E3G

Unprecedented NGO Coalition calls for EU Heads of State to deliver on Climate and Energy Security

By Nick Mabey and Jennifer Morgan

Unprecedented NGO Coalition calls for EU Heads of State to deliver on Climate and Energy Security and demonstrate Europe’s relevance to its citizens.

Letter to European Council and Press Release attached for download.

Press Release

In the lead-up to this week’s European Council discussions on energy and climate security, a broad coalition of environment, development, human rights and peace building organisations have joined together to call for strong leadership from European heads of state.

This coalition brings together organisations as never before. All members recognise the importance of resolving the challenge of climate and energy security and seek to underline the importance of European action in the search for international solutions. In the run-up to the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, real action to deliver energy and climate security would provide a concrete way to reengage with European citizens and revitalise political support for the European Union.

“Heads of State have a tremendous opportunity to set Europe on a new path that combines energy and climate security into an ambitious common strategy to reduce the instability and risks caused by climate change”, said Jennifer Morgan, director of climate and energy security at E3G. “In light of the latest science, they cannot afford not to deliver. Climate change needs to become the defining theme of the EU project”.

The package of measures being discussed at the end of the week includes a set of targets for climate and energy policies across Europe. It could also push forward a united approach to European energy strategy which has been thus far lacking.

“The Summit offers Europe the chance to speak with one strong voice on energy and climate security”, said Jennifer Morgan, director of climate and energy security at E3G, “Energy, climate change and a value driven foreign policy are very closely linked. A European Common Energy Policy is a prerequisite for a consistent EU Foreign and Security Policy”.

The European Council Summit is the first in a series of heads of state discussions on climate and energy security. Next will be the EU-US Summit in Washington on 30 April and the G8 Summit in Heiligendamm on 6-8 June. The European Council Summit will therefore set the level of political ambition for 2007, a crucial year in addressing climate and energy concerns.

Notes to Editors

1. Following below is the text of the letter signed by the broad coalition of environment, development, human rights and peace building organisations.

2. Press contact details are also provided for all participating organisations.

3. E3G is an independent not-for-profit organisation that works in the public interest to accelerate the global transition to sustainable development. Further details are available from http://www.e3g.org.

Letter to European Council from European Civil Society Organisations

6th March 2007

As representatives of European civil society organisations on environment, development, human rights and peacebuilding we are writing to urge the European Council to agree ambitious measures to deliver energy and climate security on March 8-9th.

Resolving the challenge of energy and climate security is central to all our missions. Competition for energy resources increasingly underlies global conflicts, and is undermining democracy and human rights around the world. Climate change is already causing damage in Europe and suffering to poor people in the developing world.

None of this is inevitable. We have the technology and wealth to solve these challenges. We believe that a revitalised Europe is the only power capable of taking the lead in driving the transition to a clean and fair global energy economy. This can provide a truly popular focus for re-engaging European citizens in the project started 50 years ago by the Treaty of Rome.

The European Council must show leadership by agreeing a 30% binding cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, and specific measures to accelerate deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy. The EU must agree to speak with one voice on energy relations with other countries, and maintain fundamental European values on peace and human rights. Serious future action will also be needed to reduce EU oil demand from transport, and must be supported by a major shift in the European budget to support clean and secure energy infrastructure.

Delivering these goals will not happen overnight, and it will require public pressure to overcome vested interests. Our organisations are exploring the potential for building a broad public coalition for action across Europe to move this agenda forward over the coming years.

Signing Organisations

Dick Oosting, Director, Amnesty International EU Office

Olivier Consolo, Director, CONCORD, the European NGO Confederation for Relief & Development

Mario Monti, Chair of Board, European Citizen Action Service

John Hontelez, Secretary General, European Environment Bureau

Jos Dings, Director, European Federation for Transport and Environment

Nicolas Beger, Director, European Peacebuilding Liaison Office

Fouad Hamdan, Director, Friends of the Earth Europe

Simon Taylor, Director, Global Witness

Jorgo Riss, Director, Greenpeace European Unit

Dan Smith, Secretary General, International Alert

Andre Wilkens, Director, Open Society Institute Brussels

Martina Weitsch, Joint Representative, Quaker Council for European Affairs

David de Beer, Director, Saferworld

Laurent Goetschel, Director, Swisspeace

Nick Mabey, Chief Executive, Third Generation Environmentalism

Tony Long, Director, WWF European Policy Office

Media Contacts

Amnesty International EU Office
Dick Oosting, Director
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), +32 2 548 27 61

CONCORD
Agnès Philippart, Communication Officer
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address),+32 2 743 87 77

European Citizen Action Service
Tony Venables, Director
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), +32 2 512 08 84

European Environment Bureau
John Hontelez, Secretary General
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), +32 2 289 10 90

European Federation for Transport and Environment
Jos Dings, Director
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), +32 2 502 9909

European Peacebuilding Liaison Office
Nicolas Beger, Director
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), +32 2 282 94 21

Friends of the Earth Europe
Fouad Hamdan, Director
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), +32 2 542 01 83

Global Witness
Simon Taylor, Director
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), +44 7957 142 121

Greenpeace European Unit
Jorgo Riss, Director
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), +32 496 122 109

International Alert
Dan Smith, Secretary General
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), +44 (0)20 7627 6829

Open Society Institute Brussels
Andre Wilkens, Director
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), +32 2 505 46 46

Quaker Council for European Affairs
Martina Weitsch, Joint Representative
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address),+32 2 234 3064

Saferworld
Claire Hickson, Head of Advocacy and Communications
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), +44 (0)207 324 4646

Swisspeace
Anita Müller, Project Director
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), +41 (0)31 330 12 18

Third Generation Environmentalism, E3G
Jennifer Morgan, Director Climate and Energy Security
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), +49 162 291 4451

WWF European Policy Office
Stephan Singer, Head of European Climate and Energy Policy Unit
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), +32 2 743 88 17