900 Green politicians, ministers, activists and supporters came together in Copenhagen, Denmark, in the biggest gathering of the last 5 years – the 6th European Green Party Congress! In these critical times, Greens in all levels of government sent a strong message: we are a responsible, solid and united political force that can lead us through crises and ensure a more just and sustainable future for all.
Getting together in these current times is essential. We met to forge common solutions. To reassert our support to Ukraine and devise responsible answers to the needs of European citizens who face a difficult winter marked by the energy, food and cost of living crises. Our Green ministers, from Ireland to Montenegro, and from Finland to Germany, listed the solutions they are proposing and implementing with their government partners across Europe.
Our discussions were made possible thanks to the help of our host, the Socialistisk Folkeparti (SF), our member party from Denmark, who recently garnered solid result in the Danish general elections and are in the process of negotiating the next government coalition!
Our Green family demonstrated its unity by agreeing on strong positions reiterating our unconditional solidarity with the people of Ukraine and the protestors in Iran and China. In total, 19 resolutions were passed, consolidating the Green position on the war in Ukraine, social solutions to the energy crisis, safe and legal abortion, trade, and more. But one resolution will be our compass for the year and a half to come: our resolution on the 2024 European elections: ‘Hope in challenging times: Let's make a green future possible in the 2024 European elections.'
📣 At #EGPCongress on 2-4 December, the European Green family has decided on a joint political trajectory on topics such as #Ukraine, #abortionrights, #Iran and #energycrisis!
A 🧵 on our adopted resolutions 👇 pic.twitter.com/YF08Cz1I0F— European Greens (@europeangreens) December 4, 2022
While our full campaign manifesto will be built collaboratively with our member parties and civil society, we have already kickstarted the campaign by setting a clear strategic direction. We believe that facing the democratic and climate regression that the conservatives are seeking to impose on us requires a strong, Green-centred progressive majority in the European Parliament. And we will lead the fight for a Green, democratic, feminist and social Europe!
We were happy to unanimously welcome the Montenegrin party URA as full member of the European Green family. After two years as a candidate member and with their strong engagement in the life of the European Greens, their integration as a full member was evident. The Congress was also a space of exchange and learning: how to expand our local councillors network, what are donut economics, how do we fight against the far right and why we should call for a tax on the rich.
The Congress gave us an opportunity to strengthen our commitments to very pressing issues through active cooperation with our parliamentary group, the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament. Together, we called for ‘heating homes and not the planet’ in a common action. We also got together to demand immediate action on loss and damage for the countries and regions most affected by climate change.
Heat homes, not the planet! 🏘️🌡️🌍
With hundreds of Green representatives at the @europeangreens #EGPCongress, we’re calling for #SocialJustice during the #EnergyCrisis.
Warm, insulated and energy efficient homes, affordable energy and no energy cuts!♨️🏡⚡️ pic.twitter.com/Nc8qwP0dDv— Greens/EFA in the EU Parliament 🌍 (@GreensEFA) December 3, 2022
🌍 Today at #EGPCongress the Greens gathered to call for an effective #LossAndDamage fund for the most affected countries & regions!
🇪🇺 Europe must lead on making the fund effective to finance the Global South. We must take full responsibility on historic emissions & equity pic.twitter.com/NTUnmicMr6— European Greens (@europeangreens) December 3, 2022
Abortion rights in Europe and around the world are facing increasing threats. As a response, and in line with our commitment to the defence of this essential right we put together an exhibition on abortion rights. The MY BODY MY CHOICE exhibition included selected works from 9 artists and activists supporting pro-choice movements from across and beyond Europe – in Poland, Italy, the UK, Ukraine, Germany, Turkey and Iran. The exhibition was also our way to show our support to the artists of the vibrant European cultural sector.
🖼 Today at #EGPCongress, we opened MY BODY MY CHOICE, our #exhibition in collaboration with @GreensEFA, showcasing works on bodily autonomy and the rising threats against the right to #abortion. pic.twitter.com/Cq6Txjjir6
— European Greens (@europeangreens) December 2, 2022
We also voted on new candidates for our financial advisory board, conciliation panel and Global Greens coordination. The new members of the financial advisory board are Christian Kmiotek and Nadia Van Huisstede. The new members of the conciliation panel are Ursula Berner, Tetiana Bodun, Ed Davitt, Frieda Jans, and Imane Nadif. The new members of the Global Greens coordination are Evelyne Huytebroeck and Eleanor Morrissey, as well as Pauline Nales as a first alternate member and Bodil Valero as a second alternate member.
Greens tackle Energy, Food, Security and Climate
The war in Ukraine has shaken the global security architecture, and Putin’s weaponisation of energy and food has exacerbated existing vulnerabilities in Europe. Increasing energy and food prices coupled with an inflation are impacting EU member states and especially the most vulnerable. As Greens, we are working to ensure that our way out of these crises do not only tackle short-term problems but are also in line with our long-term vision of a more just and sustainable Europe for all. In the face of these challenges, we stand united as a Green family in support of Ukraine and a strong European solidarity.
