Published Monday, July 14, 2008 at 16:28
by
Editor
in Debate (670 views and 0 comments)
In the panel
on “Save our Planet”, keynote speaker Michael Mueller, State
Secretary in the German Environment Ministry, explained that a
social-environmental policy could potentially garner support of
55-58 percent of voters. When social democrats and greens in
Europe achieve less than this result, this is due to the
outdatedness of the majority of the programmes of the political
left. According to him, the current environmental challenges need
to be combined with the legacy of left-wing policies. We must
take the lead in designing new strategies, following long-term
tendencies.
The classical welfare state was linked to the national state and to an immense exploitation of nature. Now, we have to construct a new vision on how a better life is possible. The Greens are focusing on how to combine ecology and economy, but the real challenge is of a social nature. In an increasingly unequal world, the richest fifth of the population spends only 2.5% of their income on energy; the poorest fifth spends 9%. Given these facts, Europe should not orient itself towards an American or Asian model.
Louis Lemkow, director of the Institute for Environmental Science and Technology at...
read morePublished Wednesday, June 18, 2008 at 23:23
by
Editor
in Debate (774 views and 3 comments)
The issues raised by the speakers fuelled a very lively debate. Jeremy Rifkin, president of the Foundation on Economics trends and advisor of different European governments on environmental and economic issues, said that “we have to leave aside a burden sharing and benchmarks approaches and start to talk about commercial opportunities, otherwise in Copenhagen in 2009 we will fail”.
EU has the potential to lead the world into the transition to a third industrial revolution. The introduction of renewables, the functioning of buildings as power plants and the setting up of a smart transmission grid which will take up the internet technology, are the main pillars of the “third industrial revolution” strategy. There was consensus among the public on the importance of decentralising energy policies, creating the opportunity to collect and generate energy locally. In this respect, the building sector could play a major role. To put into...
read morePublished Tuesday, June 10, 2008 at 14:40
by
Editor
in Save our planet (710 views and 2 comments)
MEP Linda McAvan presents EU initiatives to tackle Climate Change and put forward the priorities for the manifesto2009.
Do you agree with Linda when she says this can be a unique opportunity to reach a new international agreement on climate change? Leave us your comments!
read morePublished Friday, May 30, 2008 at 16:09
by
Editor
in Save our planet (930 views and 1 comments)
Claudio Martini,
member of the PES Group in the CoR (Committee of the Regions) and
President of the Tuscany Region in Italy, put forward his
priorities for the PES manifesto! For him climate change is the
most challenging topic to be addressed.
Which of the sessions of the PES Group meeting are you looking most forward to?
Claudio Martini (CM): In my opinion climate change is the biggest challenge for government right now and that’s why I am particularly interested in the debate on Save our planet. There is no doubt that we will face very serious problems in the future. I think it is highly important that we not only focus on the environmental problems caused by climate change, but also on the social, economic and geopolitical issues which will follow. Often environmental questions are seen as separate from other political areas, when they are really not. For every policy we need an environmental dimension.
What is the most important thing local government can do to improve the environment?
CM: Local and regional governments play an important role when it comes to solving environmental problems. The socialist political tradition is...
read morePublished Friday, May 30, 2008 at 12:20
by
jose reis santos 
in Save our planet (662 views and 0 comments)
The consultation process is close to an end and PES Portuguese activists will hold two meetings on the “Save our Planet” and “Democracy and Diversity” themes this weekend!
Paulo Pisco (PS International department) presented some of his ideas on climate change in Sofia, Bulgaria. Check them here!
read more
Published Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 15:40
by
Editor
in Save our planet (695 views and 0 comments)
As we mentioned in one of our last posts, the theme “Save our Planet” of the PES manifesto was discussed in Stockholm, Sweden, with an extremely positive outcome! The purpose, obviously, was to add input to the manifesto2009 for the European Elections of June next year
Fighting climate change with the right
attitude
The seminar on “Leading the fight against climate change: a new
European green growth agenda” was held on the 23 May at the
headquarters of the SAP, the Swedish social-democratic party.
