Enestam at the EEB Annual Conference: Need for environmental globalisation
The Finnish Minister of the Environment Mr Jan-Erik Enestam stressed the need of the environmental globalisation in his speech on behalf the Finnish Presidency at the EEB [1]Annual Conference in Brussels today.
During the Finnish Presidency there has been a lot of talk about global governance, for example, the United Nations Environment Organisation and an international panel on natural resources.
"We need to move away from traditional policies with a short-term focus based only on step-by-step changes. The goal of the new generation of environmental policy should be to encourage improving our quality of life by eco-efficient and pro-active innovations and policy approaches. Legislation and regulations are, and they continue to be, the basis for this. On top of that, we need economic incentives and innovative policies which focus on a life-cycle approach implemented by all stakeholders", emphasises Enestam.
How do we encourage people to make environment-friendly changes in everyday life and how to urge consumers to act more wisely and sustainable way? "One interesting and possibly motivating innovation to be analysed is a personal carbon allowances scheme", says Enestam.
"This approach would cut greenhouse gas emissions by charging individuals for the amount of Co2 emissions they cause. Could we one day carry bank cards that record our personal Co2 emissions? Those of us who use more energy - with big cars and foreign holidays - would have to buy more carbon points, while those who consume less - those without cars, or people with solar power - would be able to sell their carbon points", illustrates Enestam.
"We took one step towards personal carbon quotas by encouraging participants in different EU presidency meetings to offset their emissions from travel. The presidency also provides complimentary offsetting of Co2 emissions from travel on behalf of participants in certain meetings", reminds Enestam.
For more information:
Christian Sjöstrand, Political Adviser to the Minister of the Environment: +358 50 599 7876
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[1] The European Environmental Bureau is a federation of more than
140 environmental citizens' organisations based in all EU Member
States as well as in some other European countries.