Brussels, 29/05/2006 (Agence Europe) - “Biodiversity is life” is the theme and the slogan of Green Week 2006 which will take place in Brussels from 30 May to 2 June. The international event, organised every year by the European Commission, seeks to highlight EU environmental policy and provide an opportunity for the exchange of experiences through various conferences, workshops and exhibitions. Green Week precedes World Environment Day, on 5 June. The 4000 or so participants will be invited to reflect on the economic, social and environmental consequences of the loss of biodiversity, and concrete ways to check the decline in the variety of species, ecosystems and genes which make up life on Earth. Inaugurating the meeting, Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas will be able to present the new action plan the Commission has just put forward to speed up the implementation of the EU strategy to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2010 (see EUROPE 9197). Pascal Lamy, WTO Director General, Vaclav Havel, former President of the Czech Republic, and Achim Steiner, Executive Director designate of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) will also take part in the opening conference on 30 May.
On 1st June the winners of the 2006 environmental awards for companies, local authorities and schools will be announced. The European Investment Bank and four other multilateral development banks will sign a declaration of environmental principles.
Just like last year, the Commission intends to make Green Week a “climate-neutral” event. Carbon dioxide emissions generated will be offset by the purchase of an equivalent amount of emission allowances.