UNEP in Europe NEWSLETTER JUNE 2012 GreenUp the planet: the future we’ve got? www.greenup-unep.org/traveltogether/ I. Good to Know p.2 II. UNEP on the Ground p.5 • Angela Merkel revives debate over two- • World Environment Day celebrated across • UNEP facilitates Multilateral Environment speed Europe Europe Agreements • New government in Greece • The fifth Global Environment Outlook from • Contest to close information gap on short- • Albania elects interior minister as its new Brazil to Europe lived climate pollutants President • Caspian littoral states discuss Regional Con- • Sustainable energy for Eastern Europe • France: New Government tingency Planning • Reducing mercury use in gold mining • Croatia: Mihael Zmajlovic is new • Monitoring system progress protects • OzonAction Programme defines action plan Environment Minister against floods in Belarus and Ukraine • Green economy study on Montenegro th • The UK takes step to protect endangered • Experts report highest elephant poaching • 35 Panel Meeting on Climate Change and ivory smuggling rates in a decade • Drop by Drop winner announced sharks • UNEP/GRID-Geneva presents RiVAMP meth- • Bees biodiversity symposium • The Irish largely approve the European od • Brussels premiere of Yann Arthus Bertrand’s budgetary pact • Tackling uranium waste in Central Asia ‘Planet Ocean’ • Potočnik launches Resource Efficiency Platform • European Parliament adopts plenary Resolution on resource use Highlights from Rio+20 p.13 • New forecast report issued by the Club of Rome • UNEP Launches Sustainable Transport • UNEP signs agreement with EU Commit- • Green growth needed for EU agriculture Campaign tee of the Regions at Rio+20 • Emission Trading Scheme reduced • KNOSSOS project at Rio+20 • ‘Rhino under threat’ film premiere in Rio Greenhouse Gas emissions in 2011 • UNEP side event in Rio: “Green Jobs: A • If Rio won’t come to the mountain… chance for youth!” • Serbia, UNDP and UNEP Present First National Green Study at Rio+20 UNEP IN EUROPE NEWSLETTER JUNE 2012 I. GOOD TO KNOW page 2 France: Angela Merkel revives debate over New Government two-speed Europe As tradition has it, the Gov- ust as the situation in Spain was becoming increasingly critical, German ernment, formed following JChancellor Angela Merkel revived debate over two-speed Europe in a TV the election of François interview given to the German State channel ARD on 7 June. To overcome the Hollande as President of crisis, Ms Merkel calls for greater political integration of Europe. In her opinion the French Republic, resigned on 18 June “we need more of Europe (…), budgetary union (…) and we above all need political union. We after the parliamentary elections of 10 and must gradually relinquish competences to Europe,” she said. Germany is one of the few euro- 17 June, to make place for a new cabinet. A zone countries registering significant growth; however latest figures showed that its exports mini reshuffle took place on 21 June, with had dropped 1.7% in April compared with the previous month, due to weaker global demand. four new junior ministers joining the gov- ernment, while two ministers changed Several eurozone countries are facing difficulties. The Bank of France has cut its forecast for portfolios. Ms Nicole Bricq, formerly Minis- the French economy. The cut is the latest sign of the lack of growth in the eurozone, which is ter of Ecology, Sustainable Development struggling with the debt crisis. On 7 June, official figures showed that French unemployment and Energy, became Minister of Foreign had hit 10% in the first quarter of 2012. Trade, while Ms Delphine Batho, formerly a vice minister in the Ministry of Justice, took Spain’s credit rating had been downgraded. Fitch cut its rating on Spanish government debt over as Minister of Ecology, Sustainable by three notches to “BBB”, a sign it thinks Spain’s ability to honour its debts had weakened. On Development and Energy. The new gov- 9 June, the eurozone ministers agreed to lend Madrid up to 100bn euros ($125bn; £80bn) to ernment has 19 women and 19 men. help banks hit by bad property loans. Croatia: Mihael New government in Greece Zmajlovic is new reece finally has a new government formed following the elections held on Environment Minister G17 June. It is a three-party coalition: conservative New Democracy party, the Socialist Party (Pasok), and the Democratic Left party. The New Democracy Mr Mihael Zmajlovic was party won 129 seats in Greece’s 300-seat parliament, including a 50-seat bonus appointed new Environ- for coming first in the election. The head of the New Democracy party, Mr Antonis Samaras, was ment and Nature Protec- sworn in as Prime Minister. His new cabinet is dominated by MPs from his party. The socialist tion minister by Prime Pasok and Democratic Left parties