How can the EU lead the global climate and environmental work forward? Over the past week, there has been a discussion on, among other things, growth policy versus sustainability, the relationship of climate change to public health, the loss of biodiversity and freedom of the press - and debaters have particularly emphasized the importance of prioritizing these issues in the EU.
This week's debate and leader pages clearly demonstrate that the EU election is approaching and that the climate is a burning election issue. For example, Martin Jordö and Gita Nabavi from the Feminist Initiative write that they want to work on the Union's economic policy to prioritize climate change over GDP growth - and that it requires measures of development that focus on equality and sustainability. The Moderates' EU candidate Tomas Tobé writes that in order to reduce global emissions in combination with continued growth, nuclear power is needed as a complement to renewable energy. Alice Bah Kuhnke and environmentalist colleagues counter in a reply that nuclear power today is not interesting for private financiers as it is twice as expensive as investing in renewable energy and not a relevant solution to operate in the EU.
The climate issue also goes hand in hand with global public health. It writes several writers from Doctors for the Environment and argues that today's food production contributes both to climate change and to obesity, which in turn affects the worst people with low incomes and in segregated areas - and leads to shorter life expectancy. "A transition to more sustainable agriculture and a change in food production in line with the global goals of the UN Agenda 2030 is needed to eradicate hunger and all forms of malnutrition," they write. Biodiversity is also affected by global warming - and even more so by direct impacts from industrial agriculture. It writes Pernilla Ericson and believes that counteracting the extinction of the world's animal and plant species should be a central issue in the EU election.
Soraya Post from Fi writes that the EU needs more feminism to pursue issues such as sexual violence and human security, climate, migration and human rights. At the same time, Lin Lerpold, Örjan Sjöberg and Erik Wikberg ask how Sweden's and the EU's foreign and trade policy relates to major economic powers, especially as many today choose to leave - or threaten to leave - multilateral agreements (such as Paris- agreement) and questions democratic and human rights. The Freedom of the Press Day was celebrated on the third of May and the Social Democrats Heléne Fritzon, Johan Danielsson and Jytte Guteland write that democratic values, such as free and independent media, are what the EU election this May is about.
Environment and climate
"Climate demands halt to GDP growth"
Martin Jordö and Gita Nabavi, Svenska Dagbladet
"MP closes his eyes on facts - nuclear power is needed"
Tomas Tobé, Aftonbladet
"No M, nuclear power does not solve our climate crisis"
Alice Bah Kuhnke, Pär Holmgren, Jakop Dalunde and Bodil Valero, Aftonbladet
"Climate change and obesity are part of the same epidemic"
Doctors for the environment, Dagens Nyheter
"We do not survive species death"
Pernilla Ericson, Aftonbladet
EU
"A life free from violence is the goal - that's why the EU needs more feminism"
Soraya Post, GP
"EU does not matter when the right of the strong applies in third countries"
Lin Lerpold, Örjan Sjöberg and Erik Wikberg, Dagens Nyheter.
Freedom of the press
"A: Give journalists stronger protection"
Heléne Fritzon, Johan Danielsson and Jytte Guteland, Svenska Dagbladet
"Work for Gui Minhai Imprisoned is in full swing"
Johanna Lundgren, Expressen
Nuclear weapons
"Sweden acts for disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons"
Peter Hultqvist, Dagens Nyheter
Is there something in the text that is not correct? Contact us at opinion@fuf.se