Brussels, 11/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - “Past lessons, future challenges” is the theme of Green Week 2007 organised by the European Commission (DG Environment) at the Charlemagne building from 12-15 June in Brussels. The event aims to raise public awareness about the stakes at play in environment policy.
International Green Week is now in its seventh year and coincides with this year's 50th anniversary of the EU. The Commission believes that it is an opportune moment for drawing up a balance sheet, together with the public, of the EU's environmental policy and discussing how to improve and adapt life styles to the challenges of sustainable development and optimising innovation and eco-technologies.
Climate change, the decline of biodiversity, the state of the world's natural resources and land use will occupy pride of place in this forum in which around 4000 participants from the whole world are expected: NGOs, public authorities, representatives from industry, experts from the inter-governmental experts group on climate developments, as well as students.
José Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission, Margot Wallström, Commission vice president, Jacqueline McGlade, director of the European Environment Agency and Klaus Töpfer, former German environment minister and former executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced the week's kick-off. Stavros Dimas, commissioner for the environment was absent on sick leave. A press release stressed: “The major threats we are now facing, climate change and loss of biodiversity, have to be tackled together”.
Around 20 seminars and conferences, 75 exhibition stands, and the environmental technologies exhibition opened on 3 June in the Parc du Cinquantenaire will provide plenty of opportunity for debate and exchanges on good practice.
Danuta Hübner, commissioner for regional policy, will take part in the session on regions and environmental sustainability on 13 June. (an)
Full Green Week programme: http: //ec.europa.eu/environment/greenweek/home.html