Latest e-Vote gets to grips with environment and development

Date: 28/05/03

THE Greek presidency of the European Union has launched the latest in a series of 'e-Vote' initiatives, this time on the environment and sustainable development.

As with previous 'e-Votes' on specific topics aimed to coincide with particular events under the presidency, this latest battery of questions is intended as a follow-up to an international conference held earlier this month (6 -7 May) in Athens.

Under the heading 'Sustainable Development for Lasting Peace: Shared Water, Shared Future, Shared Knowledge', it was jointly hosted by the Greek foreign ministry and the World Bank.

Among the questions featured in the related e-Vote are:

• Who should have primary responsibility for solving our environmental problems (local or national governments, the EU, NGOs, international organizations, businesses or citizens themselves)?
• should protection of the environment be given priority, even at the risk of curbing economic growth?
• do you believe that free trade and the protection of the environment are in conflict with each other or rather mutually supportive? and;
• in the last few years, have you personally made specific changes in your daily life in order to be more 'green'?

The e-Vote also asks EU citizens for their input on various ways to improve the state of the environment, and assesses the public's willingness to give up some of their income to this end.

The results of previous polls have been presented to policymakers during their regular EU-level get-togethers to try and bring public opinion to the debating table.

"For the first time ever, an EU presidency has brought the views of European citizens directly into EU official meetings," the Greek presidency stated.

More than 154,000 people have participated in e-Vote so far, making it "the most popular exercise in e-democracy ever".

A total of ten votes are currently active on different subjects.

The other topics are: the EU today; the EU's role in the world; the future of the EU; the 'Lisbon Agenda'; enlargement; the Iraq War; EU drug policy; immigration, and EU-US relations.

To cast your own e-Vote, visit http://evote.eu2003.gr/EVOTE/en/index.stm