Commission launches debate on future environmental priorities
The European Commission has adopted a Global Assessment on the overall results of the EU's Fifth Environmental Action Programme. At the same time it is launching a debate with other institutions, stakeholders and citizens on the future efforts needed to integrate environmental objectives into other policy areas and examining how stakeholders and citizens can be persuaded to become more involved. Despite the European Union's efforts to protect the environment through legislation, the trends and outlook are still worrying and serious environmental problems remain in Europe and globally, says the Environment Directorate-General. The European Environment Agency has conducted a study that supports the European Commission's conclusions that there are two reasons for this. These are, that legislation is not fully implemented throughout the EU and secondly, that demand in areas that create environmental pressures (like transport, tourism and energy) is increasing, outweighing the benefits of new regulations and measures for efficiency. 'Environmental policy alone cannot cope with the negative impacts of societal and economic activities' says the Directorate-General for Environment. This means that it is vital to raise the public's awareness of environmental issues. According to the Global Assessment, this is one area where the Fifth Environmental Action Plan has made some headway: 'The Fifth Environmental Action Programme greatly contributed to raising the awareness and political recognition of the need of sustainable development', confirms the Global Assessment. 'The guiding principle of the programme - better integration and implementation, a shared responsibility, broadening the range of policy instruments and an international approach - are still valid but need to be translated into practice by all stakeholders', it continues. The Global Assessment now aims to launch a debate on the priorities for the future Sixth Environmental Action Programme. This is likely to put increased emphasis on environmental problems in the Central and Eastern European Countries and better integration of environmental concerns into other policies, as well as aiming more and more to win over European citizens. The Global Assessment will be presented to the Environment Council in Helsinki in December, which will review Europe's progress on sustainable development. The report will also constitute a platform for the development of the Sixth Environmental Action programme.