A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE IN OUR HANDS - To Parent Directory

General introductionResearch and development: Universities, research institutes andprivate companies all have a role to play in finding a way to ensuresustainable economic growth and environmental protectionreinforce each other. To encourage the most original thinkers toproduce results, the Commission has set aside over €50bn forthe 2007-13 period in grants under a pan-European funding programmefor research called the Seventh Framework Programme.Hopefully this will open the way for new discoveries that can helpEurope answer its pressing social, environmental and economicchallenges.Using the economy to bring about change: The EU wants to seeprosperity and growth benefiting everyone without causing moredamage to the world in which we live. Tax incentives for ‘clean’practice and changing what is subsidised all help to put moneywhere it will have the best effect. A shift in taxation from labourto environmental issues can also change the public’s behaviour. Forexample, the Swedish government in 2001 increased taxes on diesel,heating oil and electricity and lowered income taxes and socialsecurity contributions. As a result, Sweden has been able to lowerits greenhouse gas emissions more quickly than anticipated. Andin Denmark, a tax on extremely toxic nickel-cadmium batteriescaused customers to switch to less toxic alternatives.Communicating: Sustainable development is at the heart of theEU’s actions and, in order to maximise success, the EU is emphasisingthe importance of communication. People, at all levels, needto get together to share their experience of which policies workand which don’t. Businesses need to talk with their local authorities,national governments with the EU, and regional governmentswith their citizens. Taxes need to be explained, the logic behindmeasures from local recycling projects to spending on third worldpoverty needs to be understood by everyone.Staying on track: Words must be put into action. Starting in 2007the Commission will submit a progress report every two years,covering all that has been done throughout the EU to promotesustainable development. Other tactics include: ensuring that policymakers from different EU nations learn from each other; the sharingof information, and the development of a set of indicators toshow precisely what is working and what is not.010