Null, Issue alpha

NULL

EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT GREECE 27TH NATIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE

04

INTA Christos Papadogeorgopoulos

27TH NATIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT GREECE MEDIA TEAM ISSUE A

05

AFCO Triantafyllos Kouloufakos

09

CONT Bernat Just

The Transatlantic Free Trade Agreement; a boost to the global economy

Giving democracy a vessel

'Ban' King Arthur

10

13

14

FEMM Tuusa Eriksson

Breaking the Glass Ceiling

NULL Issue alpha

LIBE Olek Musiał

The unbearable harmfulness of being a nationalist

ITRE Marie Poupinel

The Greenth

1

02

NULL Issue alpha

EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT GREECE 27TH NATIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE

EDITORIAL

By Lefteris Mikros & Sofia Zafeiriou

This very issue you are holding in your hands right now gives you analysis and comments on the questions you will be discussing during committee work. Amongst others, the financial crisis, new forms of energy and unemployed youth, are just some of the topics you will be looking at. There are many more prevailing issues that the EU leaders are expected to resolve for the continuation of a sustained development and growth of the Union.

People, who are unfamiliar with the work of the European Youth Parliament, might get the impression that EYP is all about youngsters attempting to crack ‘grown-up’ problems. We do not like putting these problems in a box and labelling your ideas; it is just that we find it a unique platform for you to speak up for you and the future. So – join us, let us capture your thoughts and bare with our occasionally amateur, yet utterly committed, attempts to provide you with something worth the read.

Our Media Team is going to be here to accompany you throughout your journey of the 27th National Conference of EYP Greece. We will offer a perspective of the daily happenings at the session, as well as reflect on the bigger questions in life. Most importantly we will try to help you think outside the box and, in the very end, give you something to remember.

Have fun and see you around!

EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT GREECE 27TH NATIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE

TITLE Issue alpha PRODUCED FOR the 27th National Selection Conference of EYP Greece IN Athens, Greece E-MAIL media-team-eypgr-27@ googlegroups.com CLICK http://media27nsc.eypgreece.org EDITORS Lefteris Mikros & Sofia Zafeiriou EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Signe Rudoviča JOURNALISTS Bernat Just, ES; Charlotta Lahnalahti, FI; Christos Papadogeorgopoulos, GR; Gaia Paalma, IT; Giorgina Giani, GR; Ilias Mavromatis, GR; Marie Poupinel, FR; Olek Musiał, PL; Theresa Lindlahr, DE; Triantafyllos Kouloufakos, GR; Tuusa Eriksson, FI; Vasilis Koutsomarkos, GR ATTRIBUTES Photography by the media team; made possibly by the work of our beloved organiser, Maria Oikonomou LICENCED UNDER a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 Greece License 27TH NATIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE Athens 2013 20-22 APRIL European Youth Parliament Greece EYPGREECE.ORG

NULL Issue alpha

03

04

NULL Issue alpha

EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT GREECE 27TH NATIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE

INTA

The Transatlantic Free Trade Agreement; a boost to the global economy

Christos Papadogeorgopoulos discusses the possibility of liberalised trade between the EU and USA. On Wednesday, 13th of February, the US and the EU announced their common desire to liberalise trade between each other, with negotiations to begin in mid 2013. The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership gave rise to both praise and scepticism (if not criticism) about its effects. Yet, as it will be supported below, it is an effective way of boosting the economy on a global scale.

First we need to face some truths.

These two massive economies account for half of the world's output and, as proved by the global financial crisis of 2008, they are gravely interrelated, which makes healthy financial relations between them absolutely necessary.

This agreement, like any free trade agreement, will determine the omission of trade barriers that is elimination of tariffs, which were placed on imports, as well as elimination of quotas and other government regulations. A recent study commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, showed that eliminating tariff barriers is more important to large firms, while eliminating non-tariff barriers is more important for medium and small sized enterprises.

In support to these claims, the US Chamber of Commerce expressed that the sole elimination of tariffs would boost the US-EU trade by more than $120bn within five years and generate combined GDP gains of about $180bn.

Let us look at the effects more thoroughly. The Transatlantic Free Trade Agreement can boost the job market by creating more and better jobs, as new opportunities for investment are created for both the US and the EU. Other than that, research and development will be spurred, because in a free trading area there is a perfect flow of information and new ideas. Firms have to compete with their rivals on an international level, and thus try to grasp every opportunity, invest in new technologies, including the green ones, and create more efficient goods or services.