Mona Sahlin, SAP party leader and PES manifesto theme leader on
“Save Our Planet”, opened the seminar by saying that
“problems in our society don’t disappear only wanting to, but
taking action”. Politics and the market should work together
to build strategies for a sustainable future, enhancing
investments, public incentives for new technologies and
influencing the public. According to her, the EU should go ahead
in the fight against climate change promoting a comprehensive
directive addressing action to be taken in all sectors, a
directive on renewables and EU budget and structural funds to be
used in investing in new technologies.
The need for a shift in consumption and
production
MEP...
Published Friday, May 23, 2008 at 08:05
by
Editor
in Save our planet (827 views and 0 comments)
Today from 9:30 you
are invited when politicians, experts and PES activists will
meet in
Stockholm to debate the Save our
planet theme of the PES manifesto consultation! If you're
living outside Sweden you can follow the debate via web streaming
from the website of the Swedish Social Democratic
Party. A completely free and eco-friendly way to participate
in the PES manifesto consultation!
Among the speakers are:
Published Wednesday, May 21, 2008 at 10:35
by
Editor
in Save our planet (641 views and 0 comments)
After having held a
conference on New Social Europe on April 8, the
PES Group in the Committee of the Regions met up again
to discuss the three remaining topics of the PES manifesto
consultation: Save our planet, European democracy and diversity and EU in the world.
The extraordinary meeting was held on 15-16 May in Turin,
Italy, at the invitation of Mercedes Bresso, President of the
Piedmont Region and President of the PES Group in the Committee of
the Regions.Published Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 12:07
by
asa.westlund
in Save our planet (782 views and 3 comments)
Almost
daily we hear alarming news about one of the biggest challenges
of our time – the one about the global warming. As citizens and
consumers we have a responsibility to act. A responsibility not
always easy to handle. Scientific reports from governments,
companies and others are sometimes contradictory, and it’s easy
to lose hope and feel powerless. This is where the EU, as a big
actor on the world wide market has an important role to play. It
is here we see the necessity of political action rather than just
letting the free market decide.
But it is not enough- It must also be easier for all European
citizens to make environment friendly decisions and thereby
taking their own responsibility! The environmental crisis is to
enormous and complex to be solved on just one political level.
Its first when we act both individually, locally, in larger
regions and globally that we can make a change. It does not mean
that we can wait for someone else to take responsibility, rather
that we all must take action now. We have to act as a united
front. Many citizens are trying to take action. With everyday
actions, like leaving the car at home and travel by bus, or
buying locally produced and bio grown products, everyone can make
a difference.
At the same time it has to be easy to make the right choice,...
Published Wednesday, May 7, 2008 at 11:23
by
Editor
in Save our planet (670 views and 0 comments)
Socialists are pushing for
more action on climate change, since it is necessary to act now,
leaving aside the disastrous “business as usual approach”.
Socialist MEP Linda McAvan (Labour UK) hosted the WWF debate “EU
Climate action : Do 30% NOW!” on 6 May 2008. Here are a few
conclusions from the meeting:Published Monday, May 5, 2008 at 12:22
by
asa.westlund
in Save our planet (918 views and 4 comments)
Sometimes I wonder if
we only can discuss one environmental topic at the time.Published Monday, May 5, 2008 at 11:55
by
FrancoisC
in Save our planet (806 views and 2 comments)
Tags: climate change, CO2, environment, oil
File:
Il faut en finir avec les énergies fossiles (PSE).rtf
Published Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at 09:22
by
eromerof
in Save our planet (666 views and 0 comments)
Willy Brandt: “Democratic socialism has the ability to make new beginnings possible”.
Democratic socialism has been able to respond to new challenges and to a new a state of affairs through equality and social justice. Just as pacifism or feminism were integrated as new elements in the cluster of socialist values, the time has now come to include sustainable development as a central element of our socialist thinking and political practice.
