Ninth Annual European Union Green Week Conference

Brussels Meeting in Late June Features Live Web Streaming Video

Jun 15, 2009

Climate Change: Act and Adapt is theme for the 2009 Green Week Conference, with sessions emphasizing EU climate policy and a vision of a carbon free society by 2050.

The annual European Union conference will be held from June 23 to June 26 in Brussels, Belgium. Over the past eight years, Green Week, subtitled Changing Our Behaviour, has presented a chance for EU members to get a more in-depth look at the problems of and potential solutions to climate change damage.

In addition to looking at issues within the European Union, one of the sessions will focus on the role of international cooperation in reducing the impact of climate change. Maintaining biodiversity and working more effectively with nature will also be addressed.

European Commission’s Green Week

The idea of Green Week subtitled Changing Our Behaviour, is to bring environmental awareness throughout the EU. The conference, organized by the Directorate-General Environment of the European Commission, brings together the European Union member states to review what has been done and to look at ways forward to a healthier environment.

The EU’s Climate and Energy Package

Called 20/20/20, the agreement reached within the European union, aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20% of 1990 levels, improve energy efficiency by 20% and ensure that 20% of the energy used comes from renewable sources. The target date is 2020, naturally. At the conference, the public and media will hear a broad overview of the policy, then be allowed to ask questions about that policy.

In breakout sessions, realistic means of achieving a carbon neutral state, with an emphasis on green energy forms, will be explored. Another breakout session will look at agricultural decisions within the European Union that can address climate change and biodiversity loss prevention with more stable food production methods.

Living With Climate Change Session Addresses Ecosystem Biodiversity Issues

Members of the panel for this session include IUCN, Birdlife International, Oxford University and government Environmental Ministry representatives. They will address the importance of preventing further loss of biodiversity and protecting ecosystems that are at the highest risk from climate change.

The increase in natural disasters, resulting in damage to affected ecosystems is another topic which will be addressed in the living with climate change theme. In another session, cases studies from California and Cyprus, along with a LIFE project in Greece will be part of a discussion on diminishing water resources.

Side Events at the EU’s Green Week Conference

Beyond the core conference, several events are scheduled to compliment the program. Throughout the meeting, a Climate Migrants Photo Exhibition will be on display on the Esplanade. An exhibit by architect Luc Schuiten titled Vegetal City, the LIFE Environment and LIFE Nature Awards will be presented and a video “The Age of Stupid” by Franny Armstrong will be shown.

Live web streaming of conference video at the Green Week website will allow those who can’t attend the conference in person to sit in on the sessions online.

2009 Green Week Climate change: act and adapt June 23 – 26, Charlemagne Building Brussels, Belgium

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