⏰ The time for action is now | Your PES Group newsletter
Tick tock, tick tock. The climate clock is ticking. One of the most pressing issues of our time is climate change. It threatens the lives and livelihoods of billions of people, animals and plants.
Ahead of the UN climate conference #COP27, starting next week in Egypt, progressive cities and regions call once again for concrete actions at all levels of government to address climate change.
Meanwhile they are leading and implementing the urgently needed change on the ground. From greening urban spaces to fighting energy poverty, it is them to make the real difference. This is why their role needs to be better recognised in the negotiations. A first encouraging step in this sense came last week from the European Parliament. But we need more than words. We need actions.
Scroll down… before time is running out 👇👇👇
🌍 Cities and regions are key to moving from goals to actions
One crucial message must be repeated out loud at the #COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh: climate action is the solution to the current energy crisis, and cities and regions are key in delivering those actions. Our rapporteur Alison Gilliland will be together with President Vasco Alveres Cordeiro part of the official European Committee of the Regions delegation to the #COP27. Discover what they will be fighting for ➡️
🏡 New EU Housing Strategy wanted!
In the frame of the PES Group participatory lab on housing, young progressive local and regional politicians from all over the European Union adopted the declaration "WANTED – New EU Housing Strategy!". Handed over to European Commissioner Nicolas Schmit, it makes 15 concrete proposals to make the right to #HousingForAll a reality. Read the declaration ➡️
👋 🇪🇺 Congrats to the new PES President
The PES Group welcomes the election of the former social democratic prime minister of Sweden, Stefan Löfven, as the new President of the Party of European Socialists. He was elected at the party congress held in Berlin from 14-15 October. Check out the Congress resolution “With Courage. For Europe” ➡️
Our President Christophe Rouillon also underlined the important role of cities and regions in solving the housing crisis. Watch his video ➡️
🇺🇦 Rebuilding cities, sharing a common European future
Progressive local and regional leaders want to play their part in the sustainable reconstruction of Ukraine. Although the war itself is not over and Russia continues to destroy infrastructure and buildings, we can launch the process of rebuilding cities and give Ukrainians hope for a peaceful future in our European family. Florence mayor Dario Nardella, whose city is the twinning city of the Ukrainian capital, has more on this ➡️
🇪🇺 Schengen - To unite, or to divide?
Freedom of movement is a cornerstone of the European project and non-negotiable. At the same time, migration rights must not be compromised in crises or instrumentalised for political purposes. Together with our rapporteur Antje Grotheeer, we stand up for a Schengen system that unites us, rather than keeping us apart. ➡️
🚃 A transport policy that connects us all
Trans-European networks are a vital policy for the future of the European Union and regions should have their say in it: by connecting citizens in mountains, villages, towns and coastlines, this policy can ensure that all citizens enjoy mobility and can choose a more sustainable way of moving around. Our rapporteur Isabelle Boudineau tells us how. ➡️
🌹 ❤️ Progressive Local Stories
👏 🏆 Congratulations to Brussels mayor Philippe Close and Leuven mayor Mohamed Ridouani who are leading the way towards a sustainable and better future for their citizens. Check out this new 16 kilometers biking path that connects the two Belgian progressive cities, allowing daily commuters a safe and sustainable mobility route option.
What’s coming next?
💬 Tomorrow, 28 October, the EuroPCom, the largest event on European communication is taking place and focusing on “Communicating Climate Action". Ahead of #COP27, join our rapporteur Alison Gilliland for a debate on how to engage citizens in taking climate action. ➡️
🏃♂️ 🏃♀️ From 3-4 November and at the invitation of our Group members Eugenio Giani and Dario Nardella, the PES Group will hold its extraordinary meeting on the topic “Youth for Europe, Europe for Youth" in Florence. Discover more about #Europe4Youth here ➡️
♀️ On 4 November, PES Women and ZIJkant will organise a conference on “Championing equal pay. What are the ways forward?”. Find out more and follow the livestream here. ➡️
🙏 For the header photo, we thank Aron Visuals from Unsplash.