The Left should take into account the consequences of environmental degradation for our planet and introduce solidarity as a fundamental principle in the implementation of a model of sustainable development that is fairer and more responsible. The challenge for the 21st century no longer is to achieve a better redistribution of wealth and fight for equal opportunities but also to respond to the more complex challenge of making the environment healthier both at local and global level. Ecosocialism should therefore be understood as a question of solidarity between and among generations, both in time and space.
A NEW MODEL OF DEVELOPMENT
Europe has paved the way for environmental policies aiming at
‘cleaning up’ the environment. However setting limits to
polluting emissions or working on water and waste management...
Published Monday, April 28, 2008 at 14:45
by
eromerof
in New Social Europe (853 views and 2 comments)
Nowadays, the panorama of the left in Europe does not seem to be very tempting. Only 7 out of 27 countries belonging to EU are ruled by socialist parties. These are: United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain, Hungary, Bulgaria, Lithuania and Cyprus. We could argue that there is a lack of real political leadership, a leadership that in other decades was embodied by politicians such as Francois Mitterrand.
The political victory of Zapatero in Spain last march gives the Spanish socialism a great opportunity to implement and develop politics that can be seen as an example for other European countries. It generates a new opportunity to take the initiative in the European context. Whereas the majority of countries in South America are governed by left parties, sometimes with a strong and questionable populist sense, and whereas United States are given an opportunity to give the power again to the Democratic party, regardless of whether Clinton or Obama wins, the European left movement needs to reshape its political agenda, taking the initiative and dismantling the demagogic and populist discourse of conservative countries, too much focused on very sensitive and easy to be manipulated issues such as security, migration, taxes...
From a Spanish perspective, I would like to introduce some of the main points for a socialist agenda. An...
read morePublished Wednesday, April 9, 2008 at 10:25
by
martina
in Save our planet (1470 views and 2 comments)
Climate neutrality, or, in scientific terms 'CO2 neutrality',
describes processes by which the global CO2 balance remains
constant (source: Wikipedia).
In my opinion this CO2 balance no longer exists – we need to
bring back this balance before we can actually maintain it. In a
time of increased environmental awareness, this worthy goal can
nevertheless produce unusual ideas.
Our lifestyles are often careless: jetting off to remote
countries, taking the car to go to the bakery around the corner,
using the tumble dryer and all the other small things which makes
life easy. These actions need no longer give us a guilty
conscience. By spending a bit of money you can compensate for
your polluting sins. For example, take a look at Atmosfair,
Greenmiles, The Climate Company or My Climate. There are probably
more such projects, especially outside Germany. Yet a study from
Tufts
University in Boston revealed that only three of thirteen
such ‘compensation agencies’, including Atmosfair and My Climate,
are actually recommended service providers.
When travelling by plane, Atmosfair can help you obtain a cleaner conscience.
You can pay when you book, but also calculate and compensate for
your CO2 emissions later. When typing...
Tags: blogger of the week, climate change, CO2, electricity, energy, environment
File:
IT_climate_DE.pdf
Published Monday, March 31, 2008 at 11:55
by
cafeneaua.politica
in Save our planet (863 views and 0 comments)
Sign this petition for promoting in Romania and Europe
the healthy life, increasing the use of bicycles, and in this way
for reducing the locals pollution that generate a global worming
amount. Signing this petition you agreed to promote a law
initiative that will force the all Romanian and European local
administrations to generate special places on auto roads from
inside of the towns and communes in the only bicyclist’s
advantage.
Please forward this announcement to yours friends!
In Romanian:
Va invit sa semnati o petitie in favoarea unei initiative legislative in
Romania si Europa ce sa promoveze concret prezervarea calitatii
mediului.
Va rog sa promovati acest mesaj in cercurile de apropiati in
logica unui efort comun pentru un interes comun!
