EU Election 2014: What are the North West MEP candidates’ views on the environment?

We asked all the North West EU election candidates for their views on ten statements on key environmental issues.

We based the statements on the top ten demands of the Green 10, ten of the largest environmental organisations and networks active on the European level with a membership of over 20 million people – see below for more details.

Here are the responses we’ve received so far:

An Independence from Europe
No responses

Conservative Party
No responses

English Democrats
Stephen Morris

Green Party
Peter Cranie
Gina Dowding
Laura Bannister
Jill Perry
John Knight
Ulrike Zeshan
Jake Welsh

Labour Party
Julie Ward

Liberal Democrats
Jane Brophy

NO2EU
No responses

Pirate Party UK
Maria Aretoulaki
George Walkden

Socialist Equality Party
No responses

UK Independence Party
No responses

Vote for the environment

We are disappointed that none of the candidates from An Independence from Europe, the Conservatives, NO2EU, the Socialist Equality Party or UKIP have taken the time to fill in our survey.

However, we’re pleased to find broad support for our ten statements from the English Democrat, Green Party, Labour Party, Liberal Democrat and Pirate Party candidates who did share their views.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have an important role to play in tackling a range of environmental issues, from setting ambitious targets for energy efficiency, renewable energy and recycling to demanding action to protect nature and improve air quality.

So if you haven’t decided who to vote for yet, we would urge you to vote for the environment on Thursday 22nd May.

Background information

We asked the candidates if they agree or disagree with the following ten statements:

1.  I support a new EU economic strategy based on sustainability principles which shifts the tax burden from labour to resource consumption, and eliminates environmentally-harmful subsidies.

The EU should align its spending and lending with its environmental targets, ensuring that the European Investment Bank lends money to projects that protect the environment and our climate. All these measures will help combat climate change, reduce resource consumption and safeguard biodiversity.

2.  I support the adoption of three separate, ambitious and binding EU targets for renewable energy, greenhouse gas emissions cuts and energy efficiency for 2030.

To help keep global temperature increases below two degrees centigrade, these three targets must be met in a sustainable way. This means ending harmful bioenergy including biofuels, stopping the use of polluting fossil fuels in energy, industry, buildings and transport, and phasing out nuclear energy as fast as possible. Such policies will deliver a healthier environment, a better quality of life, new jobs, greater energy security, and technological innovation.

3.  I support measures to halt Europe’s accelerated loss of biodiversity by 2020.

The strengthening of the EU’s biodiversity strategy, the enforcement of flagship conservation issues such as Natura 2000 (Europe’s network of protected areas) and the implementation of the reformed fishing and waters laws will help protect our habitats, forests, animals, waters and soils.

4.  I support comprehensive resource-reduction, product and waste policies, including action to cut food waste by at least 50%.

Europe is using more than its fair share of the world’s resources – exacerbating global social inequalities and environmental damage. Policies are needed which tackle this overconsumption and put Europe on a path to eliminating waste, and encourage quality, resource and energy-efficient products. Food waste is a particular problem and should be cut by at least 50%.

5.  I support measures to reduce the use of pesticides and replace hazardous chemicals, including an extension to the ban on neonicotinoid pesticides because of their impacts on bees.

Many chemicals, including nano-materials, used in the production of goods are a threat to our health and wildlife. For example, pesticides that kill bees are still widely used in Europe, despite the vital role that pollinators play in food production. The Parliament must adopt measures to reduce the use of pesticides and exposure to endocrine disruptors, which are chemicals that disrupt our hormonal systems and increase rates of breast cancer, diabetes and infertility problems.

6.  I support the setting of ambitious and binding air pollution limits in line with latest health recommendations.

The World Health Organisation recently classified outdoor air pollution as a cancer-causing agent. The Parliament should set ambitious and binding air pollution ceilings for 2020 and 2025. It should also limit air pollution from major sources such as power plants, agriculture, shipping, construction and domestic heating. This would improve the quality of the air we breathe and bring down cancer and respiratory disease rates.

7.  I support action to end European and global deforestation and forest degradation.

Forest loss is increasing greenhouse gas emissions and threatening wildlife and the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide. The newly elected Members of Parliament should adopt, by 2015, an action plan to reduce the overall impact of EU consumption on forests, eliminate goods linked to deforestation, and support efforts by developing countries to tackle rainforest destruction.

8.  I oppose any new free trade deals, such as the Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership (TTIP), that jeopardise strong social and environmental standards.

In particular, the European Parliament should oppose any deal that includes an investor-state dispute settlement measure. This clause would allow private corporations to legally challenge democratically agreed EU, national and local laws, which preserve citizen rights, health and the environment. The EU-Canada deal is likely to include such a clause and should be rejected to avoid setting a dangerous precedent.

9.  I support the principle that environmental protection should be put at the heart of the global development goals to end poverty.

Environmental protection should be at the centre of post-2015 global sustainable development goals to help eradicate poverty. The Parliament must ensure the global development agenda is implemented in all relevant EU policies.

10.  I support new rules to guarantee the right to information, participation and justice for European citizens.

Greater transparency in EU decision-making and lobbying activities would strengthen EU legitimacy, help ensure a balanced composition of EU advisory groups and avoid politicians’ conflicts of interest. The European Parliament must adopt new policies to guarantee these rights and good practices. It must also ensure the public rights to information and participation in decision-making in environmental matters, at both EU and national levels, are respected.