Friday, June 8, 2018- European Economic and Social Committee
Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Europe and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, in partnership with the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), are very pleased to invite you to a morning conference:
“Inspiring Citizen-Driven Actions for Nature-Based Cities”
REGISTER NOW
This #EUGreenWeek partner event will take place on Friday 8th June (9.00-13.00) at the EESC in Brussels.
How can transformative actions- including becoming a pesticide-free town– help to preserve nature in cities, strengthen local resilience, and ultimately increase the wellbeing of citizens? Are cities sufficiently empowered to enact the changes needed?
These and other questions will be discussed in an interactive format with speakers from the European Commission, European Green Capitals and inspiring towns and civil society networks from across Europe.
Interpretation available DE, FR and IT.
Special feature will be a pop-up exhibition “Tackling Goliath: How One Small Town Banned Pesticides, Preserved Its Food Heritage, and Inspired a Movement”.
Four years ago the citizens of a small Alpine town in Italy voted in a referendum on the ban of pesticides based on the precautionary principle. The EU precautionary principle enables decision-makers to adopt precautionary measures when scientific evidence about an environmental or human health hazard is uncertain. 75% of the voters were in favor of the ban and the municipal charter was consequently changed. Conventional apple farmers around the town had three years to adapt. Now the town is facing law suits by the higher government level against the holding of the referendum, and by farmers against the ban.
The event will be followed by a sustainable lunch with plenty of networking opportunities.
Further details can be found here.
We look forward to meeting you soon! Please feel free to circulate this invite. |