One could argue that the effects of the agreement on the global trading regime will be negative, as the countries involved will have fewer incentives to make concessions with others. However, one should also consider that third-party countries, which hold an agreement with either the EU or the US, may have increased incentives to form an agreement with the country that they do not already hold one.

Therefore, the Transatlantic Free Trade Agreement may indeed promote growth and be a ‘win-win solution’ for both sides of the Atlantic, as the President of the European Commission puts it, and at the same time not put the third-party countries at a disadvantage.

■

NULL Issue alpha

EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT GREECE 27TH NATIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE

05

AFCO

Giving democracy a vessel Triantafyllos Kouloufakos addresses the highs and lows of the European Citizens Initiative.

H

eavy clouds of Euro-

scepticism are gathering over the sky of the European Union.

Lightning can be distinguished on the European horizon and its sound can already be heard. A storm is coming and it is going to be fierce. Unfortunately, it is not easy to protect ourselves from this kind of storm only with ordinary umbrellas at hand. The rise of mistrust that people show to the Union is a clear sign of internal corruption and malfunction that could easily lead the European building to crumble to dust. Fortunately, the end of the world is not near. Motions such as the European Citizens Initiative (ECI) are a ray of light, giving hope to the people.

Without a doubt, when we hear about the possibility of a more direct democracy, thoughts brighten up. With only a few exceptions, Ancient Greece was admired, because of the type of democracy that existed there, with people of the city coming together in the ‘agora’ (market) of the city and discussing all the important matters of the city. ECI does not transform the EU into a democracy like the one in Ancient Greece, but it sure is

taking a step towards it. Giving people the right to take even a small part in the law making processes, the EU automatically increases the trust of its citizens. Moreover, this initiative lets people believe that they themselves are the decision makers and not some faceless, suited figures, sitting in remote offices. This belief can help to eliminate the gap of mistrust that has been created between the Union and its people, and bring them closer to the long forgotten ideals that trace back to the creation of the Union, nevertheless, it is widely known that pluralism is the cornerstone of democracy. This could help lower the voices within the Union about its so-called lack of democracy.

Every system has its malfunctions and sadly the ECI is not an exception. In our case, the malfunction is the complexity of the process. If someone wants to support a cause with an electronic signature they must fill in a long form with all of their personal information, insert a captcha and then the signature is kept in a different internet server, one for each country. The 12 months that are given for the collection of the signatures is meagre, thus

nearly eradicating a successful outcome. Furthermore, the fact that a central server, which would gather all the signatures and back them up for security reasons, belongs to the sphere of imagination, shows another shortcoming of the system.

In conclusion, something that we must remember is that nothing is perfect in this world and neither is ECI. A great step has been taken with the inclusion of the ECI in the Treaty of Lisbon (set in motion in 2011), but it is only that – the beginning. When you set out on a journey, you cannot reach your destination by taking just a single step. What I think is the key to igniting this machine again, is the need to simplify the process – something that will attract more people because, let us be honest, everyone hates difficulty. ■

06

NULL Issue alpha

EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT GREECE 27TH NATIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE

End modern slavery CRIM

Charlotta Lahnalahti analyses the aspects of human dignity in modern Europe.

T

ake a moment to consider

directive 2011/36 on Human Trafficking replaced the earlier one from 2001. Great hopes are placed on this directive to change the grey market’s control over slavery. The EU has also found an ally in the ILO (International Labor Organisation), whose mission is to eliminate all human trafficking by 2015. To achieve this, they have called upon companies from a number of EU countries to work together for human rights.

According to research done within the EU many human traffickers come from the outside. There needs to be co-operation between the EU and the home countries of the victims in order to tackle the problem at the source. Stricter boarder control and co-operation with the countries’ officials is needed as most of the problems, i.e., inequality and corruption, come from within.

Many of these strategies only need concrete legislation, but corruption gets in the way of complete application of such laws.

