Beyond Stockholm+50: No more time to waste – A Green perspective for the next 50 years

With just a few days leading up to the Stockholm+50 conference, held on 2^nd and 3^rd June 2022, this EGP conference plans to shed a light on the current state of our planet and how the Greens can be more effective in protecting it. The UN high level meeting in Stockholm, under the title ‘Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity’ will commemorate the anniversary that led to the establishment of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and will strive to help the international community to accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

50 years onwards, the Stockholm conference from 1972 is seen as a milestone for formulating clear environmental policies in particular in the European Union. At the same time, the anniversary will be an opportunity to raise awareness of the massive challenges still ahead towards a healthy and safe planet for everyone, and to formulate responses on the European level. Our event will offer parallel sessions covering a wide range of related topics as well as plenary discussions fostering transnational exchanges on the challenges still ahead as well as on existing green European solutions to the climate crisis.

The conference will bring together the Swedish Greens with other Greens from the region, from across Europe as well as with academia and civil society.

Programme - CCC Karlstad, Sweden

Saturday, 28th May

Welcome

Mar Garcia, Secretary General European Green Party 

Opening: 50 years later – where are we and where do we need to go?
11h00-12h00 - Solasalen (Plenary Hall), 3rd floor

50 years after the first UN environment conference in Stockholm and the establishment of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the world is facing multiple planetary crises: environmental destruction, pollution and biodiversity loss are threatening our livelihoods, future prosperity, and wellbeing. The Covid-19 pandemic has painfully highlighted how a healthy planet and human health are interlinked, and what the consequences are for prosperity, equity and peace, if they are not achieved.

This panel aims to take stock of some of the milestones and achievements of the international community in the past five decades of the fight against global heating, and how the UNEP has shaped this process. What can we expect from the official UN Stockholm+50 conference and the future of the UNEP?

With more and more Green parties in government, in particular across the EU, the panellists will outline what actions need to be taken to increase our efforts and what role European countries have to play, in particular when it comes to achieving global climate justice, also taking social dimensions into consideration. Further, the panel will look ahead to COP15 and COP27, two key international meetings later this year, and our expectations and expected obstacles for international climate and nature negotiations.

Speakers:

• Erik Solheim, former Norwegian Minister of International Development and Minister of the Environment, former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (via video)
• Isabella Lövin, former Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Minister for the Environment
• Pauline O’Reilly, Party Chair of the Green Party of Ireland and Irish Senator
• Eva Izquierdo, Policy Officer Global Climate Justice European Environmental Bureau (via video)

Moderation: Oras Tynkkynen, Committee Member of the European Green Party

Lunch
12h00-14h00

Networking
14h00-15h00

Biodiversity and nature protection at the heart of a healthy planet
15h00-15h50 - Room Leander, 4th floor

As a fundamental part of fighting climate change, societies need to urgently reverse biodiversity loss and resource consumption. Key pillar of the UNEP is working to protect and restore ecosystems to also ensure a healthy environment for humanity. Only prospering ecosystems can provide for humans’ basic needs with many resources already being scarce today. Further, flourishing biodiversity and nature areas such as forests and beaches are crucial elements to people’s wellbeing and need to be protected.

Speakers:

• Grace O’Sullivan, Irish Member of the European Parliament Greens/EFA (video contribution)
• Rebecka Le Moine, Swedish member of Parliament

Moderation: Johan Niss, Coordinator of the biodiversity network of Miljöpartiet de gröna

The EU’S common agricultural policy – on track for a fair and healthy food system?
16h00-16h50 - Room Leander, 4th floor

Despite an ambitious European Green Deal presented by the European Commission in 2019, the revision of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) still subsidises intensive and industrial-scale animal agriculture, which runs counter to animal protection. It incentivises farmers to use synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, which destroys biodiversity and soils. Rather than benefitting small-scale farmers and sustainable family-run farms, subsidies go to multinationals and agri-businesses.

This session aims to outline how a CAP in line with the goals of the European Green Deal would look like and stimulate an exchange on what needs to happen on EU level as well as in the member states to get there, as well as address agricultural policy from the perspective of food security with the challenges intensified by the ongoing Ukraine war.

Keynote by Pippa Hackett, Irish Minister of State at Department of Agriculture Food & the Marine

Response by Pär Holmgren, Swedish Member of the European Parliament for the Greens/EFA Group and Member of the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee

Break
17h00-18h00

Networking session
18h00-19h00

Dinner
As of 19h00

Sunday, 29th May

The European Green Deal in times of war
09h00-09h50 Solasalen (Plenary Hall), 3rd floor

This plenary will take a more detailed look at the current status quo and implementation of the European Green Deal, set out by the European Commission in 2019. How are we progressing on the Fit for 55 package, introduced to implement the European Climate Law, and other important elements of the European Green Deal? How does the recently introduced RePowerEU help Europe to get independent from Russian fossil energy? In light of the increasing cost of living across Europe, of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and subsequent discussions on energy dependency, how will the ambition for a Just Transition develop, how can we secure the fossil fuel phase out, and how can we ensure to that the social impact of the green transition is not forgotten about? What can countries inside and outside the EU do together to accelerate the climate and energy transition?

Speakers:

• Bas Eickhout, Dutch Member of the European Parliament for the Greens/EFA Group and Vice-chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
• Chiara Martinelli, Director Climate Action Network Europe (via video)
• Clare Baily, Party leader of the Green Party Northern Ireland
• Simon Holmström, Member of the Åland Parliament and Nordic Council delegate Åland

Moderation: Oras Tynkkynen, Committee Member of the European Green Party

Policies for a thriving and liveable countryside
10h00-10h50 - Room Leander, 4th floor 

Oftentimes in politics, focus lies on achieving sustainable and inclusive cities. At the same time, rural areas face struggles that urgently need to be addressed in politics: connectivity to urban areas, access to healthcare and other services, balancing demographic changes, and more.

This session will facilitate a discussion on best practices and challenges for the Greens in addressing rural communities.

Speakers:

• Marc O’Cathasaigh, Member of the Irish Parliament for Green Party Ireland (confirmed)
• Eva Lettenbauer, Party leader of the Bavarian Bündnis 90/Die Grünen and Member of the Bavarian regional parliament (via video)
• Øyvind Solum, Regional council member for the Norwegian Greens (confirmed)

Moderation: Anton Nordqvist, Board member Miljöpartiet de gröna and regional council member Jämtland