| Climate change and global warming - indeed, | | | | importance of strengthening our work with |
| how to control them - are becoming more | | | | partners outside the EU, including those |
| central to politics with every new | | | | rapidly developing countries which will have |
| development. Sustainable energy is the method | | | | a significant impact on global sustainable |
| of our times, and government's across the | | | | development." |
| globe are under pressure - from each other, | | | | |
| from environmental groups, and from | | | | So the E.U - acknowledging its role within |
| individuals - to implement genuine and | | | | the world's sphere - champions the importance |
| successful 'green' policy. | | | | of climate change as a global issue, and |
| | | | believes that it should be treated as such. |
| The E.U is one of the biggest political | | | | Its method for achieving that aim is to work |
| organisations in the world. It comprises 27 | | | | closely and extensively with the world's |
| member states and under its banner are close | | | | other governmental bodies. |
| to 500 million people. The GDP that the E.U | | | | |
| generates accounts for roughly 30% of the | | | | The SDS has 7 key areas of interest: |
| world. | | | | |
| | | | Climate change and clean energy |
| In terms of the world's environment, then, it | | | | |
| is a chief player. What is the European Union | | | | Sustainable transport |
| doing to combat global warming and climate | | | | |
| change? And are they committed to the cause? | | | | Sustainable consumption & production |
| | | | |
| The official E.U website has this to say on | | | | Conservation and management of natural |
| the matter: | | | | resources |
| | | | |
| "Sustainable Development stands for meeting | | | | Public Health |
| the needs of present generations without | | | | |
| jeopardizing the ability of futures | | | | Social inclusion, demography and migration |
| generations to meet their own needs - in | | | | |
| other words, a better quality of life for | | | | Global poverty and sustainable development |
| everyone, now and for generations to come. It | | | | challenges |
| offers a vision of progress that integrates | | | | |
| immediate and longer-term objectives, local | | | | Central, then, is the simultaneous need for a |
| and global action, and regards social, | | | | maintenance of current ecosystems - to |
| economic and environmental issues as | | | | conserve and manage the continent's current |
| inseparable and interdependent components of | | | | resources - combined with a development of a |
| human progress. | | | | sustainable infrastructure for the future; |
| | | | investment in clean fuels, plus solar energy, |
| Sustainable development will not be brought | | | | wind energy and biogas. |
| about by policies only: it must be taken up | | | | |
| by society at large as a principle guiding | | | | Indeed, the E.U - through its 7 SDS points - |
| the many choices each citizen makes every | | | | recognises that environmental issues affect |
| day, as well as the big political and | | | | everything in our lives, because we are part |
| economic decisions that have. This requires | | | | of the environment, and so everything we do |
| profound changes in thinking, in economic and | | | | is affecting it also. As such, the E.U |
| social structures and in consumption | | | | beleives that 'Changing Behaviour' is |
| and production patterns." | | | | imperative in the fight against climate |
| | | | change: |
| What is clear, then, is that the E.U see | | | | |
| promotion of the message as central; a | | | | "A host of cultural, economic, social and |
| sustainable future is only possible with a | | | | psychological factors affect the way we |
| growing conciousness and willingness on the | | | | behave, often locking us into unsustainable |
| part of the public to accept and encourage | | | | consumption habits. Even those who say they |
| environmental policy and legislation. | | | | will buy organic food for environmental |
| | | | reasons and the good of their own health may |
| If the E.U can get its citizens to accept the | | | | change their minds if products outstrip their |
| challenge, though, what policy can be | | | | budget." |
| expected from the organizations governments? | | | | |
| | | | The overall challenge, then, for the European |
| The 'E.U Sustainable Development Strategy | | | | Union - along with the rest of the world's |
| (SDS)' was established to answer exactly that | | | | nations - is to educate the next generation |
| question. In its own words, the SDS will | | | | on the pitfalls of our own. |
| "gradually change our current unsustainable | | | | |
| consumption and production patterns and move | | | | That way, the E.U can guarantee that it does |
| towards a better integrated approach to | | | | not return in the future to the issues that |
| policy-making...[it will] reaffirm the need | | | | have caused the problem in the first |
| for global solidarity and recognizes the | | | | instance. |