Biodiversity

Fisheries

Endangered eel stock needs urgent attention say MEPs

The European Parliament today voted on legislative proposals on management of eel fisheries. Crucially, MEPs endorsed the call by Green draftsperson/rapporteur Isabella Lövin for the European Commission to come forward with a new EU regulation on the management of this endangered species. Commentin...

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GMOs

French court lifts France's ban on growing GM maize

France's highest court (Conseil d’Etat) yesterday lifted the government ban on growing Monsanto's genetically modified maize MON810. This decision follows a ruling from the European Court of Justice that stated that the government ban on the cultivation of MON810 was not justified by an imminent a...

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Belo Monte Blog

"It is a monster"

Greens/EFA MEPs went to Brazil for a delegation mission where they met with officials and NGOs about the Belo Monte Mega-Dam project.

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First Debriefing

Green Group Delegation to Belo Monte

Debriefing on the Green Group Delegation to Belo Monte (Brasilia, Belem and Altamira), July 8-13, 2013   Brussels, July 17th, 2013 Son Excellence l’Ambassadeur Mrs Vera Barrouin Machado Brazilian Mission to the European Union Avenue Franklin Roosevelt 30 1050 Brussels – Belgium Downlo...

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First post mission meeting

Ulrike Lunacek meets with the new Brazilian Ambassador to the EU

Ulrike Lunacek met with Vera Machado, the new Brazilian Ambassador to the EU, this afternoon after the end of our delegation visit to the controversial Belo monte mega dam site. Ulrike handed her a first debriefing paper (agreed with our other two delegation members Eva Joly and Catherine Gr...

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Biofuels and land use

Agreement reached to cap biofuels and flaws in CO2 accounting addressed

The European Parliament's environment committee today voted today on legislation aimed at curbing the negative impact on the climate associated with indirect land use change (ILUC) due to biofuel production. The Greens/EFA group is pleased with the vote, which will ensure that the emissions resultin...

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Protecting Bees

New steps at EU level to protect bees and other pollinators

On Monday 15 July the European Commission will try to take the next step in protecting bees and other pollinators by proposing a temporary ban on the highly toxic pesticide Fipronil, from the phenylpyrazole chemical family. On Friday 24 May the European Commission (EC) announced that it would im...

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European Maritime and Fisheries Fund

The European Parliament's fisheries committee looks ahead to... 2004

The European Parliament's fisheries committee today adopted a report on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). This is the most important vote in the framework of the Common Fisheries Policy reform, following the adoption in May of the basic Regulation. Commenting after the vote, Greens/EF...

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Belo-Monte Mega-Dam

Green MEPs depart for Belo Monte Mega-Dam project

As hundreds of thousands of Brazilians take to the streets to challenge the development model of their country, Green MEPs Catherine Grèze, Eva Joly and Ulrike Lunacek, will be in Brazil gaining an overview of the proposed Belo Monte Mega-Dam project and its impact on local populations ...

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Eel stock

Call for urgent action to save eels teetering on the brink

With the European eel stock in a precarious state across Europe, the European Parliament's fisheries committee today voted on legislative proposals on management of eel fisheries. The EU urgently needs to adopt a new recovery plan to give eel stocks a chance and there is also a need for a more susta...

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Give Bees a Chance!

A battle won, but the bees are not saved from the terrible triple P

This week is the second European Bee Health Week, dubbed BeeODiversity, and it involves a conference Wednesday 5th June in the European Parliament (EP) and a fancy exhibition outside parliament all week long. The Greens/EFA group welcome every public event, debate or policy that aims to help prote...

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Bee decline/neonicotinoid ban

EU Commission bans pesticides harmful to bees - a first important step in the fight against bee decline

The European Commission today decided to suspend the use of three neonicotinoid insecticides - due to their damaging impact on bee populations (1). Reacting to the Commission's decision, Green environment and food safety spokesperson Bart Staes (MEP, Belgium) said: "Today's decision is a fir...

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