consumption of new passenger cars over the next decade rather than allowing biofuels to count towards car fuel efficiency objectives; and ensuring greater coordination between Member States on effective and coherent aid policies.

    Today’s proposals are a direct response to the European Commission’s review of the Sustainable Development Strategy published in December, which the environmental organisations see as a positive step but which still has much room for improvement. Today’s programme has been published by G10, the Green 10 coalition of environmental organisations (BirdLife International, CEE Bankwatch Network, Climate Action Network Europe, European Environmental Bureau, European Federation for Transport & Environment, European Public Health Alliance-Environment Network, Friends
    of the Earth Europe, Greenpeace, International Friends of Nature, & WWF European Policy Office).

    The environmental NGOs applaud the Austrian Presidency for organising debates in all ministerial councils before the final Strategy is adopted at the June 2006 European Summit. The Environment Council is kicking off the debates on 9 March.
    John Hontelez, Secretary General of the European Environmental Bureau: “We hope the Environment Ministers will set an ambitious tone on the Sustainable Development Strategy, and that all subsequent Councils will follow their example – resulting in a good outcome in June. The G10 programme aims to give impetus to the debate on how the EU can become a prosperous and socially fair society that at the same time respects the
    carrying capacity of the region and the world”.

    To read the G10 programme for the sustainable development of the EU:
    https://www.transportenvironment.org/Downloads-index-req-getit-lid-423.html

    For further information, please contact:
    John Hontelez, EEB Secretary General, Tel: +32 (0)486 512 127