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Venue
European Economic and Social
Committee, Room VMA 1 Rue Van Maerlant, 2 - 1040 Brussels
27th February 2008
Introduction
On 29 June 2007, the European Commission has adopted its first policy document on adapting to the impacts of climate change. This Green Paper "adaptation to climate change in Europe - options for EU action", builds upon the work and findings of the European Climate Change Programme.
The Green Paper sets out four lines of priority actions to be
considered:
- Early action to develop adaptation strategies in areas
where current knowledge is sufficient;
- Integrating global adaptation needs into the EU’s
external relations and building a new alliance with partners around the
world;
- Filling knowledge gaps on adaptation through EU-level
research and exchange of information;
- Setting up a European advisory group on adaptation to
climate change to analyse coordinated strategies and actions.
The Green Paper argues that we are now faced with a double
challenge: next to deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions we also need to adapt
to the changing climate conditions. It describes possible avenues for action at
EU level: its main objective is to kick-start a Europe-wide public debate and
consultation on how to take it forward.
The growing scientific and political consensus on the reality
and causes of climate change calls for a concerted response from all sections of
society – including citizens (bottom-up actions). Building widespread public
support for new policies and collective action, however, will require effective
communication, outreach activities and education (top-down actions). In order to
address climate change, people first need to understand the issues and
challenges they face. They need to know that climate change is a reality and
understand what this means for them. Most importantly, they need to know what
they can do to face the problem.
The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern
Europe (REC), in partnership with the European Economic and Social Committee,
promotes a roundtable to discuss these issues. Climate change concerns us all.
Therefore all actors, in the widest possible sense, from the individual citizen
to public authorities, the private sector, businesses, towns and cities,
academics, networks, policy makers and authorities at all levels, associations
and NGOs are invited to participate actively during the roundtable.
Programme
| 14.15 |
Registration |
| 15:00 – 15:10 |
Welcome by Alexander Graf Von Schwerin,
Vice-President of the European Economic and Social Committee.
watch the video |
| 15:10 – 15:20 |
Opening by Guido Sacconi, President
of the European Parliament Temporary Committee on Climate Change
watch the video |
| 15:20 - 15:40 |
Introduction by Corrado Clini, Chairman
of the Board of Directors of the REC and Director General, Ministry
for the Environment, Land and Sea, Italy
watch the video |
15:40 – 16:40 Session one: The Top-Down actions
| 15.40 – 15:55 |
Key note speaker: Nicholas Hanley,
Head of Unit A1, Communication and Governance, DG Environment, EC,
“The European Commission's role in communicating European
political priorities on environment and in acknowledging the concerns
coming from the civil society”
watch the video
Debate
watch the video |
| 15:55 – 16:25 |
I. Panel
Moderator: Rosàrio Bento
Pais, Deputy Head of Unit C1, Climate strategy, international negotiations
and monitoring of EU action, DG Environment, European Commission.
Discussion panellists:
Derek Osborn
Chair of the Sustainable Development Observatory of the European
Economic and Social Committee: “Seven priorities for an adaptation
strategy”
watch the video
Zita Gurmai
Member of the European Parliament; “The impacts of CC on future
regional development”
watch the video
Jean Marie Bemtgen
Senior Policy Advisor, Unit D2, Energy and Innovation, DG Energy
and Transport, European Commission: “CONCERTO a solution for
climate change in cities?”
watch the video
Andrew Bounds
Financial Times – Brussels: “The key-role of the press
in bridging the gap between Institutions and Civil Society: CG issues’
specificities”
watch the video
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| 16:25 - 16:40 |
Forum discussion between speakers,
discussion panellists and audience participants.
watch the video
Yunus Arikan, Climate Change expert of the REC |
16:40 – 17:40 Session two: The Bottom-Up actions
| 16:40 - 16:55 |
Key note speaker: Peter Gammeltoft,
Head of the Climate Adaption Task Force, DG Environment, EC. “Which
communication tools and approaches will be most effective in translating
concerns about global warming into behavioural changes on the ground?”
watch the video |
| 16:55 - 17:25 |
II. Panel Moderator:
Claude Rouam, Head of Unit E3, Enlargement and Neighbouring
Countries, DG Environment, EC.
Discussion panellists:
Péter Olajos
Member of the European Parliament, Member of the ENVI Committee,
"The role of the politics on climate change"
watch the video
Jesse Scott
Programme Leader, Europe in the World of E3G: “Climate change
- uncertainty abounds, but this is a risk management decision -
not a quest for truth”
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Stéphane La Branche
Head Research Group on adaptation and mitigation on climate change,
Pacte de Grenoble “GHG reduction in cities: how to grasp the
nettle?”
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Sandrine Noël
Head of Non-life insurance, European insurance and reinsurance federation,
“Why to go the extra mile? Activities of the business community
on Climate Change”
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Richard Skene
CEO, Holcim Hungary: “Why to go the extra mile? CSR activities
of the business community on Climate Change”
watch the video |
| 17:40 - 18:00 |
Final remarks:
Vladimír Špidla, Commissioner for Employment, Social
Affairs and Equal Opportunities: “The impact of Climate Change
into Civil Society: a topic for the European Social Agenda?”
watch the video (French language)
See the english translation of the speech
(PDF - 114 KB)
Forum discussion between speakers, discussion panellists
and audience participants
watch the video |
| 18:00 - 18:15 |
Conclusions: Marta Szigeti Bonifert,
Executive Director of REC
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| 18.15 |
Reception and poster session |
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(PDF - 46 KB)
The event is generously supported by the Italian Trust Fund.
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