The JRC’s Consumer Footprint Calculator takes into account the environmental impact of your entire lifestyle and all of your consumption habits.
Dedicated to the theme of making the European Green Deal real, Europe’s biggest annual event on environmental policy started with a hard question: is there still a place for green policies in times where people struggle with high energy prices, supply chain disruptions that will lead to rising unemployment, high inflation and a war on Europe’s doorstep? The two-day conference explored what it will really take to transform to a circular, nature-positive and zero pollution economy.
Markku Markkula, member of Espoo City Council and President of the Helsinki Region, explained in this interview how the missions can help accelerate the green and digital transitions and move towards climate neutrality in Europe.
The #EUGreenDeal has offered the starting line for people who are making it real, with their work. It’s not the policies alone that will make Europe green. It’s You. Urban beekeepers, circular business innovators, forward-thinking economists. You make it real! #EUGreenWeek
Closing an eventful #EUGreenWeek with a 🎂 for 30 years of #EUEcolabel guiding consumers towards truly eco-friendly choices! The 🆕 Showroom on Wheels will bring its sustainable products & services closer to consumers across the 🇪🇺.
Wrapping up the 2-day conference, Florika Fink–Hooijer, Director General for Environment, European Commission, inaugurated the EU Ecolabel “Showroom on Wheels”. The showroom will now travel all around Europe. Follow the journey!
In this lively discussion, speakers zoned in on the Commission’s legal proposal to make sustainable products the norm and how new business models are critical to achieve change. On the systemic transition to sustainable products, Professor Jan Jonker said “It’s not always going to be popular, but it’s absolutely necessary if we want to keep on living within the boundaries of this planet”.
This session centered on the polluter pays principle and how it should be better applied at EU level, bringing questions of fairness and justice to the forefront and emphasizing that it is people who pay the price for pollution. Femke Groothuis, co-founder and president of The Ex’tax project highlighted that “Only 0.2% of all tax revenues are based on pollution and resource use, even worse, we’re subsidising pollution to the tune of €50 billion a year.”
Speakers highlighted the manifest links between halting biodiversity loss and restoring nature, and tackling food security and climate change. On the upcoming EU proposal for an EU nature restoration law, Janez Potočnik, UNEP Co-Chair of the International Resource Panel, emphasized “If anybody is questioning that we need a strong nature restoration law, it’s actually questioning that humans are part of nature. With a nature restoration law, we are basically protecting ourselves”.
The conference ended with an uplifting and forward-looking panel where circular business innovators, forward-thinking economists and nature conservation entrepreneurs enthusiastically shared their positive experience of “making the Green Deal real”. Participants were left with a clear message – that people influence change and every single one of us can help make Europe green.
See what participants had to say about the second day of the EU Green Week 2022 conference.
What happens if wars, economic downturns, pandemics and food crises overshadow environmental policy? In tackling this question, speakers in the opening session of Green Week 2022 discussed how to keep environmental imperatives high on the political agenda in the face of stiff competition.
Ukrainian Minister for Environment Ruslan Strilets at the #EUGreenWeek: The war in Ukraine and its effects on nature affect all of us around the 🌍 with: ⚠️ 257 ecocides ⚠️ 1500 nature destructions Together, we can join forces to fix environmental damages caused by the conflict
Stressing the importance of listening to young voices, Commissioner Sinkevičius met youth representatives from across the EU and Ukraine. Youth delegates posed their questions under five themes: nature and biodiversity, the consequences of war and the pandemic, fashion and textiles, food production and joint action.
Including a video appearance from Sir David Attenborough, this session marked the 30th anniversary of the LIFE Awards. Three projects in the fields of nature protection, environment, and climate action were recognised, with the LIFE Citizens’ Prize awarded to the public’s favourite project, and a special tribute paid to a successful LIFE project implemented in the Natura 2000 network.
What happens if wars, economic downturns, pandemics and food crises overshadow environmental policy? Tackling this tough question, speakers highlighted the need to keep environmental priorities high on the political agenda. Ruslan Strilets, Ukrainian Minister for the Environment, spoke of the Russian crimes against people, infrastructure and the planet, highlighting that “Nature is priceless” and a price must be put on this damage.
Watch European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s address to participants at the opening session.
Check out the video highlights from the first day of the EU Green Week 2022 conference.
Participants were able to step into the unknown and discover what our world would look like without pollinating insects. Try it at home!
Sir David Attenborough delivered a special message on the LIFE Programme and Natura 2000.
