Ulrike Stäerk (Austria)

Transcription

1 CORE GROUP MEETING, FEBRUARY 11 TH 2003, COPENHAGEN Participants Ylva Tiveus (EU COM) Stergios Varvaroussis (EU COM) Dorte Bennedbaek (Denmark) Secretariat (Lucy Ellerbeck, ERM) Poul Erik Magnusson (Denmark) Ulrike Stäerk (Austria) Kirsi Norros (Finland) Eva Nordvik (Norway) Brendan Linehan (Ireland) Gaetano Battistella (Italy) Tony Carritt (EEA) Green Spider Website The Secretariat has taken over the responsibility of the website from the Austrian Green Spiders The Secretariat will be redesigning the website, and intends to add features such as a calendar of national communication events and a notice board/discussion page, where GS members can post examples of best practice in the field of environmental communication in order to exchange this information with the other members of the GSN. The new-look website will be hosted by the Europa server as a sub-site to the European Environmental Communication Networks umbrella site ( It is expected that the new-look site will be up and running at the end of March/beginning of April. Floopje the Fish Project Stergios Varvaroussis: Would be nice to have videos for Green Week, 2003 is Water Year Ulrike Staerk: All material should be ready for Green Week (confirm with Wilfried). Q: when will the material be sent out to the countries? National launches of Floopje during Green Week. Stergios Varvaroussis: Request for European launch event during Green Week. Gaetano Batisella: To directly contact Wilfried to agree on date for recording of Italian version of video. Environmental Journalists Training Project (Lead: Finland) Aim - training (especially new member states) and creation of network of environmental journalists. Involve European journalism school.

2 European Environment Agency (EEA) has in-house database of journalists, very time consuming to keep it up to date. EEA subscribe to online database Media Atlas of 200,000 journalists in Europe and Africa (of all fields), weak on Eastern Europe. EEA will transfer their database to the online database, to have it centrally updated. Conclusion of discussions - journalists in Eastern Europe are already well trained. Project aborted. New Green Spider Projects Project 1: European Environmental Journalist Network The Green Spiders will create a network of the best/most reliable European environmental journalists interested in building such a network. This will take the form of a secure database (the database will be sent via to Members only and restricted EU COM representatives. The purpose of this network is three-fold: 1. Exchange of information within the network of journalists; 2. GSN will find the network a useful resource; 3. EU COM will find the network a useful resource. The database will be formed through each GSN Member country providing 5-10 names of their countries best/most reliable environmental journalists (who agree to be placed in this database) to the Secretariat. The network will be co-ordinated by the Secretariat, but essentially maintained by the GS Members and their readiness to update names etc. The Secretariat will coordinate the updating of the database on a 6 monthly basis a reminder will be sent via to all GSN Members. Project 2: Create a European Environmental Events Calendar This calendar will appear as part of the new look GSN website. The information we wish to provide includes: - National environmental events (e.g. national environment-related days) - Major regional environmental events - Launches of new publications, - The benefits of such a calendar include the following: - Enable the EU COM to be kept more informed about what is happening in terms of environmental communication on a national/regional; - Enable each GSN member country to exchange information on what each other is doing at a national level, and therefore prompt ideas etc.; - Enable the GSN Members to be more aware of upcoming EU COM events e.g. publication of a policy report etc. - May prompt EU COM to get involved in an event if they see something that appeals, therefore giving increase status to a national event.

3 The Secretariat will coordinate and maintain the calendar, with the help of information provided by the GSN Members. Project 3: Environmental Awareness Campaign: Produce toolkit for citizens Production of environmental toolkit for citizens (to make them aware that their personal behaviour DOES make a difference). The toolkit will focus on priority strategies of the 6 th Environmental Action Plan and results of Eurobarometer (Stergios will supply these to me shortly and I will then disseminate them to the GSN, (additional topics can be added at the national level as appropriate). The toolkit should have a competition element with a positive message, for example regional/local governments could provide some prizes (a week of free on public transport, etc). GSN will help to create the toolkit, by providing good examples of toolkits to EU COM, along with ideas on how to implement the project (including tips on how to improve the environment - regional adaptation will obviously be required). EU COM will contract a consultant to develop the toolkit. GSN should organise a workshop during Green Week, involving NGOs, to test the pilot toolkit. The final product should be available in September. Eurobarometer Stergios gave us a short review of the results of the latest Eurobarometer. The results are a good basis for EU COM awareness raising campaign. Main conclusions: Majority are still very concerned, 1/3 feel the EU is the best level for environmental legislation; majority feel that they are not well informed about environmental problems/solutions to these problems, would wish for better enforcement of environmental legislation and increased awareness. Global environmental threats (environment and health topical issues). Indifferent to noise, tourism and hunting. Topics (out of 25) with best information: air pollution, climate change, natural disaster, ozone, (level of concern increases with level of information). 3 topics of most concern (where people feel least informed): chemicals, pollution of groundwater, nuclear power. Audiovisuals are the main form of environmental information Continuing scepticism about the sources of environmental information. Slight increase in confidence in national governments, EU COM is trusted more than local / regional government. 9/10 Europeans are aware that they live in a dangerous environment. Change of behaviour is seen as inevitable. 4/10 feel that irreversible damage has been done.

4 45% feel that environmental is beyond their control. BUT 43% feel that their personal action can make a difference. 48% opt for stricter legislation, 43% want higher fines for environmental damage. 33% think that the EU is the best level for environmental decision-making (as opposed to 7% in the 1999 survey). How to go from informed concern to active involvement and behavioural change. EU COM would like a big launch event in Brussels at the end of March (a Video News Release will be produced). Eurobarometer popular brochures detailing the results will be available during Green Week, in English, German and French. GSN members should produced an analysis/interpretation of the national results of the survey. They are then expected to organise national events to disseminate the Eurobarometer and report back to EU Commission. (Material will be made available at the beginning of March). A toolkit workshop will be hosted by EU COM and include the participation of 8 NGOs on either the 2 nd (Monday) or 3 rd (Tuesday) June. EU COM is very interested in GSN Members organising National Green Days (which could be held between 31 May until 10 June 2003) i.e. organised on the weekends before and after Green Week. Decentralised events are becoming more and more important in the eyes of the EU COM. Two of our GSN Core Group Members (Brendan Linehan (IRE) and Hildegard Kaiser (GER) will be holding a workshop on Internet a tool for communication? The objective is to discuss/exchange ideas on making sites interesting for users, getting environmental info to remote/rural areas. Internet a tool for communication? There will be a Greenspider Working Meeting (half a day) The Floopje material (booklets, videos etc) will be presented at an exhibition throughout Green Week. The project will also be launched more formally at Green Week, although the exact format is yet to be decided by Bert Van Maele (he will inform the GSN soon). Annual Meeting 2004 Dorte Bennedbaek: Funds have been received. Should the meeting start with an open session as in the previous years? Dorte Bennedbaek: It will be organised in co-operation with European Environment Agency and the Norwegian GS (Eva Nordvik). Four-day meetings are very costly it is an issue for new members. Gaetano Battisella: Italy will host the Annual Meeting Malta mentioned as potential interesting future partner.

5 Brendan Linehan: subject should be more meaty and attractive for many different target groups Potential subject areas: Brendan Linehan: NGOs place in policy-making? Dorte Bennedbaek: Denmark will come up with Agenda, together with Norway and European Environment Agenda. Participants should have flexibility regarding the length of the meeting, possibley 2 core days, 1 excursion, and some more programme. Ylva Tiveus: Commission finds it hard to motivate trip to Norway and would favour staying in Denmark. Dorte Bennedbaek: Denmark favours the followingthemes: Environment and Health, GMOs, WFD, Chemicals, Climate change. Potential GS output could be a manual on how to run a presidency Ylva Tiveus: Commission proposal choose one topic per box (see attached). Evironment and health strategy will be published this year. Margot Wallstrom very interested in this topic. Denmark: WHO has an office in Copenhagen. How to communicate this strategy? Tony Carritt: David Gee (Precautionary principle) as a speaker. Structure of the meeting Open session: setting out the theme; often for GSN-members and opportunity to get information about a subject area. Brendan Linehan: exchange experience on how to communicate difficult issues, such as GMOs. Minister organised a debate with all NGOs for two days. Tony Carritt: More case studies needed. Feedback requested on introduction of Floopie and our other recent projects: journalists database, calendar, toolkits should be ready and launched for the Annual Meeting (update and dissemination and further steps). Tony Carritt: Possible presentation of communication strategies of the individual members of the network and how this is reflected in day to day work, which tools are used? Potential dates for the Meeting: 11 th 12 th September Alternative: 24 th 26 th September