[EGP] EGP PRESS RELEASE / EUROPEAN GREENS NEEDED MORE NOW THAN EVER

PRESS RELEASE 19.03.2007

EUROPEAN GREENS NEEDED MORE NOW THAN EVER

The EGP’s 6^th Council Meeting in Berlin ended on Sunday after 3 days of lively debate and discussion attended by 260 participants from 33 of the EGP’s 35 member parties throughout Europe (and another 7 observer parties).

One of the key themes of the Council Meeting focused on how to persuade voters that Green Parties are relevant and still needed at a time when all political parties talk so much about the importance of the threat of Climate Change. Reinhard BÜTIKOFER, Co-President of the German Greens, gave a presentation in which he gave the many reasons why Green Parties are more relevant now than ever before, arguing in particular that other parties may talk about climate change, but only Green Parties are prepared to put into practice the measures needed to actually make a difference.

This presentation was followed by a session in which delegates debated and voted to adopt the EGP’s strategy on Climate Change. EGP CO-SPOKESPERSON PHILIPPE LAMBERTS said, “This strategy sets the Greens apart from all other European political parties because it offers effective and realistic ways on reducing the EU’s CO2 emissions by 30 % by 2020. The EGP’s strategy focuses on three main ways of bringing about this reduction: (i) A dramatic increase in the use of renewables; (ii) Much greater energy efficiency and (iii) Avoiding using up energy on unnecessary activities.”

Another extremely important decision taken at the Council was taken at a meeting of Party Leaders from throughout Europe. The Party Leaders agreed to a Common Campaign for the 2009 European Elections and discussed a range of innovative ways of returning the maximum number of Green MEPs.

EGP CO-SPOKESPERSON ULRIKE LUNACEK said, “One of the most striking aspects of this Council was the growing sense of confidence of Green Parties throughout Europe. The recent electoral successes of the Czech and Estonian Greens have been an inspiration to us all. We know that the European Greens have never been needed more desperately then we are now. This Council has given us the strategies and ideas which will enable us to convince the electorate of that reality.”

Graham Burgess

Communications Officer

European Green Party

Tel no: 0032 (0)2 626 0720

Mobile : 00 32 (0)477 902 023

Email : graham.burgess@europeangreens.org