have two party officials in the cabinet, but have barred their Minister Zoran Milanovic on 11 June, fol- MPs from taking part. It is believed they may not want to be associated with austerity measures. lowing the resignation on 7 June of Ms Mr Samaras became Greece’s fourth Prime Minister in eight months. Mirela Holy. Ms Holy had sent an e-mail to the head of the state railway company HZ in International Cartographic Association (ICA) commission Chair Mr Evangelos Livieratos has March, asking him to keep the wife of a been appointed Greek Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Change in the new Greek party colleague in her job. The e-mail was government. He has been Professor of geo-navigation and cartography at the Aristotle Uni- eventually made public on the website of a versity of Thessaloniki with several published articles on cartography in international journals. state broadcaster. Zmajlovic said the minis- try would maintain the current course and that he would manage it transparently and in accordance with the law and internation- Albania elects interior minister as its al regulations. Mr Zmajlovic was born in Za- greb in 1978. He graduated in economics, is new President a member of the ruling Social Democratic Party (SDP) and a Member of Parliament, n 11 June, Albania’s parliament elected its interior minister as the country’s the Chair of the parliamentary Physical Onew president, despite a boycott in the vote by opposition lawmakers. Bujar Planning and Construction Committee and Nishani’s name was put forward after the ruling coalition’s previous candidate, a member of the Finance and Central Budg- Artan Hoxha, pulled out for unclear reasons. The opposition complained it was et Committee. He has been the mayor of not properly consulted on the candidates for the largely ceremonial role. The presidential elec- Jastrebarsko (a town in Zagreb county) tion process is considered a test in Albania’s road to integration. The current government, in since 2009 and was elected to the SDP Pres- place since 2009, is expected to stay until the next parliamentary elections, scheduled for 2013, idency in June 2012. unless unforeseen circumstances occur. UNEP IN EUROPE NEWSLETTER JUNE 2012 I. GOOD TO KNOW page 3 The Irish largely The UK takes step to protect approve the endangered sharks European budgetary ndangered sharks will be given greater protection following the signing of pact Ethe Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) Memorandum of Understand- ing on Migratory Sharks of the United Kingdom on 18 June. Irish voters approved the European budgetary pact The agreement, the first of its kind to address the global conservation of sharks, was signed by a wide majority on 31 by Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon on behalf of the UK and a number of its Overseas Terri- May: 60% of them voted tories. The 24th signatory will support efforts to protect these vulnerable species before they “yes” to the ratification of the treaty on are lost forever. stability, coordination and governance signed on 2 March in Brussels by the Heads of State and government of 25 EU Member States (all except the UK and the Czech Republic). Potočnik launches Resource Efficiency Platform On 5 June Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik launched the European Resource Efficiency Platform (EREP) with the aim of informing policy for the transi- tion to a more sustainable European econ- omy. The EREP focuses on the resources, sectors and policy areas defined in the ‘Roadmap to a resource-efficient Europe.’ It also symbolizes a larger movement towards multi-stakeholder dialogue on European resource efficiency challenges. UNEP ED is a member of the platform but Like most EU Member States, the UK pushes the EU to tighten controls on the practice of was represented by Fanny Demassieux as shark finning. Shark “finning” -- the practice of slicing off a shark’s fins and discarding the body his Sherpa in this first meeting. at sea -- is associated with unacceptable waste and unsustainable mortality of sharks. The CMS agreement aims to ensure the long-term survival of sharks. More information: http://bit.ly/g1pTTQ Under the agreement, work will focus on improving fisheries data for threatened shark spe- cies to help inform conservation and management actions. The signing also extended the agreement to the UK Overseas Territories of Bermuda, the Falk- land Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Indian Ocean Territories and Crown Dependency of the Isle of Man. More information: [email protected] © fotolia.com© UNEP IN EUROPE NEWSLETTER JUNE 2012 I. GOOD TO KNOW page 4 European Parliament adopts plenary Resolution on resource use he EU must make better use of resources for the sake of its future economic Tgrowth