Slovenian Green Recovery Tour

The Slovenian Green Recovery Tour, co-organized by the European Green Party and IDE Institute will be held between 20 January and 20 March in Slovenia, visiting two cities in Slovenia - Ljubljana and Maribor with an indoor exhibition on the key topics of the Green Recovery within the European and national contexts. Three public panels and side meetings will be organized alongside the exhibition.

Panels will cover topics closely linked to post-pandemic recovery in Europe and Slovenia. We will host national and European parliamentarians, EGP committee members, academia representatives, NGOs and civil society.

Ljubljana, 29 January – Green Recovery 

The pandemic has shown, in many European countries, that there is a lack of respect for citizens’ rights and participation in democratic procedures. Even more worrying, governments have been turning their backs on the biggest crisis to come – the climate catastrophe. Looking at the situation in Slovenia there is still a lot to do and learn. During this panel, we will discuss if there is green vision for Slovenia in post-pandemic reality. How can we create an environmentally sustainable and socially just future after the pandemic?

Slovenia was deeply touched by the pandemic, and the vulnerable communities risk being left behind without a just and fair recovery. That’s why they need support not only from the government but also from the European Union. The discussion looked at the EU and its member states’ actions towards providing a fair and just recovery for all. We all found ourselves in times when solidarity across borders is needed more than ever. Will it affect the strengthening of the European bond or isolate us even more?

Moderator: Jaka Zevnik (Environmental Activist and Engineer)

Speakers:

• Erika Oblak (Eko Krog Representative)
• Klemen Belhar (Inštitut za Družbeno Ekologijo - Institute for Social Ecology),

Maribor, 18 February – Green Transition 

In recent years restrictions have been adopted on the export and import of waste by the EU and destination countries. The situation regarding waste was further aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which made export and import in general more difficult. While this trend of decreasing the export of waste is necessary, it has put a lot of pressure on many countries in the Global North to quickly find solutions for their ever-growing piles of garbage.

In Slovenia the garbage surplus was improperly stored for long periods of time, which posed risks to human health and the environment. In light of this, the government recently adopted a new regulation on waste incineration. But doctors and environmental NGOs have expressed concerns on the proposed establishment of four waste-incineration facilities. These concerns range from the proposed locations, the criteria and duration of the concession contracts. There is also unmaterialized yet transposition of the EU requirements for best available techniques (BAT) for waste incineration from 2019.

At the event, discussed at waste management and its negative consequences for the environment and health, learning from best practice examples. We discussed waste management in Slovenia, what the new regulation on waste incineration will bring, what our future goals are momentarily and what we should strive for instead.

• Thomas Waitz (Member of the European Parliament and Co-chair of the European Green Party)
• Sandra Krautwaschl (Chairwoman and Member of the Styrian Parliament), Georg Schwarzl (Member of Styrian Parliament)
• Miha Stegel (Civic Initiative Danes!, Coordinator of Referendum on Water Protection Legislation)
• Erika Oblak (Eko krog Representative), Katja Sres (Environmental Activist, Ecologists without Borders).

Ljubljana, 4 March – Feminist Recovery

The pandemic has shed light on the extent to which we rely on women on the frontline and at home. Women represent the key group in the fight against COVID-19 and its consequences. They make up the vast majority of the healthcare and social care sectors, with more than 90% of the share among nurses and health workers. Social isolation and confinement to private homes increased domestic and care work, as well as domestic and gender-based violence and the number of femicides.

Moreover, the pandemic increased the gender pay gap, with bonuses increasing the least in the care professions, where mostly women are employed. And, after all, they also had to largely reconcile work life with unpaid work at home. The pandemic has visibly and measurably deepened the social and economic gap between genders.

With the public event, we would like to draw attention of the Slovenian and European public and decision-makers to the deteriorating situation of women in times of crises. Gender equality is one of the key areas in green policies. Reducing gender inequalities will be achieved by raising public awareness and putting public pressure on decision-makers.

• Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield (Member of the European Parliament) – online
• Jasmina Jerant (Activist and Feminist Journalist)
• Urška Breznik, (NGO Pekarna Magdalenske mreže)
• Tanja Rener (Professor of Gender Studies)