Schultz Environment Blog

Environment in a broad sense,transports and energy issues. From my local point of view with a global touch!

Friday, September 21, 2007


International Environment Week in Karlstad, Sweden
Since last Saturday, the 15:th, there has been an International Environment Week arranged in Karlstad. There have been lots of arrangements for enlightening the public in environmental issues. The politicians were engaged in a “collecting trash and litter in the city” competition. The centre party won. We had a lot of information about energy issues, air quality, how to wash a car more environmentally friendly, a completely new structure for the bus service was introduced on Monday the 17:th, information about Fairtrade, free entrance to Al Gore’s An inconvenient truth, on Tuesday it was the day of the bicycle in the University campus, etc.
Tomorrow, on Saturday the 22:d there’s a Inline competition in the afternoon, just like it has been in arranged Paris, Berlin and Copenhagen.
By the way, last Saturday, the 15:th, we had a Kick-off in the Echo Action project, which I have written about in my earlier contributions. Have a look at the picture. They are the representatives for 100 families participating in the project. If you are curious about the project look into the website below.
http://www.echoaction.net/

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Tell the European Commission your opinion
The European commission wants your opinion on the adapting to climate changes in Europe. The consultation is open until the 30: th of November this year. I think these consultations aren’t that well-known and not too many people answers as private persons. It is mostly organisations of different kinds that answer. So, make the difference and answer –you don’t have to answer all questions, just the ones that you are interested in.
On Saturday we will open the International Environment week in Karlstad, Sweden. We will also have the kick-off meeting of the Echo Action project. One hundred families will start their work on better environment behaviour. Karlstad is the only city in Sweden participating in the project, but in Europe also Berlin, London, Bourgas, Venice, Bologna etc are in the project. The project concerns about 2000 families in Europe. I will try to keep you updated about the project. You could also take a look on the website: http://www.echoaction.net/

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/climat/adaptation/consultation.htm

Monday, September 10, 2007


Subsidiarity
Subsidiarity is the principle which states that matters ought to be handled by the smallest (or, the lowest) competent authority. Throughout Europe the principle is called upon by the European Commission and Parliament. In Sweden we have 290 municipalities which have the responsibility to perform the environmental supervision of the environmental legislation. In other countries in Europe it is the National body that carries these obligations. It is much more convenient and easy to conduct and transform the European legislation to a national level if it is organized like in most European countries and not like in Sweden. In Sweden we have a strong Municipal autonomy and a subsidiarity in the environment supervision. But, as the state becomes more and more a servant to the European Union, the state needs easy ways of gathering reports etc from the supervision of the EU legislation, the municipal autonomy becomes an obstacle in doing this easily.
I think we get best value of the supervision of environmental legislation by keeping it on the Municipal level, although several cities have to improve their work in this field. If the state should take over the responsibility, as suggested, we will get a decrease in supervision and a loss of competence in the environmental field in the municipalities.