Opening, Keynotes and Plenary I: Greens in Government
At the Opening Speech of the Council, Co-Chairs Thomas Waitz and Mélanie Vogel, Pia Olsen Dyhr, Party Leader of the Green-Left party (Socialistisk Folkeparti), spoke about the security, climate and social crises that we face today, as well as the rising threat of the far-right. Ukrainian activist Oleksandra Matviichuk also shared a special message.
We are facing a challenging winter: an energy crisis is fuelling inflation and may have consequences for employment. People are already impacted by the war in Ukraine in their daily lives, especially those already struggling will be in an extremely difficult situation. In this plenary, Green ministers from across Austria, Finland, Ireland, Belgium and Montenegro reflected on the unique challenges that they face when in government. Pekka Haavisto, Alma Zadić, Maria Ohisalo, Pippa Hackett, Sarah Schlitz and Dritan Abazović, spoke about their work to tackle corruption and enhance democracy and the rule of law, ensure social justice, and solidarity with Ukraine. Annalena Baerbock, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany, dialled in to issue a closing statement.
💬 @ABaerbock at #EGPCongress: "Putin tried to divide our societies and is using winter as a weapon to break Ukraine. That's why it is critical that we support Ukraine and stand united this wintertime." pic.twitter.com/gf9G28Ildy
— European Greens (@europeangreens) December 2, 2022
Keynote speakers Pekka Haavisto, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Finland, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Prime Minister, Iceland, and Yolanda Díaz Pérez, Second Vice-President and Minister of Labour and Social Economy, Spain spoke on our Green goals on not just energy, environment and climate but also health, democracy and peace.
💬 Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland @Haavisto speaks on his recent visit of #Kyiv with other ministers and meeting President #Zelensky, as well as Green goals on not just energy, environment and climate but also health, democracy and peace at #EGPCongress. pic.twitter.com/nGGW8hMpFM
— European Greens (@europeangreens) December 2, 2022
Plenary II: Social Aspects of the Energy Crisis
The Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament hosted a plenary on the energy crisis and its ramifications on inflation and cost of living in Europe. We are currently living an unprecedented crisis in the European Union with energy prices going through the roof. Energy prices were already increasing during the second half of 2021, prior to the war in Ukraine. Russia’s decision to stop gas supply to several Member States in the past few months has accelerated the trend of higher gas prices. Rising energy prices are also accelerating the cost-of-living crisis. Panellists emphasised the danger of EU toxic dependency on fossil fuels and especially Russian gas. They highlighted the importance of energy efficiency and savings, as well as the need for European solutions, such as a European investment programme, and joint purchasing.
"Once there is food insecurity, it affects all other human development goals. And this presents a threat to our democracy." - @the_ecofeminist at #EGPCongress, on the importance of food security 🫘 pic.twitter.com/rlD2zDNfcE
— European Greens (@europeangreens) December 3, 2022
Plenary III: Food (In)Security: Green Solutions for Resilient Food Systems
Our food systems are heavily impacted by the climate crisis and its effects are already visible across the globe. Heatwaves and other extreme weather events this past summer have shown that our current production models must be made more resilient for a world in climate crisis. With exports of wheat, and other crops, from Russia and Ukraine halted or delayed, many world regions dependent on these deliveries see massive challenges in providing for their populations – all the while our industrial food system is in fact overproducing. In the meantime, big agrifood companies and multinationals have been abusing the current situation to maximize their profits. Panellists emphasised that our increasingly globalised food systems have important costs on our health and environment that we can no longer ignore.
@TerryReintke at #EGPCongress reflects on Putin's weaponisation of energy and the long overdue Green transition towards a future powered by sun and wind.
"Let us work together and invest in renewables and renovation. In a lot of countries, we are leading the energy transition." pic.twitter.com/b5xQU5S53N— European Greens (@europeangreens) December 3, 2022
See you at the 7th European Green Party Congress!
Since the last time we gathered in Copenhagen 10 years ago, we have become a larger family with more relevance, power and responsibilities. We are delivering on the ground and changing people’s lives. We are united as a European Green family and are ready to take on the responsibility that this critical historical moment demands.
Greens are committed to providing the solutions to the polycrises we face today and to shape the future of a more democratic, fair, and united Europe. We must win over climate denial, fascism and social violence and tackle the heatwaves, forest fires, droughts and floods, and the social and democratic disaster that our dependency on fossil fuels have brought us. This will take political will. The time has come for the Greens to be shaping the change. And to do that we need to be the centre of the next political majority in Europe!
We are happy to announce that we will once again reunite at the Extraordinary Congress being held in Vienna, Austria on 2-4 June.
Save the date!
