Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Submitted by: Anna Bachem, Sophia Biermann, Isis Gorissen, Marleen de Gorter, Nailah Hofstetter, Zuzanna Kluszczyk (PL), Yasumi Meijer, Esther Nijboer, Laura Birbe (Chairperson, ES)
The European Youth Parliament,
- Deeply concerned by the current decrease in biodiversity with 60% of wildlife population being lost over the past 40 years, mainly due to pollution, human activity and overexploitation,
- Fully alarmed by the drastic change of 75% of Earth’s land and 40% of marine environments to the extent where parts have become inhabitable,
- Noting with regret how human activities such as pollution and global warming lead to the degradation and imbalance of ecosystems,
- Concerned by the devastating consequences for ecosystems caused by the deep-rooted relationship between global warming and natural disasters convey,
- Aware that the current population growth is directly linked to an increase of unsustainable activities, leading to unbalanced ecosystems losing the ability to restore themselves,
- Keeping in mind that unsustainable farming practices have negative consequences for biodiversity wellbeing,
- Realising that over half of global GDP depends on nature and the resources it provides, with three key industries being construction, agriculture, and food and beverage;
- Suggests the European Environmental Agency (EEA) financially incentifies transparent business culture among large companies by aiding their transition to more environmentally conscious practices;
- Further calls upon the EEA to implement carbon-taxing strategies and using that surplus for low-carbon producing businesses;
- Calls upon the European Commission to further protect terrestrial and marine environments that have remained unaffected by expanding on initiatives such as the Vertical Ocean Farming and the SER society;
- Urges the European Commission to increase resources and efforts regarding sustainable management and waste disposal of toxic chemicals;
- Calls upon the European Commission to reduce the burning of fossil fuels by further implementing renewable and green energy sources, and restricting the use of fuel-based cars in commonly trafficked areas;
- Calls upon the EU Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity in cooperation with Member States to sensitise highly carbon-emitting industries about the close-knitted relation between unsustainable human activities and biodiversity degradation by organising events in educational institutions, catalysing attention on tv and social media, and further fundings through the EEA;
- Calls upon Member States to regulate the use of harmful pesticides and fertilisers by
- decreasing the amount farmers are allowed to use,
- supporting and subsidising organic and sustainable-based farming practices;
- Urges the European Commission to further implement the Green Infrastructure Plan first by contemplating sustainable infrastructure in urban planning; and second, by spreading awareness on the link between biodiversity loss and the economic sector.