The aim is to reduce the victims’ vulnerability. By introducing safe houses, where the victims could be guarded and

''

''

this: what if every morning you had to wake up early after just a few hours of sleep. Instead of bidding a good day to your parents and heading off to school, you have to start physical labor as a slave in a household, or you are made to beg on the street and steal your daily meals, if you want to eat. You were taken to some country in the hope of a better future, but a person, to whom you had entrusted your life to, let you down. Now you have to live with this decision that changed your life, and face the consequences – you are forced to work against your will, you are blackmailed, so that your family back at home would be kept safe, and possibly even made to take drugs; you are addicted and need your slave-driver.

Fortunately, you are not in this situation. However, it does not change the fact that 25% of all forced labor victims are children under the age of 18.

Millions of human trafficking victims are living within our boarders; begging, sexual abuse, grey market labor, and much more is still part of modern Europe in 2013. How has Europe come to this?

The European Union (EU)

5% of all forced labor victims are children under the age of 18

EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT GREECE 27TH NATIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE

kept away from their slavers, victims would find out of this safe place and the step to get help from the safe house would be lowered. With the help of the safe house staff and authorities, the human trafficking victims could be offered further education and jobs for to start a new life that they were promised at the start.

For a brighter future of the EU citizens, human trafficking needs to stop. The current directive is a significant step forward although further tough decisions need to be taken in order to achieve a Europe without trafficking. Yet it is for an equal and safer future.

The culprits need to be held responsible for their actions, and supervision levels have to be raised to prevent future generations from these issues.

All clues must be investigated to find even the smallest traces of human trafficking. Everyone is born with the same rights and not one person should have such a fate beset them. â–

NULL Issue alpha

07

08

NULL Issue alpha

EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT GREECE 27TH NATIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE

ENVI I

Food Scandal, Not Food-Safety Scandal Ilias Mavromatis at the issues of misguided mislabeling and growing consumer angst around the horsemeat scandal.

L

ess than two months

ago, there was a huge uproar in Europe concerning a new food scandal after the detection of horse DNA in products labeled as containing beef. Media sowed panic and the consumers, not knowing the truth and losing trust in food labels, were increasingly reluctant – or completely refused – to consume products that may contain beef.

Since then, the scandal has taken huge proportions and has preoccupied not just consumers, relevant control bodies, and the media, but also relevant Ministers of Agriculture, who repeatedly held meetings and discussions at European level in order to introduce measures to deal effectively with this problem.

Unfortunately, the European food chains, restaurants and butchers took the biggest hit, as they saw consumer confidence falter and sales plummet overnight.

This scandal, which erupted after the detection of horse DNA in processed food and restaurant supplies, does not concern the consumption of horsemeat as such. Great concern was voiced by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) about the presence of the substance phenillbutazone, commonly known as ‘bute’, which, under normal circumstances, is only administered to animals.

However, the trust in companies

which distribute ready-meals and processed food was lost; there is also a presumption that they have tampered with the products’ labels as well.

All the above indicate that we are not talking about a ‘classic’ food scandal, but rather a legal misconduct, since it is the right of consumers to know the contents of the food they buy. It is also troublesome that the use of horse meat is not justified by financial reasons – something that could be expected – because under normal circumstances horse meat is more expensive than beef.

As mentioned before, horse meat is likely to contain a chemical substance known as ‘bute’. This is the reason why the media branded this issue as a food safety scandal.

However, scientists and foodsafety experts claim that even if traces of this substance are found in several products, the concentration will be too low to cause harm, unless it is

consumed over an extended period of time.

All this brought to the forefront the discussions about the adoption of stricter labeling regulations. This raises the question if there truly are problems with the existing regulations, which are considered as the most developed in the world, or does the problem originate from something else?

I believe that it is not a matter of regulations, but it is mainly a matter of application; the problem stems from the inadequate implementation of regulations in the Member States and not from the regulations themselves. Therefore, if the implementation of regulations is ensured and Member States collaborate with each other and control agencies of the EU, we will manage to prevent and detect any problems in the future, ensure food safety as well as restore the consumers’ trust. ■

NULL Issue alpha

EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT GREECE 27TH NATIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE

09

CONT

'Ban' King Arthrur Bernat Just narrates a modern European fairytale.

O

nce upon a time, when dragons were

dragons and princesses had long hair, there was a small kingdom named Lollipop Sugar. Other small kingdoms surrounded this beautiful kingdom: Fantasy Chocolate, Be Sharp Lullaby, Flower Kisses and Mad Germany.

