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| Sunday, 17 February 2002 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Margot's 'Green Mission'
Margot Wallstrom, at the age of 20, became the youngest woman to sit in a parliament of a European state. That was over two decades ago when she entered the Swedish Parliament as a member of the Labour Party. Today, at 45, she plays an important role in the unified Europe. As the EU's Commissioner for Environment, Margot oversees the policy that will steer member states down the 'green way'. She hopes that Europe can show the way to the rest of the world - 'the rest of the developed world' - that environment - friendly regulation need not necessarily be a break on development. In 1998, on sabbatical leave, Ms. Wallstrom also spent a year in Sri Lanka with her family working as the Vice President of Worldview Global Media Ltd. In an interview with the Sunday Observer during a recent 'semi-official' visit to Colombo, Wallstrom gave her views on translating global agreements into practical legislation, making polluters pay and trading carbon emissions. Q. How does the European Commission monitor member states' performance in the field of the environment? R. The Commission has some 260 legal acts covering the environment- ranging from air quality to bio-diversity. At the Commission our responsibility is to present proposals for such legislation to the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers. After it is made law, every member state has to transpose it into their own national laws within a certain period, typically 18 months. We are very conscious of environmental liability and implementing laws that work on the polluter pays principle. Member states are generally very supportive of environmental laws. In cases of disagreement or failure to implement laws properly, the European Court of Justice plays an important judicial role. Q. Europe is taking a lead in many pressing environmental issues. Why? R. We believe that someone must take the lead . We believe indeed that we can be the driving force in the international arena to show how environmental regulation can work. Especially with regard to the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, Europe demonstrates a keen interest in taking up the challenge of reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Unlike many in the US, we in Europe believe that we have to give third world countries the capacity to develop and take on quantified reduction targets first for ourselves in the industrialised countries, instead of pointing fingers at them for contributing to climate change. We are looking at the transportation and industrial pollution sectors in Europe and discussing proposals with the key stakeholders. We will add further legislation in these areas to our statute books soon . Q. What are Europe's biggest environmental worries? R. Of course the most pressing worry is climate change. We are preparing further measures to reduce emissions in addition to what we have done already. But an equally big worry is chemical pollution. All of us use so many chemicals in our day-to-day lives. There is insufficient information about the effect of all these chemicals on human health and environment. Water stress is of course another issue. A large amount of ground water in Europe is polluted and so are many rivers. Keeping our fresh water supply free of pollutants is a huge challenge. Then of course, there are the urban environmental problems, especially the increase in vehicles and the resultant drop in air quality and rise in health problems. Q. What is Europe's approach to energy? R. Well, member states have their individual energy policies and priorities. But overall we try to increase the share of renewable energy generation. We are aiming at doubling the present capacity of renewables. Europe is spending a great deal on studies to develop technology involving sustainable energy sources like solar, wind, biomass and sea wave. Countries like Denmark generate as much as 30% of their country's electricity requirement through renewables like wind. Q. When will Europe begin emission trading? R. By 2005 we should be ready to begin trading in carbon dioxide among firms, inside the EU. There is a lot of interest in how we are putting into place this new instrument also in other countries - we have become a frontrunner in emissions trading. Q. What are the biggest environmental problems you see in Sri Lanka? R. I have lived here only for a short time but what strikes me most is the problem with garbage - solid waste. It is such an obvious problem because you cannot travel far in Sri Lanka without seeing piles of garbage. What is shame is that it is mostly organic waste, which can be turned in to compost or bio-energy. Landfill should only be used in cases of last resort. I also notice the increase in vehicles, especially in Colombo. There is a drop in air quality in the city. I believe asbestos is another problem here. In Europe we have totally banned the use of asbestos. But here I see it freely sold and advertised, and even new construction using asbestos when the world has long shifted to alternatives. |
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