Climate change - act and adapt

The EU is a leading actor in the fight against climate change. It has committed itself to cutting its emissions to at least 20% below 1990 levels and increasing the share of renewable energy to 20% by 2020. A new international climate agreement to replace the current Kyoto agreement is to be adopted in Copenhagen in December.

So it’s no surprise that this ninth year of Green Week, with the slogan “act and adapt”, focuses on climate change. Key topics include the prospects for an agreement at the Copenhagen conference, how to create a carbon-free society by 2050 and protecting the economy and environment from climate change.

Brussels will host numerous debates and workshops at the green week conference, while other events in the city are open to the public. These include an exhibition on visionary urban planning by the architect Luc Schuiten and the screening of “The age of stupid”, a film on climate change.

The LIFE awards for environmental projects will be presented on 24 June. In the running are the Italian eco-spray system that reduces the use of chemicals, power and water in the tanning industry by up to 95% and a UK project that has demonstrated a safer way to treat sewage for land recycling.

Green Week is the biggest annual conference on European environmental issues, bringing together representatives from EU institutions, business, non-governmental organisations, public authorities and researchers.