But not all was picture-perfect. As it happens, there was a really mighty, powerful and competitive kingdom: America (any coincidence with reality is… well a coincidence).

The king of Lollipop Sugar was Arthur. Once, after a night full of dreams, he came up with a strange idea: why not unify all the small kingdoms? Even though they were all controlled by different kings, this way they could face and compete against America. All the Kingdoms loved this idea, so that is exactly what they did. However, Arthur did not want all of them to become part of the same kingdom just yet, because he wanted them to reach certain standards he had set. Once they had fulfilled these requirements, a new kingdom consisting of smaller kingdoms, ruled by different kings (Kingception), came into existence. This new kingdom was named…European Union?

The troubadours have two different versions about the following events. First one stated that, Europe became stronger and stronger, much stronger than America, so strong that finally it ruled the entire world and Americans had to emigrate to the actual America. But I, however, believe the second tale.

Arthur, together with all the other kings, started to compete against America. Their exportations increased significantly and they were wealthy enough to keep playing this game, they wanted to keep playing. Everyone was happy and no one was worried about the future, but

everything changed; suddenly, one day everyone stopped buying their products. That was not a problem for Arthur, as his kingdom had enough stock with his internal economy. But not all the kingdoms where so lucky – Be Sharp Lullaby and Flower Kisses had problems not only with their exportations, but also with their internal economy, because numerous Besharplullabilians were working in sectors that greatly depended on export. Europe stopped growing and Arthur could not believe what was happening. ‘Crisis,’ said the American, although Arthur was not aware of this word. ‘These Americans, always inventing dim things,’ thought Arthur.

But as it turns out, crisis was not an American invention. Arthur started questioning himself should I leave from the European Union, because I am richer than the other members? Or should I force the members, who have bad economies, leave European Union? Maybe they would like to leave?

Still, this was not the end, because Arthur had a bigger problem: people, not only Lollipop Sugar citizens, but European citizens. They were sad.

So what should Arthur do? Would some coins make them happier? Definitely! But how could he give out any coins, if he had used them for other things that were unrelated to social welfare? But wait… Could it be that those European citizens were angry because he had given coins to other institutions? Surely, that must have been so. But were those institutions important enough to worth those coins? Arthur did not know what to do. What if he took the coins back and gave them to his citizens? Arthur was totally lost – lost, like Europe.

Please help Arthur solve his problem! ■

10

NULL Issue alpha

EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT GREECE 27TH NATIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE

FEMM

Breaking the Glass Ceiling Tuusa Eriksson speaks up against discrimination of women in their workplaces.

I

nequality is one of the great issues

of our time. It seems to be lurking behind every corner, in all kinds of different forms. The labor market is no exception; it is a place where gender inequality thrives. The under-representation of women in company boards and the difference between the salaries of men and women have both remained largely unchanging problems for 15 years. Women are still perceived as less ambitious and less capable of being good leaders than men are. Many employers also assume that women nearly always prioritize family over work. We are left to wonder why this outdated view of gender roles still persists. In 2011, however, because of this the employment rate for men was 75% and for women only 62%.

The fact, that women receive fewer promotions and make up the minority of board members in companies, is no longer a matter of qualification or ambition. More than anything else, attitude is really the main problem. We live in a society where women have been considered second-class citizens for centuries. For the longest time a woman’s place has been at home raising children or doing chores. Unfortunately, many people still think in this conservative way, at least subconsciously. It is this attitude that creates a glass ceiling, a barrier that does not permit women to be as successful at the work place as men.

The glass ceiling is subtle and maybe even unconscious discrimination that prevents women from reaching higher and better-paid positions that they are qualified for. The glass ceiling has been around for ages, and it does not look like it is going anywhere anytime soon.

The EU has tried to rectify all the gender inequality related issues in the labor market mainly through legislation;

equal pay for equal work is a fundamental principle of the EU. The European Commission has also presented legislations with the goal of having 40 % female board members in big companies by the year 2020. All this legal work, however, may not be the best way forward. The importance of closing the pay gap and getting better jobs probably does not arise from all the extra money women would earn, but rather from the well-deserved respect for their work that they would finally be granted by being seen as equal to men.

