International Issues

Green diplomacy

In June 2003, the Thessaloniki European Council agreed to launch an initiative aimed at promoting the integration of environment into external relations through the creation of an informal network, known as the Green Diplomacy Network.

The Network consists of officials dealing with international environment and sustainable development issues in the EU's Ministries of Foreign Affairs and their diplomatic missions. The Network focuses on environmental topics that have significant relevance to the EU’s external relations, such as climate change, biodiversity, desertification and renewable energy.

As the external dimension of the European Union’s environment policy is increasingly prominent in international affairs, the Network has an important role in increasing the coherence, consistency and effectiveness of European actions in the environment domain.

The Network held its first organisational meeting in Athens on 25 June 2003, and resulted in a draft Action Plan and a work programme (pdf ~60K).

The Italian Presidency held a second a meeting in Rome on 3 November 2003. This meeting allowed for a more concrete discussion on the role of the Network, and resulted in the endorsement of "Working guidelines for the Network" (pdf ~80K).

The coordination of the Network resides with each EU Presidency in full association with the European Commission.

In line with the Working Guidelines, the Green Diplomacy Network bases its work on EU positions agreed in the Council format.

The main tasks of the Network are:

To promote the use of the EU's extensive diplomatic resources (diplomatic missions, development cooperation offices) in support of environmental objectives, orchestrating campaigns and demarches.
In line with the European Council's mandate of promoting the integration of environment into external relations, the Network considers how foreign ministries are integrating environmental concerns into their working processes across the spectrum.

A report on the first two years of the Network's operation was presented to the European Council in 2005.

For further information on the Green Diplomacy Network see
/external_relations/env/objectives.htm