SorinPLATON
Published Tuesday, March 18, 2008 at 14:22
by
Editor
in In the spotlight (684 views and 0 comments)
The Swedish social
democrats discussed the future of EU when the Swedish Social
Democratic Party met in the Swedish Parliament on March 7th. The
keynote speakers were Mona Sahlin, party leader and chair of the
PES group Save our planet, Margot Wallström, Vice-president of
the EU Commission, Jan Eliasson, former Minister for foreign
affairs, and Wanja Lundby-Wedin, President of the Swedish LO and ETUC. Around 250 persons
attended the conference.Published Friday, March 14, 2008 at 16:02
by
Editor
in Save our planet (718 views and 0 comments)
At yesterday’s meeting of socialist and
social democratic prime ministers smart green growth was one of the
big topics.Published Friday, March 14, 2008 at 14:56
by
heisbo
in Save our planet (1081 views and 4 comments)
Even though discussion
paper 'Save our
planet' concentrates mostly on energy policy, I would like
discuss also about the influence of the traffic emissions.Published Friday, March 14, 2008 at 11:48
by
AnneSofie
in Save our planet (821 views and 1 comments)
Scandinavian
PES
activists met in the village of Jørlunde, located on the
island of Zealand, Denmark on March 1st and 2nd 2008 to discuss
European democracy, politics and the PES manifesto.
Over sometimes heated discussions, the 80 participants agreed on
a number is issues, which we feel must be included in the PES
manifesto. Here is our suggestions for the theme 'Save our
planet':
Published Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 11:33
by
Editor
in EU in the world (1019 views and 2 comments)
Published Monday, March 10, 2008 at 10:12
by
frederic.vareillas
in Save our planet (802 views and 3 comments)
Published Friday, February 29, 2008 at 15:44
by
frederic.vareillas
in Save our planet (904 views and 4 comments)
All right, my friend,
You are concerned about the waste. So, all I can tell you is: What do you suggest we do?
We have two years left before oil and gas cost ten times more
than today; solar energy and wind turbines can supply maximum 7
percent of our total consumption of energy; oceans are littered
with plastic bags, wrappings, and are 80 percent DEAD; the sun is
getting hotter; we are killing the great forests to get wood to
burn (and transform into paper); Earth's temperature is rising 2
degrees Celsius (which is huge) due to CO2 and methane.
What would you say if we could recycle and reutilize nuke waste
and nuke plants?
Think again: We have two years in front of us before the great
depression.
What do you suggest we do?
Friendly,
Fred
Published Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 17:20
by
Gwendoline
in Save our planet (813 views and 4 comments)
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault has been officially inaugurated on 26 February. A big vault has been hollowed in the Spitzberg (Norway): 4,000,000 seeds are now stored by -18°C! Researchers of all over the world have been working hard on this huge project. The aim is to “provide and ultimate safety net to conserve a capacity to feed the planet in the event of a disaster”. This safe deposit system has a refrigerating device to lower the temperature of the mountain that sometimes reaches -3ºC (in case the global warming were to reach peaks). The plant databank is made of edible seeds that would enable humanity to survive and recover from a global catastrophy.
See a video on the project:
This type of projects makes one believes in humankind. Of course
the very reason why we are building such a place is rather sad!
Are we going to witness a Noah's ark for animals? For human
beings? At the end of the day, every so-called superior species
has vanished from the surface of the Earth. So should we really
try to save...
Published Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 12:26
by
Editor
in Save our planet (1036 views and 1 comments)
Published Tuesday, February 26, 2008 at 10:16
by
frederic.vareillas
in Save our planet (804 views and 2 comments)
Dear friends,
I would like to share two other readings with you so as we're
able to think Europe's near future through:
First: There's a very interesting issue of "L'Ecologiste" #24;
Oct-Dec 2007 (French version of the original "The Ecologist",
London, UK) about the biofuel hoax and slowing our cars' speed.
Also look at the present issue of "The Ecologist": "The end
of food as we know it" (London, 2008). You should also have
a look at the website: www.theecologist.org – it’s interesting
(English and French versions available).
Second: A French essay by Eric Orsenna and Le Cercle des
Economistes: "Un monde de ressources rares" (2008,
paperback, French only). They offer some economical and political
ways to deal with scarcity.