So if these are the desired results, the EU might just be barking up the wrong tree. Women earn no more respect for their work or ability by prying open the door to board meetings with a legal crowbar. The introduction of mandatory quotas for women to be represented in executive boards is, in some ways, quite degrading. The message it sends is that women are not good enough to make it on their own, they can only be successful if someone is forcing them to be hired or promoted.

The honest truth is that this issue, as so many others, comes down to attitude problems. In order to allow women to receive the acknowledgement of their abilities that they deserve, the glass ceiling must be broken once and for all. â–

NULL Issue alpha

EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT GREECE 27TH NATIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE

11

EMPL

A difficult era

Giorgina Giani elaborates on youth unemployment and the opportunities that young people have.

T

he financial crisis has

taken away from most people a lot of things: money, their job or even their dreams. One of its main results in society is unemployment and especially youth unemployment that has left the future generations hopeless.

In fact, a young unemployed person has extremely low chances of finding a new occupation, bearing in mind that just 29.7% of those aged 15-24 who were unemployed in 2010, found a job in 2011.

Generally, young people seem to keep on fighting for their future. Most of them are determined to become better students, broaden their knowledge and search for an occupation persistently. However, discouraged youngsters with no faith in themselves, their potential and social environment tend to give up. According to the European Commission, although 12.6% of the unemployed youth was willing to work, they took no further action in order to find a job in the third quarter of 2012.

It is interesting though, how well beliefs and stereotypes have affected young people’s way through educational institutions. High school students aim for the ‘prestigious’ type of jobs, ignoring what is actually needed. Social standards tend to be manipulative and deceptive; they create the false impression

that only highly paid mental work should be a goal. However, most countries, especially the ones in deep recession, have more than enough lawyers, doctors or architects. What they need is workforce that will meet the needs of modern society in order to create a balance between the job offer and demand.

What we eventually notice is that, as job opportunities tend to lessen, people have gradually started to accept that their first step in the world of employment has to be an internship or a traineeship. On the one hand, you could say that such programs are for the benefit of the youngsters, since they gain practical experience that theoretical knowledge cannot offer them. On the other hand, they create a cheap labor force which might have doubtful results.

The prospects of setting up businesses and executing innovative ideas are fading. Taking risks is discouraged; the possibility of having a big economic loss is something that the society cannot afford, especially the youngsters.

However, one could claim that governments and the European

Union are putting effort into dealing with the problem. For example, the Greek government recently announced that it has included in its plans zero taxation of the new businesses for 3 years. At the same time, the E.U. is launching programs such as ‘Youth on the Move’ and the ‘European platform against poverty and social exclusion’.

To conclude, it is obvious that we are experiencing a difficult era in terms of employment.

Nevertheless, the global leaders are trying to improve the current situation, so that the future generation does not become a ‘lost’ generation. The financial crisis though, has affected the core of our society and economic system. Youth unemployment and the lack of support for entrepreneurship are phenomena that have to urgently be dealt with, so that growth comes back to the horizon.

Can youngsters be something more than simply spectators to a world changing? ■

12

NULL Issue alpha

EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT GREECE 27TH NATIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE

ENVI II

Plastic: such a waste.

Vasilis Koutsomarkos asks questions about the disposal of the plastic contained in electrical and electronic equipment.

A

s the European soci-

ety grows wealthier, it creates more and more rubbish. A specific kind of rubbish is e-waste or waste of electrical and electronic equipment (W.E.E.E.), which includes such devices as computers, televisions, refrigerators, laptops, mobile phones and so on. Research conducted in Europe showed that electronic waste is an epidemic growing at three times the rate of other municipal waste. On average, plastics make up about 25% of the weight of electronic waste.

Only 17.7% of the total W.E.E.E. is recycled, while the rest ends up in landfills and incinerators. The problem is that most types of plastic in use are non-biodegradable and contain brominated flame retardants, chemicals, which are persistent, bio-accumulative, and toxic to both humans and the environment. The most obvious problem with landfilling as a waste strategy is where to put everything. Also a medical research has linked proximity to landfill sites not only to lung, throat, and prostate cancers, but also to increased risk of birth defects.

So what can be done to rectify this situation? First of all, the amount of waste generated

has to be reduced. At the same time, minimizing the presence of hazardous substances mitigates health and environmental dangers. What is more, reusing and completely recycling products and materials can lead to less waste ending up in landfills. Finally, any non-recyclable material has to be monitored and carefully disposed of using incinerator plants that produce energy, and then as a last resort - landfills.

