Speech by Gaye Doganoglu, Chair of the Committee on Sustainable Development of the Council of Europe Congress
at the Sustainable Development Committee of the Committee of the Regions
Brussels, 19 June 2007
Mr Chairman,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Firstly I would like to thank you for the invitation as Chair of the Committee on Sustainable Development of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. This reflects the spirit of the Co-operation Agreement between our two organisations signed in 2005.
As we strive to build a Europe of sustainable communities, as we witness the devolution of power towards territorial level, it must be clear to all of us that tackling the issue of climate change has become an imperative of the day.
Climate change is happening, and human activities are the cause. It is no longer an issue for climatologists, nor is it only a political issue, but a real economic challenge.
Local and regional authorities are at the frontline in dealing with the effects of climate change such as storms, floods, heat-waves and drought, which are first and foremost felt at local level. Our citizens are putting a lot of pressure on us. They are asking not only for a good quality of life and a job, but they also want to feel confident about their children’s future. We, representatives of local and regional authorities, must respond to these concerns.
For me, it is a very challenging and stimulating moment to be President of the Committee on Sustainable Development of the Council of Europe Congress. Never have our responsibilities towards the future generations been greater and never has the legacy we risk to be leaving our children been more damaged.
Climate change is an issue which our citizens feel strongly about, and we believe that real solutions are not possible unless major changes are made to the way our cities are organised and managed.
It is with this in mind that our Committee chose climate change and its consequences as one of its priorities for 2007 and 2008.
The first element of this work, which has recently been approved at the Plenary Session of the Congress, looks at approaches at local and regional level in tackling climate change. The texts, which are available in this room, are the first of a series undertaken on climate change by the Committee on Sustainable Development of the Congress.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Europe has so far taken the world lead on dealing with climate change, and we can observe that many innovative and effective measures are being implemented at local and regional level.
For territorial authorities in particular, innovation and political will are key to initiatives and strategies. They are mainstreaming climate policies in all aspects of their work, sectors of responsibility and roles. These relate to transport and mobility, renewable energy sources and energy efficiency, waste management and water management, spatial planning and housing strategies. These are some of the powerful levers at our disposal to have a real impact, in particular to contribute to preserve our natural resources and to help control the energy demand.
It is clear also that there is a real opportunity for national governments to build upon the commitment, the capacity and the experience of local and regional authorities, and to take their share in putting in place the necessary strategies.
Climate change also gives us an opportunity to build a more sustainable future and one which is fairer and more balanced in terms of wealth and consumption models. Tackling climate change in our communities helps people to understand that we are all living on the same planet and that our actions and lifestyle impact on communities throughout the world.
By working with our members and with our city networks, we are ensuring that the issue is kept high on our political agenda. Through partnerships we are building coordinated policies, promoting expertise and disseminating knowledge and best practices which are important if we are to respond in a proper manner to this urgent challenge of the 21st century.
In cooperation with our partners such as the Committee of the Regions, our Committee is looking forward to continuing to work on the theme of climate change. The next stages of this work will address adaptation and reducing vulnerability as well as ways of developing a new energy culture in response to the growing awareness of local and regional authorities of the urgent need to put in place preventive strategies.
We strongly believe that territorial authorities should be mainstreaming a comprehensive and effective climate policy into all aspects of their work. We should be using all the tools at our disposal including regulatory mechanisms, private-public partnerships, cooperation at all levels and with all stakeholders.
Of course, financial issues are never far from our preoccupations, and we should always examine the cost of the mitigation and adaptation strategies which we would like to put in place. However, we must not forget that doing nothing will more than likely cost us more in the long run.
Last but not least, as the problem of climate change knows no national boundaries, we must keep in mind that countries in transition are more vulnerable and the most affected by this phenomenon. We need to build partnerships and step up co-operation with our counterparts in these countries in order to minimise the negative impacts of climate change.
The time for action is now if we are to succeed in reversing the negative trends. In the long run, our firm involvement will save lives, prevent disease and limit climate-caused migration throughout the planet. The Council of Europe Congress supported this position when it adopted a resolution and a recommendation on climate change during its latest Plenary Session.
I am sure that both our Committees are on the same wave length and that we will be supporting each other in our important tasks to transmit a healthy planet to future generatins. I look forward to continuing our long-standing and fruitful cooperation.