Your friend,
Frederic (Paris)
Published Monday, February 25, 2008 at 17:22
by
frederic.vareillas
in Save our planet (937 views and 2 comments)
Dear friends,
I have read your remarks about my
post.
True. Nuclear power is not 100 percent safe but which energy is?
Coalmines ? Gas? Forget it: To many deaths. And oil is the
poison, our lethal addiction. I remember Chernobyl but, compared
to a French reactor, Chernobyl 3 was a poor piece of junk. Risk
zero doesn't exist.
Do we really have a choice? For the generation to come (25
years), nuclear power is the only possible choice unless we want
to be in a new dark age (back to middle ages). Do you want this
regression? Again, do we have a choice? We should have changed
and adapted 25 years ago when the oil prices quadrupled. We
didn't. Europe needs power - Europe needs electricity to avoid
wars and to keep civilized.
As to the disposal of nuclear WASTE I recommend again you read
Sir Jim Lovelock's book "Revenge of Gaia". This book is
a project to save civilization from the dark age. While you're at
it, you should also read "Vers un monde de ressources
rares" by Eric Orsenna and Le Cercle des Economistes" (2007,
paperback).
Then you'll understand the urgency of the present Europe's (and
Earth's) situation. Good luck, keep it up!
Your friend,
Frederic (Paris)
Published Monday, February 25, 2008 at 09:20
by
frederic.vareillas
in Save our planet (888 views and 6 comments)
Hi,
I strongly advise all PES activists to read sir James Lovelock's "The
revenge of Gaia" (2008, paperback). We absolutely need to
take his views into account.
Lovelock is 89 years old: He has nothing to lose and he tells us
everything we need to know.
Please read his book and think twice before you get your act
together.
Yours faithfully,
Frederic (Paris, France)
Published Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at 15:55
by
Eric
in Save our planet (1218 views and 3 comments)
Hey!
It’s my third day as your guest blogger, and today I would like
to present some specific policy proposals. And I will start with
a political issue very close to my heart: the environment.
None of my parents (Bo and
Gunnel) were members of a political party when I
grew up. However, my dad Bo was very interested in politics in
general, and environmental issues in particular. He started
working with green issues already in the early 1960s, when
Rachel Carson’s book ”Silent Spring” served as one
of the first alarm bells. At the time, my dad did some research
into why some birds’ eggs were too shallow and broke before the
new little bird was born. The reason was that the birds were fed
with foodstuffs containing mercury.
Ever since 1960s, we have gradually become better at ensuring
that growth must be ecologically and socially sustainable. If
growth means that birds are fed mercury, our society will not be
sustainable in the long run. The EU has been good at slowly
transforming societies in the right direction in this way, and
Mark Leonard wrote a fantastic little book about
how the EU's ”soft power” is so much more efficient than the...
Published Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at 11:42
by
Editor
in Save our planet (1408 views and 2 comments)
When speaking to Ilmar
Reepalu, Mayor of Malmö, Sweden, and member of the PES Group in the Committee of the Regions, you realize
that mentality is really the key to change when it comes to
combating climate change. Since the mid-nineties Reepalu has been
working to change Malmö from an industrial town to a modern, green
capital of the region. And with great success – Malmö has received
numerous prizes for its green projects, most recently the
prestigious ‘LivCom’ award in London. Published Friday, January 25, 2008 at 09:57
by
Editor
in Save our planet (1132 views and 1 comments)
This week Barroso
presented one of his most ambitious proposals to date; a climate and energy package that outlines how Europe
can lead in climate protection. But is it really ambitious enough?
Here are a few of the package’s key ingredients:
Reactions are mixed. Ministers and energy companies are
complaining that they find the targets way too...
Published Wednesday, January 9, 2008 at 15:07
by
Editor
in Save our planet (1619 views and 2 comments)
Most people know that
owning a car impacts on the environment – but less are aware that
buying new clothes and going out for dinner also result in CO2
pollution.
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