How should this be done?

With the help of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) it is possible to focus on certain aspects of a product’s life cycle and improve it in order to prolong its use, therefore reducing the quantity of rubbish. It can also be used to improve manufacturing methods to diminish the environmental impact of waste products. In addition, motivating consumers through media campaigns to demand greener products and less packaging contributes to the aforementioned goals. The need of member states to pass strict laws on monitoring and controlling the trade of e-waste

is equally important, so that through interstate cooperation the problematic situation of illegal trading and dumping deescalates. Finally, the infrastructure regarding the above measures has to be appealing and feasible for the member states; that could be achieved by funding research programmes on cost-effective and environmentally friendly technologies of sorting, recycling and disposing of waste.

A European Directive on waste management is in effect (2002/96/EC), as well as findings indicate that regions that implement supporting measures achieved EU waste policy objectives with positive results up to this point. However, due to the continuous increase of population and the waste amounts it subsequently produces the question arises of whether the directive has to be revised or implemented more rigorously.

The problem yet stands. â–

NULL Issue alpha

EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT GREECE 27TH NATIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE

13

LIBE

The unbearable harmfulness of being a nationalist Olek Musiał comments on the rise of nationalist groups across Europe.

T

he issue of nationalism is constantly apparent in the public debate.

Yet it would seem that with regards to the usage of this word, it is often abused as a kind of strongly pejorative label that is vastly imputed to political opponents. It is quite a convenient rhetorical chicanery, which disqualifies an adversary as radical and insidious.

Another point is a popular thinking pattern that indicates a strong correlation between nationalism, racism, chauvinism and anti-Semitism. Under such circumstances the prejudice of being a nationalist (namely racist, xenophobe, social ‘leper’) may become harmful to the suspected as well.

Having acknowledged a certain ambiguity of the notion of nationalism, it is important to define what exactly this word stands for. What makes some organizations or parties nationalist? Where is the line between patriotism, which is a positive and desirable attitude, and nationalism? It is crucial to consider these questions thoroughly in order to determine what exactly we are fighting against.

In general, the world ‘nationalism’ has two basic meanings. First of them is an extreme form of patriotism marked by a feeling of superiority over other nations. Therefore, it is possible to charge someone with being a nationalist at the point when they consider their nation as being better and more deserving of privileges than others. On the other hand, it is a euphemism to refer to a nationalist as an ogranisation, which aims to deport immigrants from a country and claims the superiority of the white race.

Such an outlook should, without a question, be defined as racist.

Secondly, nationalism is the advocacy of political independence for a particular country. This second meaning is older and dates back to the 19th century, when many nations, for instance Germans, Italians, the Balkan and Slavs were fighting for liberty against European emperies.

Under such circumstances, nationalism, and the simplifications it implies, was not considered as a negative, but rather a desirable factor in society – the times of peril entail extreme measures. In light of the morality of fighting for liberty, current far right-wing leaders often evoke the historical tradition of nationalism in order to legitimise their actions.

The historical context of nationalism is one of few explanations of its current popularity in various countries as considerable part of their national identity. When fighting against nationalism we have to bear in mind this aspect of the problem – radical condemnation of the concept without any gradation can also be harmful to the society as a whole.

Nationalistic movements have caused immense turmoil in Western societies in the past and continue to do so presently. Praising one’s nation, as understood in its most narrow meaning and without any nuances, is not acceptable in the modern, cosmopolitan world. Furthermore, the vast majority of the European citizens condemn nationalistic movements within the E.U., a Union based on the variety of nations, cultures, points of view as well as the mutual cooperation, and whose motto is ‘united in diversity’.

However, despite the actions of the Community and governments, the existence of nationalism is not diminished and its popularity is still on rise, or in other words: ‘the spectre of nationalism is haunting Europe’. ■

14

NULL Issue alpha

EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT GREECE 27TH NATIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE

ITRE

The Greenth

Marie Poupinel looking beyond 2020.

