Brussels, 22/06/2009 (Agence Europe) - Climate change is a major challenge in the international negotiations to conclude a global agreement in December 2009. This is due to take over from the Kyoto Protocol and will be at the heart of Green Week 2009 (23-26 June in Brussels). This is the 9th and biggest annual conference on European environmental policy and will have the slogan, “Act and Adapt”. The European Commission's Environment Directorate is organising the event and intends to focus public attention and promote the exchange of experience and good practices on the main demands for meeting the global warming challenge, mobilising everyone, political decision makers, the scientific community, economic actors, NGOs and ordinary citizens. More than 4000 participants are expected at this international event. Green Week 2009 looks at climate change under four headings: EU climate change policies; the international dimension; living with climate change; and '2050 vision: a carbon-free society.' The programme comprises many different conference sessions, some organised in partnership with the Brussels think-tank Friends of Europe, plus a small number of additional side sessions. Speakers at Green Week 2009 include: Prof Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, Vice Chair of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (GIEC); Jeff McNeely, Chief Scientist, International Union for the Conservation of Nature (UICN), Festus Mogae, UN Special Envoy on climate change, José Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission, Stavros Dimas, European Commissioner for the environment, Ladislav Miko, Czech Environment Minister and representative of the Council presidency, Andreas Carlgren, the Swedish environment minister on behalf of the future of the presidency of the EU, HE Roy Mickey Joy, Ambassador of Vanuatu, Tony Long, Director, WWF European Policy Office and Ray Hammond, author and futurologist. (A.N./trans/rh)