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Radical Humanism and Ecological Conversion

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Is Europe ready for the ecological conversion that scientific evidence stresses on us?

Ivan Illich and Alexander Langer are influential interpreters of the economic critique of consumer society. Their work and practice offer many stimuli for reflection and action in the contemporary context.

Back in October 2021, we held a conference that offered the opportunity to compare Illich’s and Langer’s views and critical aspects. The conference aimed at fostering the translation of theoretical thinking into practical choices as they emerge from the different programs and practices of the Green political sphere, to design and develop new humanistic approaches and environmental strategies.
The reflections that emerged from the reports of the conference are of great relevance if read from a European perspective. They can, in fact, stimulate the current debate on the direction the Ecological Transition should take or in applying the resources of the “NextGenerationEU” funds.

 

Available Translations

Spanish


This publication has been realised with the support of the Alexander Langer Foundation and the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation. The European Parliament is not responsible for the content of this publication.

System of (Im)Mobility – Movements of Asylum Seekers and Holders of International Protection Within the Schengen Area

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The contributions contained in this booklet are dedicated to analysing current European legislation, as well as the possibilities of reforming it, with reference both to the entry of non-EU citizens into the Schengen Area, and to their opportunities to move around by themselves or to be joined by family members.

They have been presented by the authors at a conference in Milan on 2nd December 2019, organised by GEF and with support of its partner organisations.

This publication has been realised by the Green European Foundation with the support of those partners Alexander Langer Foundation, Associazione per gli Studi Giuridici sull’Immigrazione and Open Society Foundations.

Please find the Italian version of this publication available to read here. 

The Guide to EU Funding on Migration and Asylum

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In the absence of a common European response that treats migration as a human phenomenon and manages it as such, the task of welcoming and accommodating migrants and acting as their first personal contacts has mainly been taken on by local and regional authorities, non-governmental organisations and activists, who continue to play a key role in providing initial reception and access to services and fundamental rights for migrants and refugees. In this context, this guide builds on the idea that the best practices of how to welcome refugees and asylum seekers and work towards successful integration can be found in local communities and initiatives throughout Europe.

Therefore, the objective of this guide is to actively support the work of these local actors, organisations and institutions with a one-stop source of information on additional financial assistance offered by the EU. This guide provides a quick and easy overview of the relevant EU funding opportunities, with key information and practical inputs in regards to accessing them. Special attention is given to projects that foster integration, social inclusion and a better quality of life for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

A hard copy of this guide can be ordered by sending an email to: info@gef.eu

This publication as a PDF file is available for download in following versions:

Myths of nuclear power – a guide

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The publication highlights several common misconceptions regarding nuclear energy. One such misconception emphasises that supporting nuclear energy does not set back the development and spread of renewable energy sources, and that nuclear power plants can be a “bridge” between dirty and clean energy systems. This misconception has resulted in increased government investments throughout the world in improving and building new nuclear power plants rather than concentrating on safe, clean and not so costly renewable energy, as well as on promoting and investing in increased energy efficiency.

The publications below examine these issues in a forthright manner, and outline the reasons why atomic energy does not constitute a real solution to our energy problems.

The Green European Foundation has translated one of the studies, “Systems for change: Nuclear Power vs Energy Efficiency and Renewables” into Italian to facilitate the debate on the topic in more parts of Europe.

 

Good morning Diossina. Taranto: the toxic economy

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Taranto is a city in the south of Italy where the presence of highly polluting industries, such as the Ilva steel plant, has been responsible, since the 1960s, for the highest mortality rate in Italy. The latest epidemiological study by the Italian National Institute of Health shows a terrifying +54% above-average tumor incidence rate and +21% mortality rate among children (0-14 years old).

According to data by the Italian National Institute of Emissions (INES), in recent years, Taranto accounted for 93% of all the dioxin and 67% of all the lead released in the country’s atmosphere. The level of environmental pollution is so extreme that the health authorities were forced to outlaw pasture within a 20-km radius from the plant and to order in 2009 the cull of over 3,000 animals due to dioxin contamination.

Though not an isolated case, Taranto is a perfect example of how the absence of environmental controls in Italy or the “capture” of these by special interests in the name of profit maximisation has severely compromised and “sold” the health of citizens. There’s a reason that the investigation by the Taranto prosecutor’s office was codenamed “Sold Environment”.

In this book, we will tell the story of a city brought to its knees by poisonous fumes and torn apart by the sorrow of the victims’ families. Moreover, we will focus on the economic and industrial aspect of the problem: how can the highly polluting dioxin-based industrial model – of which Taranto is the epitome – become the subject of a radical economic and industrial conversion, capable of generating new, clean jobs and social welfare? Taranto’s economy currently revolves entirely around the Ilva plant and this has irreversibly damaged other crucial economic sectors, such as agriculture, stock rearing and mussel farming. Taranto’s mussels used to be famous all over Europe, but in recent years, the health authorities have ordered the destruction of tons of mussels from the Mar Piccolo due to PCB contamination. Around 1,000 jobs were lost among breeders and farmers. The trade, service and tourist industries have also been strongly affected by the pollution and the progressive reduction of Taranto’s population.

We have successful examples of similar industrial conversions both here in Europe (Bilbao and the Ruhr carbon sink), as well as on the side of Atlantic (most notably Pittsburgh, the United States’ former steel capital). We will also show how such economic and industrial conversions have reduced social strife and boosted employment and growth rates, thus debunking the intolerable notion that one must choose between well-being and employment; how favourable tax systems can contribute to the birth of major business- and employment-creating scientific and research centres based around technological innovation (such as biotechnologies); and how urban and social fabric can be regenerated to favour both economic and environmental recovery.

We will also look at the administrative, legislative and economic tools best fit to bring about Taranto’s industrial conversion. The book’s urgency stems from the need to move from mere protest to concrete proposals, thus hailing a new phase in Italy’s environmental movement, capable of offering practical solutions to the six million Italians who still live in highly polluted areas – forgotten citizens, to which we want to say that change is possible.

rapport d’événement : ProjetECOPRO – edition Bruxelles

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TRADUCTION FR
GEF’s ecological production project, ECOPRO, landed in Brussels with a seminar on November 20th, organised alongside our Flemish partners Oikos think tank, debating the transition towards a sustainable, technologically-enhanced society.

The ECOPRO Project, the successor of the GEF’s 2014 project Socioecological Reindustrialisation (SERIND), explores pathways for a transition towards ecological production, as part of a sustainable economy that is low-carbon and fosters an equal society. Nine national foundations from different regions and different member states of the European Union are involved in exploring pathways for ecological production. The project is content-wise coordinated by Dirk Holemans of the Flemish green think tank Oikos.

Can we replace our energy-intensive throwaway economy by a circular economy based on ecological production? This was the central question for the ECOPRO congress on the 20th of november 2015 in Brussels.

The program included:

Introduction – Waste doesn’t exist.

During the introduction the congress was framed in the upcoming climate summit in Paris by Dirk Holemans, coordinator of the Flemish think tank OIKOS. To reach the necessary goals in Paris we have to transform our economic model from a linear to a circular one. The aim of the ECOPRO project was to exchange new ideas about a sustainable circular economy in a European network.

Andreas Novy – How a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly.

Andreas Novy, Professor at the University of Vienna, talked as first speaker about ‘the perspective of sufficiency’. “Why don’t the alarming reports of the IPCC have an impact? People don’t just give up on  power and privileges, and in this world oil is still equal to power. But there is hope: the last few years there has been a consensus in circles of social and ecological thinkers that there is an alternative, for which grassroots initiatives can be the key. We have to get rid of the idea that consumption and growth are necessary.”

Dirk Vansintjan – There’s need for a cooperative economy.

Dirk Vansintjan is founder of Ecopower, a Belgian energy cooperative which invests in renewable energy projects. Dirk Vansintjan was a normal man with a crazy idea. In his twenties he tried to produce energy with a renovated watermill together with some equally minded friends. This young enthusiasm later became the successful energy cooperative Ecopower. Sources of renewable energy are common goods according to Dirk Vansintjan, as they are not state property, so they can be used by everyone. Ecopower formed a federation with other equal European initiatives, which is named REScoop (Renewable Energysources Cooperative). European rules are very important concerning energy.

Miquel Ballester – Fairphone is made for humans.

Miquel Ballester is Product Manager at Fairphone. Fairphone wanted to offer an alternative for the injustice caused by the production of mobile phones. That’s why the company started producing more honest and ecological phones. Fairphone has a policy of open communication about the mistakes they make, they display exact numbers about the traceability of the resources they use and about the possibility to repair a Fairphone. The new version of Fairphone, Fairphone 2, is according to Miquel Ballester “made for humans”. He illustrated this during his lecture by dropping his own Fairphone.

Mia Goetvinck – Ricoh is a market leader. They just don’t make such a fuss about it as other companies do.

Mia Goetvinck is Director Business Excellence at Ricoh Belgium. Ricoh is an international producer of copiers, printers and other electronics. This company proves that big companies can do a lot of effort for the environment. Ricoh takes responsibility for the protection of the environment and does a lot more than what the law tells them to do.

We are pleased to offer you the opportunity to read our interview with Mia Goetvinck.

Wouter Van Besien – Circular economy is like heaven.

Everybody can be enthusiastic about circular economy, but there’s a danger that not everybody has the same definition of circular economy. Circular economy is not the same thing as recycling, the use of new resources needs to be avoided as much as possible. The circles of a circular economy need to be short and run slowly, otherwise it’s not sustainable. The lifecycle of a product shouldn’t go across the earth, with parts that are all produced and assembled in different places. There should be local production, consumption and repair. Slow circles can be realized by sustainable products with a long life cycle.

For more information you can visit the ECOPRO page or the Oikos Event page here. For any other details regarding the event you can send an E-mail to Dirk Holemans: dirk.holemans@oikos.be.

This event was organised with the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation.

Files (manually added in wordpress text editor with “add media” button: Mia Goetvinck interview on circular economy