T

he history of mankind has been defined

by its undertakings throughout the flight of time leaving deeply engraved its imprint on the sodden earth as we have exploited, drained and taken ownership of the land that bred us. This scramble for possession has precipitated the downfall of both our societies and environment. This phenomenon is underscored by series of interwoven crises: the depletion of natural resources, the erosion of social fibre, the spiralling vortex of the economic maelstrom and so forth. Indubitably, the demonstrations of our dysfunctional system that is enshrined in our daily lives defies and confront us with a dire reality blotting visions of idyllic, resilient forthcomings. Weaning off of fossil fuels is firmly embedded in the EU psyche as the contemplation of pursuing a sustained usage of the former would innately lead to an undoing, which could unlikely be forestalled or reversed.

The issue here lies at the core of governance; much depend on the willingness and a capacity of national governments to craft action plans and galvanize change collectively. Alone impact is insignificant. A better system of developing and enforcing internationally agreed energy rules is essential. Revising our current architecture in view of triggering an energy transition faces stiff resistance from deeply entrenched vested interests, which impede hopes of a global mobilization. The unwillingness also stems from fears of embarking in a costly pursuit for energy sufficiency exceeds certain governments’ financial capacities. It would prove to be a great concern in times of economic woes and further contribute to straining adherence to the green wave.

Indeed, in times where budgets suffer, sacrifice is imperative, leaving certain sectors less prone to funding. A chill climate of reluctance permeates as it is widely claimed that turning green seems to bear limited fruits for the future due to the intermittence of alternative energy, the cost of research, development and infrastructure and so forth. We all know that change comes with a cost. Sustainable development is a generational challenge, not a shortterm task. The reinvention of energy, food, transport, and other systems will take decades, not years. But the longterm nature of this challenge must not lull us into inaction. The green revolution will come to maturity and generate the desired long-lasting positive change only if governments thoroughly comply and commit to it, as, in the long run, the benefits reaped in all domains would be formidable.

Adopting new ways of securing energy efficiency are inextricably linked to sustainable economic growth as history has shown that resource constraints can hinder global economic progress. Opting for energy efficiency by identifying the roots of the problem is imperative in order to optimize time,

NULL Issue alpha

EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT GREECE 27TH NATIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE

money and catalyse durable benefits.

Already the renewable energy sector has proven its potential in stimulating growth through a surge of job creation.

On a global scale, the renewable energy sector has created 2.3 million jobs in the past few years. In Germany alone, the sector’s growth has generated 250,000 new green jobs in less than ten years.

With hindsight, one can see that the renewable sector is poised to become the next new trillion-dollar industry, and the countries that grow strong in this area will gain the most in employment and GDP. Carving a prominent position in the renewables, the EU has been a driving force, an engine behind the call for energy modernization. The renewable energy sector has triggered an influx of investors as their interest grows in domains such as clean technology.

Assuming the rapid decarbonization of its energy system, Europe continues to spearhead such investments, attracting $94.4 billion in 2010. Investment in Germany more than doubled, to $41.2 billion, and renewable-energy jobs reached 340,000, the highest number since 2004. This clearly demonstrates that clean-energy policies can not only drive domestic investment and installations, but also manufacturing and export opportunities. Europe’s leadership is needed to spur and extend change in behaviours and ethics to reconcile further economic development with environmental sustainability.

Furthermore, bolstering research in cleaner eco-oriented technologies will contribute to the creation of a resourceefficient circular metabolism for cities and individuals, discarding an inefficient linear one. As more and more people move to urban areas there is an escalating need for what is labelled «

15

''

We all know that change comes with a cost. Sustainable development is a generational challenge, not a short-term task.

a smart city », where technology, sustainability, citizen well-being and economic development integrate.

Multitudes of European-driven initiatives have been launched to encourage, foster and fund the use of technology to tackle energy wastage in cities -the heart of consumption. “The global macro-economic landscape is shifting," said Richard Youngman, Europe and Asia managing director of Cleantech Group. "Fostering entrepreneurial start-ups and growth companies with clean-technology solutions will be an increasingly important part of countries' competitiveness on the world stage ». Many countries such as Germany and the Scandinavians which are breeding a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation, have mastered the art of cost effective clean tech in solar power, offshore wind turbines, sensors pumping out data to track waste, smart building systems such as green infrastructure.

Summing up, one can draw the conclusion that renewable energy costs will eventually go down, in step with technological innovation and mass production, leading modern world in a new era.

■

16

NULL Issue alpha

EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT GREECE 27TH NATIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE

THE 27TH NATIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE OF THE EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIEMENT GREECE IS SUPPORTED BY: