At the beginning, in the European Coal and Steel Community, the idea of the Single Market was obviously a catalyst of the integration process. This was the platform where the first circle of the integrating countries found mutually beneficial to integrate some of their industries and powers. The big trial was exceptionally successful and the countries of the enlarging union found more and more territories where integration, cooperation and free liberalized markets contribute and facilitate their competitiveness and growth. We know that human being is like that: if two parties (or even former enemies) find a good platform which provides mutual advantages then cooperation and friendship starts very fast even between formerly opposition thinking people and countries. So may be this was the most important driving power of the integration.

But even after 20 successful year here are still many barriers to a fully functioning Single Market. What still needs to be done to make the Single Market fully operational? Naturally to sort out problems which citizens and businesses face in the Single Market. But it is still not so simple as EU is still not one country and does not speak one voice.

After the new Single Market Act (13 April 2011) has been applied and various additional proposals in relation to that will be finally adopted and implemented, as per the expectations and promises the more than 21 million businesses and 500 millions consumers in Europe will benefit more from a better functioning Single Market for venture capital, simpler accounting requirements and cheaper access to patent protection across Europe. It will be easier for citizens to get their qualifications recognised and seek a job in another Member State. It will also be easier for goods to circulate and service providers to operate cross-border, thanks to new standardisation and actions aimed at removing persistent and unjustified restrictions to the provision of services. We will finally be able to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the Digital Single Market and a boost in e-commerce also.

Sources: Making the Single Market work better: boosting Europe’s potential for growth
Single Market Act: Together for new growth

About the current socio economical problems:

As Jean Monnet told once: “European Integration will be forced and contributed in crises.” Today’s we are living in a decade of a very complex and deep social and economical crisis and recession. Seems to be that after the lot of efforts and mutually advantageous cooperation platforms we still can not step to the path of the future of prosperity. Socially, industrially, monetarily we know and feel these problems. The leaders of the EU percept the importance of these problems and trying to reply for this challenges.

Emerging stronger from the crisis: the European vision

Video orig. source:  http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/video/player.cfm?ref=I074443&sitelang=en

EU Commission’s today’s priorities ad replies to the recession are the followings: Europe 2020 Europe’s grow strategy, Economic Governance: “The crisis exposed fundamental problems and unsustainable trends in many European countries. It also made clear just how interdependent the EU’s economies are. Greater economic policy coordination across the EU will help us to address these problems and boost growth and job creation in future.” Which contains several known sub programs like: The European Semester the Stability and Growth Pact, Addressing macro-economic imbalances, The Euro Plus Pact and Repairing the financial sector.

Source: Europe2020, Prioritiesof the Eeconomic-Governance

Source: The Economist, European Commission

Market and people lost a bit their confidence in each others and in the cooperation. Something is poisoning our life. Interdependency is forcing us. We are sitting in one ship and we are much over of the point of no return. If one fail all the others feel it. Therefore EU thinks the solution is the closer, stronger, more deep financial union and stronger integration which was also helpful before in other hard times. EU thinks a banking union and a closer fiscal union might also help to solve the problems. But this is a very sensitive territory of the cooperation.

Source: The Economist, Eurostat *: 15-24 year olds

About the transport systems:

Connecting Europe – Vision of an interconnected Europe

Video: http://ec.europa.eu/news/transport/110328_en.htm

EU thinks a smart, sustainable and interconnected transport, energy and digital networks are priorities for Europe’s economic future. Plans for more efficient transport would connect Europe’s road, rail, air and water networks, cut dependence on oil imports and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. EU decided to work out new founding system and invest €50bn in infrastructure – connecting Europe, boosting competitiveness and creating jobs.

Source: ec.europa.eu/news/energy

Yes, the future is the mobility and those smart mobility which is environmental friend, cost efficient and suitable to move large amount of goods and large number of people from one point to the other. In the 70s 80 s in the school we learnt that rail is the most cost efficient and environmental friend way of public mass transport and this system should be developed further and this is our future. Despite of this today’s we see millions of trucks are struggling on the European roads, stacking in traffic jams on the highways and making smog, causing day to day accidents and polluting the environment.

In EU still 80% of the goods are transported to long distances between countries by road trucks and rail transport restrained. Why do we need to poison our life more with that? We should gap back to the right track and develop the railways system and transport goods and people to long distance by rail. I am welcoming the new EU plan which aims to create a better transport system better connections: Seamlessly linking road, rail, air and water transport modes which will create a more efficient EU-wide transport network, making it easier for people and freight to travel. The plan would interconnect, by 2020, Europe’s passenger and freight transport information, management and payment systems. By 2050, all major airport hubs would have (preferably) high-speed connections to the rail network. All core seaports would be connected to the rail freight network and, where possible, to inland waterways. At the same time, the EU would extend and coordinate “user pays” and “polluter pays” principles to finance its transport infrastructure.
Source: ec.europa.eu/news/transport

Which I miss from the plane is the emphasised development intention of the railways system. The reason is understandable, it is a politically sensitive territory, still millions are working in the road transport system and for them it is disadvantageous if EU clearly express that wants to restrain the long distance transport by trucks and facilitate the rail transport.

The EU Commission summarized and tried to address the citizens 20 main concerns and FAQs in a Single Market Snapshot:

These FAQ are mainly related to working and living in another member state and some about liberalizing of telecommunication and energy services. The concerns are about the followings:

Social security. Patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare.
Residence cards for non-EU family members of an EU citizen.
Professionals who have difficulties getting their qualifications recognised in another Member State.
Workers who face discriminatory employment practices.
Tax barriers for cross-border workers and employers.
Opening a bank account abroad.
Students facing discrimination regarding recognition of diplomas, fees, and financial support.
Cross-border pension and inheritance tax issues.
Cross-border car registration and tax issues.
Passenger rights. complex and costly banking and financial services.
Consumers’ confidence in on-line shopping.
The best choice and price for of the energy supply.
Quality and price of Internet and telephony services.
Businesses being discouraged from participating in foreign public tenders.
Businesses access to finance.
Burdensome rules and procedures preventing entrepreneurs and investors from doing business in another country.
VAT cross-border refund procedures.
Protection of the intellectual property rights, patent protection.

These are all known and existing complex problems. Many of us are facing these problems day to day. They should be solved if we want to live in a free united Europe. We saw in the recent months that EU did a lot in order the clear up these barriers and difficulties but EU is still far not one country and does not speak one voice especially now in the crisis not.

Although in many areas and aspects of the Single Market great progress has been achieved in the last 20 years, but the Single Market is still not performing to its full potential and there are still lot of things to do to assure full freedom, equal rights and transparency for the citizens and for the business sphere.

Video: http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/video/player.cfm?ref=I074386

The 20th anniversary provides the framework for a range of activities taking place in all Member States and centred on the Single Market Week for New Growth from 15 to 20 October 2012. These activities will focus on three objectives:

Recalling the achievements of 20 years of the Single Market;

Presenting and discussing new initiatives to stimulate growth in the Single Market;

Mobilizing the views and expectations of young adults about the Single Market.

A central interactive event will be organised in Brussels on 15 October in the European Parliament. It will be a mix of stimulating debates, video presentations, discussion rounds, quizzes with the audience and the award ceremony for the “Generation 1992″ competition (more details can be found here and here ) with the aim of providing input for future policy. A key focal point of the event will be on the generation of 20 year-olds, who were born in the year when the Single Market came into being and who do not remember Europe as it was before the Single Market. This theme is reflected in a short film which can be viewed here:

Video:

Single Market Week from europa.eu on Vimeo.

Many national events will be organised in the EU Member States in the days and weeks following 15 October. Their aim is to bring together citizens, businesses and public organisations to examine and discuss the state of the single market in a national context.

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It is a join initiative of Global Water Partnership Central and Eastern Europe (GWP CEE), GWP Technical Committee and World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute will host the venue.

The main objective of the workshop is to formulate and commit to the Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP) initiative. “It builds upon technical expertise and intellectual capacities of the GWP Technical Committee, GWP CEE and WMO in addressing drought management from an integrated point of view”, says Martina Zupan, Chair of GWP Central and Eastern Europe.

The workshop brings together 53 key stakeholders from different sectors such as meteorology, water management and agriculture from Central and Eastern Europe and international organizations including International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River, UN Economic Commission for Europe, Stockholm International Water Institute, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and Drought Management Centre for Southeastern Europe. The participants will identify institutional framework, 2013-2015 roadmap and possible sources of funding for regional Integrated Drought Management Programme. Experts from other regions severely affected by drought such as Mediterranean, Central Asia and South East Asia will share their approach to drought mitigation.

Recently, GWP CEE has developed a mapping study (Inception Report) to provide a review of existing policies and strategies in Central and Eastern Europe. The work also focused on identification of appropriate experts from “out-of-water” sector to contribute to the work of Regional Water Partnership. The Inception Report is based on information obtained directly from experts at GWP CEE Country Water Partnerships and therefore it reflects realities in specific countries rather than in the entire region.

GWP CEE has proposed the following four national and regional initiatives for Integrated Drought Management Programme comprising preparedness measures including investment and non-investment measures, e.g. drought insurance systems. Also, experts have proposed enhancement and further development of drought monitoring and early warning systems. In the future, capacity building programs for water managers and farmers need to be developed and implemented. One of possible initiatives was sharing of experiences through case studies, showcasing good practices in application of integrated drought management as an integral part of water and land management on the national and international level including trans-boundary basins.

The workshop participants will build on these proposals to finalize and approve GWP CEE component of the GWP/WMO Integrated Drought Management Programme.

Read more information: http://www.gwp.org/en/GWP-CEE/gwp-cee-in-action/news-and-activities/Addressing-Drought-Management-by-an-Integrated-Approach/

Global Water Partnership Central and Eastern Europe:
The Global Water Partnership (GWP) vision is for a water secure world. Its mission is to support the sustainable development and management of water resources at all levels. GWP was created to foster the implementation of integrated water resources management (IWRM): the coordinated development and management of water, land, and related resources by maximising economic and social welfare without compromising the sustainability of ecosystems and the environment. GWP CEE’s international network comprises 12 Country Water Partnerships in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine and 147 Partners located in 15 countries.

Integrated Drought Management:
This approach moves drought management practices from reactive, representing the crisis management to more proactive drought management based on risk management principles. It provides coordination for efforts towards integration of science, policy and implementation by strengthening drought monitoring, drought risk assessment, development of drought prediction; drought early warning services and sharing best practices at the local, national and regional levels. It advocates and facilitates integration of responses by various agencies from various sectors such as water, land, agriculture, ecosystems, and energy on one hand and drought affected sectors on the other.

Recommended videos on Netafim drip irrigation s solutions:

Another interesting example for the Single Market anomalies (let me be here a bit local patriot Hungarian, while I am real European): Recently I spent a few days in Italy in the beautiful Alto Adige, Trento (South Tirol) region and – As I love the exceptional good Italian food, which is may be one of the best in Europe.- visited a few local supermarkets as well. Not fully surprisingly but I found there that “Salami Ungherese” (Hungarian Salami) is a well known, very well going premium product category, which is very good, but unfortunately none of the several Salami Ungherese products there were made in Hungary but all of them had label stating made in Italy mainly in Trento, produced by local companies.

Out of the tasty looks like and nice packing they are almost tasteless and far not the same as the real Hungarian Salamis (especially not like Pick, Hertz, Gyulai, Csabai traditional products) which are really “Hungaricums” (together with our famous Palinkas, Tokaji vine, Gulyas soup, Paprika spices, and so on…) and part of our national heritage same like Italians Parmiggano Reggano or their Proschutto Parmai Hams etc. Hungary is producing several excellent sparkling vines (Törlei, Hungária, BB etc.) but we do not call them “French Champagne (Made in  Tokaj, Hungary)”.

Anyhow, after tasting them realized that all of them are just very weak Italian made copies. Which is interesting in such a country where quality authenticity of food is one of the most important things. What could be the reason? Why there are no any made in Hungary original Pick, Hertz salami products on the shelves? We are not so far from that market, Hungary makes quite extensive marketing and export of these products, the packing, appearance, quality of these Hungarian products are really first class, price wise it is not so expensive so these factors can not be the reason. The real reasons can be different and I am afraid these reasons are rooted in the unbalanced EU Single Market and in the differences of the market powers . I am afraid Hungary does not receive real chance to penetrate to the Italian supermarkets chains because they built up such artificial and usually hidden barriers which are making impossible to bring there goods and appear on the shelves. (By the way, the same international companies are owning, running the hyper- and supermarkets there as here.) The Western European companies brings here their goods and pushing their sales massively while CEEU companies have not so much real chance to sell in Western Europe. Most probably these Western EU companies does not follow the unwritten but basic rules of use and let to use, enjoy and let to enjoy, live and let to live.

In the field of industrial raw materials, semi finished products, auxiliaries the Single Market is working much better more smooth and market participants are using the advantages of it very smartly because of the long time ago discovered and understood interdependency between the industrial producers and the complex production chains. But these segment is usually going under the surface and on the surface we see only the trading and availability of the finished products which are dominated by the Western EU products.

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On behalf of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights, EP members Ulrike Lunacek and Kinga Goncz delivered a clear message to the LGBT communities in their speeches on the EuroGames 2012 Budapest opening ceremony.

President Lunacek stressed in her encouraging speech:

“Come out, out of the crowd and out of the closet. Out, proud and loud! We have to take our visible place in the mainstream society and in the centre of our cities, professional circles and families. Closet belongs to homophobia and it is place for homophobes, not for us. Nobody can push us back into the closet. It is for those people who think hate and fear is stronger than love and friendship. It is our common Europe. We decide how we want to live. You are not alone, we are all here together. We celebrate the diversity, sport and friendship. We are proud to be here, in this European capital city!”

She added: “As a lesbian woman myself and as a lesbian politician who was the first one in Austria in 1995 to say so, I have had the pleasure and pride to actively participate in the swimming tournaments of Euro-, Out- and Gaygames for the last 12 years – and I will do so here in Budapest as well, with pride and with joy – and hopefully with a medal. It is so good to see all of you here, people from 34 different countries, from all walks of life, united by our will.”

Hungarian EP member Kinga Goncz said: “A few years ago when this event was decided to be held in Budapest there were different political winds. But Budapest is still and will be a modern, open minded, democratic, liberal and tolerant city. Who heard something differently it is not about the real Budapest and not about the real Hungary and Hungarians. We all Hungarians can be very proud that such a major event takes place in Budapest, the first time in a Central/Eastern European country. Hungary was the first in the 1990s where LGBT cultural events could take place in liberal, tolerant and peaceful atmosphere.”

EUROGAMES 2012 Budapest – Speech of Kinga Göncz at the opening ceremony from Mr. Laszlo Keki on Vimeo.

EuroGames 2012, European LGBT 5-day sport competition and cultural event, opened its wide doors to the public last Thursday. Some 3,000 athletes came to Budapest from all over Europe and the world. Together with supporters, visitors, friends and local organisers, the event is bringing together some 8,000 people, as well as millions of Euros extra turnover for Hungary.

The 14th EuroGames 2012 in Budapest is an historic moment for the EGLSF (European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation). It has been a true challenge to organise such an event in Hungary, because of the  homophobic and racist voices that have recently emerged in Eastern Europe. Unfortunately, discrimination and violence towards LGBT athletes is still very much a problem that needs to be addressed. In a truly European spirit of solidarity, some EGLSF’s member organisations entered into partnership with LGBT athletes in Eastern Europe, encouraging them to build up their own structures. Hungary was one of the pioneering countries in this context. EuroGames 2012 in Budapest can be considered as a glorious accomplishment of this.

Under the current global and local political and economical circumstances, it was a massive struggle to make this event happen. Although at some point organisers were close to giving up the vision, finally the event survived thanks to the enormous work of the organising team and the many private and international supporters, patrons, as well as hundreds of volunteers.

After numerous obstacles and without any kind of support from the Hungarian government, Budapest’s mayor or the city municipality, it is a great success that organisers finally did make this important event happen. EuroGames 2012 is an encouragement for Eastern Europe’s LGBT communities; it strengthens them in their fight for equal rights. The event is a celebration of sport, friendship and diversity. EuroGames offers Budapest a unique opportunity to present itself as cosmopolitan and inclusive city.

Patrons of the event:

Androulla Vassiliou, EC Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth.
Greg Dorey, former British Ambassador.
Alexander Stubb, Finnish Secretary of State.
Uffe Elbaek, Danish Cultural Minsiter.
The Danish Presidency of the European Union 2012.
Ulrike Lunacek (Austrian) and Kinga Goncz (Hungarian) Members of the European Parliament.
European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights.
The Assembly of European Regions.
London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG).
Embassy of the Netherlands to Hungary.
Embassy of the USA to Hungary.
Embassy of the UK to Hungary.
And many many others…

Related posts: Intergroup MEPs open EuroGames in Budapest

The UN’s General Assembly has declared 2012 “The International Year of Sustainable Energy for All”. The UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) is to take place in Brazil in June 2012. The objectives of Rio+20 are to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development, assess the progress made and address new and emerging challenges.

On the 16th of April 2012, the Danish EU Presidency and the EU Commission is hosting a conference on sustainable energy in Brussels (EU Sustainable Energy for All Summit). Among others, the conference is attended by the UN Secretary-General, the President of the EU Commission and the Danish Minister for Development Cooperation.

As EC President Barroso said today on the opening ceremony of the Sustainable Energy Summit: “Sustainable Energy for All” focused on energy access, which is key for global development: today, while one part of the planet lives in the digital era and in the times of digital communication, the other part has still no access to basic electricity, power or energy. Being in the dark every day is the tragic reality of 1.3 bn people in the world today.

Today, I announced a new Commission initiative called “Energising Development.” Its ambitious goal is clear: we want to help provide access to sustainable energy services to 500 million people by 2030. This is a huge objective, but if we work together it can be done. With 1bn Euros invested in global energy projects over the last five years, the EU is already the first global donor in this area.

But we should not rest on our laurels. Therefore, in the framework of “Energising Development” initiative, we will create an EU Technical Assistance Facility, initially in excess of €50 million over the next two years. This will help those developing countries that “opt in” to the UN Sustainable Energy for All initiative and commit to the necessary reforms to catalyze and leverage investment. In fact, the European Union together with its Member States is today the biggest financial contributor to UN and to UN Agencies.

If sustainable development, environment and climate action are truly global issues, so are peace, stability and democracy.”

But how EU and the western world could help those poor people the have electricity and modern technologies in their countries and homes? Nice project example is the EUROSOLAR EuropeAid program which from 2009 brings to South America renewable solar energy by photo-voltaic sets to providing electricity to isolated rural communities villages. Total budget: €36m (originally €30m, of which €6m from program’s 8 beneficiary countries). Bolivia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay and in Perú.

The first EURO-SOLAR Kit started to work in Peru in October 2009 . During February the installation of the first electricity generation equipment was completed in the communities of Quebrada Honda and Morochata. Along with the electrification kit which, in the case of Bolivia, comprises hybrid solar-wind power systems; computers were also supplied together with a projector, multifunction equipment water purifier and a refrigerator.

Sources:

http://eu-un.europa.eu/articles/en/article_12070_en.htm

http://www.eu-un.europa.eu/articles/en/article_12077_en.htm

http://www.sustainableenergyforall.org/

http://eu2012.dk/en/NewsList/April/Week-15/Energy-for-all

http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/what/energy/sustainable/se4all_en.htm http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/where/latin-america/regional-cooperation/euro-solar/publications_en.htm

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But does the internet and the servers has enough free capacity to store, handle and share billions of people’s staff? These we do not know yet. But which is for sure blogging and social media helps us to connect us together and get closer.

No secrets no hidden things any more…

As of 16 February 2011, there were over 156 million public blogs in existence. For now I am sure we reached the 250 million.

6,5 million photos are uploaded each month to Facebook!

100 million users has access to Facebook via mobile “smart” phones!

30 million tweets a day…

Twitter has 75 million users and gaining 300 thousand new per day.

It is a real revolution.

Infographic on how Social Media are being used, and how everything is changed by them. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

An example of the share buttons common to many social web pages. Thanks to http://www.nouveller.com for the free icon pack image. The author (Benjamin Reid) releases the image into the public domain, with the following text available at the source page: "You can use them anywhere you like, absolutely anywhere, anything. No attribution, 100% free.". (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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By Laszlo Keki (Hungary)

I can still remember (me and Giedre were there) that early morning on the last day of the 2010 COP16 UN Climate Change Summit in Cancun, Oxfam unveiled a giant sand sculpture of Mexican farmers called for concrete action for the sake of the millions of poor people around the world who are already feeling the effects of climate change. Farmers all over the world feel that agriculture is extremely vulnerable to climate change and here is a strong need to transform agriculture. Why agriculture, farmers and consequently all of us are vulnerable? The answer is simple: agriculture = food = life. Agriculture is one of the most vulnerable sectors to the impacts of climate and environmental changes, because the sector’s needs for good water, soil, nutrients, energy, good balanced climate/weather conditions which resources are decreasing and eroding and becoming limited in access (while on the contrary demand for food and population is increasing) and these resources are becoming more and more polluted and degrading and even minor system changes has catastrophic effects to the yearly crops.

Climate-Smart Agriculture is a holistic concept of FAO it is a complex tool and comprehensive know-how, knowledge base in order to provide help guidance and answers to the governments and farmers how to make such agriculture which is sustainable, environmental friend and replies to the upcoming challenges of climate change and increased food demands. Climate-smart agriculture is a pathway towards development and food security built on three pillars: increasing productivity and incomes, enhancing resilience of livelihoods and ecosystems and reducing and removing greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere. For now it became obvious that we can not stop climate change and can not avoid from the negative influences of global warming. The only way: we have to mitigate them and set up ourselves and build a new climate smart agriculture by adapting the latest know-how and technological results and to reduce influences of extreme weather by applying disaster risk management.

Climate-smart agriculture unites numerous issues related to agricultural development and other global development objectives. It covers environmental issues, for example energy and water, as well as social issues, such as gender, and economic issues. Achieving the four dimensions of food security (availability and access to of food, utilization of food for adequate nutrition, and stability of food supply) needs to be the overall goal of food production and distribution systems.

FAO Climate-Smart Agriculture Infographic (PDF)              FAO Climate-Smart Agriculture Leaflet (PDF)

FAO has decades of experience in promoting agricultural practices and policies that ensure food security while safeguarding the natural resource base for future generations. Agriculture policies are the basis for achieving food security and improving livelihoods. An effective combination of sustainable agriculture and climate change policies can boost green growth, protect the environment and contribute to the eradication of hunger and poverty.

FAO works closely with many of the world’s most vulnerable populations to help them increase their agricultural productivity, while ensuring that the natural resources they depend on are not exploited or depleted. FAO is working to support countries in the transition.

Agriculture is not only among the most vulnerable sectors to the impacts of climate change, it is also directly responsible for 14 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the sector is a key driver of deforestation and land degradation, which account for an additional 17 percent of emissions. Agriculture means: open field and protected plant growing, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery. Using several resources: water, soil, energy, nutrients, fertilizers, minerals, various industrial products. Problem is very complex therefore holistic approach is needed.

Various forecasts and studies of population growth and food consumption patterns indicate that agricultural production will need to increase by 70 percent by 2050 (World’s human population by 250 expectedly will reach at least the 9 billion!) to meet global demand for food. The impacts of climate change may reduce productivity and lead to greater instability in production in the agricultural sector (crop and livestock production, fisheries and forestry). This problem will occur and affect especially those communities that already have high levels of food insecurity and environmental degradation and limited options for coping with adverse weather conditions.

[video id="J66zUCz6_nA" type="youtube"]

There are still two billion of the world’s poorest people who directly depend on ecosystems such as forest and dry grasslands for their livelihoods, measures to address land and soil degradation.

Chad Food Crisis: a market garden helps provide income and food security. A market gardening project set up with the help of Oxfam, provides income and food security for the community in Kassira.Aramla Salim (2nd left) "The market garden helps, but it is not enough, I cannot find all the food I need...

I strongly believe in technology. Modern, precision agricultural technology can solve this problems and gives a chance to all of us to survive the negative influences of climate change and assure enough food for the increased world population. I am sure that agriculture again will become one of the most important industries in the next decades.

Example from the field: companies like Netafim (who was pioneer in 1956 and still leading in drip micro and already nano irrigation solutions and modern agricultural technologies) can provide efficient tools for the farmers to tackle the challenges. Netafim is helping the world to grow more with less. They provide smart drip and micro-irrigation, complete farming, crop management solutions for a more sustainable agriculture under any climate for any crop.

With proper usage and smart combination of water management, bio-energy, geothermal energy sources, fertilization, irrigation and green house technology growers can produce more with less and work with nature and not against it. Netafim trying to teach the growers world wide how to provide to each specific plant exactly what it needs exactly the amount of water and nutrients it needs and assure the most optimal environmental conditions supported by the most innovative, environmental friend and efficient green house technology for a better sustainable future in horticulture.

Agriculture, especially horticulture green house vegetable and fruit growing becoming more an more important and also profitable business as population is growing.

Resources are limited and growing costs (energy, fertilizers, water, etc.) are constantly increasing.

Demand and price of fresh vegetables and fruits are constantly increasing while water and energy sources are decreasing but its prices are rapidly increasing.

Due to the climate change, bad weather conditions and also due to the market demands for the good, equal quality crops more and more crops are grown in green houses within controlled conditions.

With proper usage and smart combination of bio-energy, geothermal energy sources, fertilization, irrigation and green house technology growers can produce more with less and work with nature and not against it.

Netafim continuously engineering successful projects under the most extreme climatic conditions. The bellow project was made in Africa’s in one of Senegal’s most dry and poor area. The pictures are about how to turn the dry desert into green by smart irrigation and water management technology creating new large size open filed plantations in the developing countries.uManage: is brand new high tech. end to end comprehensive plantation management technology from Netafim. (Will be officially launched during AgriTech Exposition in Tel-Aviv in May 2012.) Bellow pictures are briefly rendering the revolutionary and uniquely new possibilities of uManage.

uManage is good example that technology for the climate smart agriculture is already existing and working. Climate change is happening in front of us but our responses are also here. Of course (at the beginning) it is for the large industrial size plantations. But this is the future.

Although it is also remarkable that micro and drip irrigation technology, irrigation computers already became very popular and cheap. Sprinklers, drip lines are widely available for all of us and penetrated already in the home gardens also. For instance in the Mediterranean and also in my country Hungary most of the public parks, gardens, sport fields and also the home gardens are irrigated by this technology which is saving lot of water and fertilizers and assuring much more accuracy and precision in irrigation and nutrition for the plants. For instance, if I didn’t have a basic irrigation system in my garden, this spring it would have looked like a desert because, contrary to last year when we got too much rain and subsequent floods, this year all Europe didn’t get any proper rain for months. So now we are in drought, which causes serious problems.

The first rain we received on God’s Friday after 3 months. So out of the agriculture individual hobby gardeners also have to set up themselves for the negative influences of climate change and extreme unbalanced weather as we are all vulnerable!

As my collegine Giedre suggested, at the end of this article I would like to highlight the HOLISTIC APPROACH and CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE because people need to understand that there is no one simple button to push and everything would be fine – no, there has to be a holistic approach to how we deal with climate change.

Numerous practices and technologies that can contribute to reaching the objectives of climate-smart agriculture already exist and are well tested. However, increased investments are needed to build the institutional capacity to support their adoption. Investments will also be needed to address gaps in knowledge and technology to support uptake at the local level.

(KL)

Sources:

FAO Climate Smart Agriculture Program

Climate-Smart Agriculture main initiatives are:

FAO-Adapt (Framework program on Climate Change Adaptation)

The MICCA Program (Knowledge base on Mitigation of Climate Change in Agriculture)

The UN REDD Program (Which supports countries to develop their capacity to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) and implement a future REDD+ mechanism, which includes the conservation, sustainable management of forests, and the enhancement of forest carbon stocks.)

FAO’s Forest and Climate Change Program (Which seeks to strengthen national and international actions on forests and climate change adaptation and mitigation.)

FAO’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Climate Change Program.

Partnership and Source-book on Climate-Smart Agriculture (An on-line knowledge platform will build on the content of the source-book and provide more detailed information on technologies, case studies and other ongoing initiatives.)

Economics & Policy Innovations for Climate-Smart Agriculture – EPIC

Climate Smart Practices and examples

FAO EX-ACT (EX-Ante Carbon Balance Tool)

FAO Framework Programme: Disaster Risk Reduction for Food and Nutrition Security

AMIS (Agricultural Market Information System)

Netafim

http://www.visualizing.org/embedded/38554

http://climatechange.thinkaboutit.eu/think4/post/fight_for_the_top_of_the_world

http://climatechange.thinkaboutit.eu/think4/post/oxfam_giant_sand_sculpture_on_the_ocean_beach

http://climatechange.thinkaboutit.eu/think4/post/shrinking_glacier_on_the_peak_of_austria

http://climatechange.thinkaboutit.eu/think4/post/pictures_on_shrinking_dead_sea_from_the_israeli_side

http://water.thinkaboutit.eu/think5/post/geothermal_hungary_-_money_in_the_water_2

http://water.thinkaboutit.eu/think5/post/water_management

http://climatechange.thinkaboutit.eu/think4/post/how_to_grow_more_from_less

http://climatechange.thinkaboutit.eu/think4/post/hungarys_krishna_eco-valley_on_cop16

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[twitter count="6" user="@EUCITIZENDOTORG"]

a href=”http://www.fao.org/forestry/climatechange/en/” target=”_blank”a href=”http://www.visualizing.org/embedded/38554″

Take a look: BIMUN (Budapest International Model United Nations) 13-17 April. 2012 conference held at Budapest and hosted by Eötvos József Gymnasium.

Photos by: Tímea, Hajdrák, Rudolf, Herbst, Ferenc, Molnár, Gyöngyi, S. Faragó , Péter, Siklós, János, Vajda

More than 300 young delegates arrived to Budapest from various secondary schools from all over the world. They are representing-modeling the various nations the entire world young generation’s opinion in an experimental model  in frame of an international conference. The conference is on how the young generation think about the present and future of our world and how they would/suggest to act regarding the Word’s most burning issues like energy, sustainability, poverty, climate change, environmental protection, human rights, drogs, internet, globalization, crime, terrorism, world cultural heritages and various other important problems and issues.

Photos by: Tímea, Hajdrák, Rudolf, Herbst, Ferenc, Molnár, Gyöngyi, S. Faragó , Péter, Siklós, János, Vajdat is important to learn how the youth think about the world's todays problems?

Important to listen to their still innocent and really independent voices. They can help us to overcome the world’s serious problems. They can teach us that the new globalized world without borders offers us less fighting and more collaboration, better understanding and equality.

Photos by: Tímea, Hajdrák, Rudolf, Herbst, Ferenc, Molnár, Gyöngyi, S. Faragó , Péter, Siklós, János, Vajda

The world is changing and young generation has well defined ideas about the new world. Worth to follow the conference, we can learn more on what do they think about the future of UN and how they would change the multilateral collaboration and governance in order to build and assure better and stronger peace more equal more justice and more sustainable future in our fragile and vulnerable world.

BIMUN is an excellent and exceptional opportunity, during which the students will not only become diplomats and represent foreign countries, but also turn into international students, among whom borders and distances no longer exist.

We hope for the Model UN programme to reflect the work and opinion of students all over the world.

United Nations (Photo credit: Ashitakka)

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Lady Jackson/Barbara Ward (1914-1981 ) was pioneer in the today’s well known and so important concept: „Sustainable Development”. She was the first who enlight and seed this idea into to the wild public in its today’s known context.

Barbara Mary Ward (1914 – 1981), in later life Baroness Jackson of Lodsworth, was a British economist and writer interested in the problems of developing countries. She urged Western governments to share their prosperity with the rest of the world and in the 1960s turned her attention to environmental questions as well. She was an early advocate of sustainable development before this term became familiar and was well-known as a journalist, lecturer and broadcaster.

With hindsight, Ward is seen as a pioneer of sustainable development. She and René Dubos, co-authors of Only One Earth (ISBN 039330129X), have been described as “parents” of a concept which “did not know its own name at first”. Only One Earth: The Care and Maintenance of a Small Planet was written for the 1972 UN Stockholm conference on the Human Environment.

Ward’s work was rooted in her sense of morality and Christian values. She saw care of the environment and concern for the well-being of all humankind as a “dual responsibility”, especially for anyone sharing her religious outlook. At the same time, she believed wealth distribution combined with conservation was essentially a rational policy: “We are a ship’s company on a small ship. Rational behaviour is the condition of survival.”

Sustainability and sustainable development will be one of the main core subjects of Rio+20 20st anniversary Earth Summit which will be held in June in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. ThinkBrigade 35 young reporters will give you extensive coverage on that even. If you are interested in environment and reading interesting Planet Earth related things pls. follow us.

“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” (UN Bruntland Report 1987)

Sources:

Wikipedia Biography of Barbara Ward, 14 Apr. 2012.

 ”Barbara Ward, Baroness Jackson.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 14 Apr. 2012.

Video:

Links:

International Institute for Environment and Development

Book:

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The known plagiarism scandal regarding his doctoral dissertation deeply shocked the Hungarian society.

President Schmitt is leaving (on the left PM Orban, on the right President Schmitt), Source: http://index.hu/, Photo by Mr. Istvan Huszti

Schmitt’s today’s quick decision to step down was a bit surprising but well expected after last week Thursday his (in 1992 awarder) Doctoral Degree in a 2 rounds controversial process (in the first round committee found that it is not his fault but in the second round senate found that it is) was finally withdrawn (also because the pressure and demonstration of the students board of the Semmelweis University) by the senate of the Semmelweis University following the clear evidences (first was published by HVG magazine) shown that more than 90% of his 215-page dissertation had been simply translated and improperly copied without attribution from a Bulgarian and from a French scientists previous works.

President Schmitt (at the left) with FIDESZ parliamentary fraction leader Lazar (at the right) /Source: http://nol.hu/belfold/20120402-schmitt_pal_stresszteszt_alatt_ Photo by Mr. Zsolt Revczky

After his famous last Friday TV interview in which he said his conscience is clear and that he will remain in his office people expected longer and an even more controversial misery process but his step down today is a clear sign from the governing FIDESZ party and PM Viktor Orban that public opinion and people’s moral has still stronger power in Hungary than the political powers and democracy is still working.

Parliament has 15 days now to accept Schmitt’s resignation and to find the new President of the Hungarian Republic. (In Hungary President is elected by the Parliament not by the citizens.) The new President should be standing politically above of all the parties, publicly esteemed person who can represent the unity of the people and hopefully this time in these hard times first in the history of Hungary a woman will be elected. (KL)

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Image via Wikipedia

Interesting debate developed out yesterday in the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee about the concerns regarding the recently applied new Hungarian fundamental and cardinal laws.
Really elevating to feel how strongly and sensitively our plural democratic Europe and its institutions guardianning and sentinelling the Grail of our European democracy, equality and freedom which are the diamond hard basements of our equal, multicultural, free and peaceful European Union. These principles are our most important basic European values.
The most inspiring thoughts I marked with bold in the bellow quote, but of course the full text of the debate is really exceptionally worth and enjoyable to read. Nice mirror of the plural European democracy.
LIBE Fundamental rights − 12-01-2012 – 21:26:
Concerns as to whether the laws implementing Hungary’s new constitution are compatible with EU rules and values were raised by Civil Liberties Committee MEPs in a debate on Wednesday. Some MEPs proposed a “fundamental rights check” to determine whether there is a risk of a serious breach of EU values, while others favoured awaiting the European Commission’s analysis of the laws, due on 17 January, before judging “a decision taken by a sovereign country”.
The Commission’s Director General for Justice, Françoise Le Bail, said that the Commission’s evaluation of  the compliance of the Hungarian laws with EU law was focusing on three issues: measures to retire judges and prosecutors at 62 years old, rather than 70, the independence of the judiciary and the independence of the data protection authority. Replying to MEPs’ questions, Ms Le Bail explained that the retirement age measure was being checked against an EU directive on non-discrimination in employment, the independence of the judiciary one against Charter of Fundamental Rights Article 47 and the data protection authority one against the 1995 data protection directive.
Ms Le Bail said that the compatibility of some of these measures with EU law was “questionable”, and promised that the Commission would complete its analysis in time for the College of Commissioners to decide on 17 January how to proceed with respect to Hungary. The Commission is prepared to make full use of its prerogatives, which could entail the launching of infringement procedures, she added.
Risk of breach of EU values?

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“We don’t have to wait to see what the Commission is doing. Parliament is entitled by the Lisbon Treaty to take action”, said Renate Weber (ALDE, RO). She recalled issues such as the Hungarian media law, the Roma in France, upon which the Commission had begun very bluntly but lost momentum thereafter, and voiced concern over Hungary’s cardinal laws, which she said “would allow legislation to be cemented for the next hundred years”.
Ms Weber added that the Commission should also test Hungary’s laws against EU Treaty Article 2, which states that the EU is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities.

“There is every indication that Hungary will realign its legislation according to the Commission’s evaluation”, said Frank Engel (EPP, LU), adding that “I don’t see any reason for all this hysteria”. He proposed to wait until the “regular procedure is fulfilled” before coming to any conclusion “on a decision taken by a sovereign country”.
“We needed this new constitution”, said Kinga Gál (EPP, HU), adding that “it can happen that there are mistakes, but I don’t think this can give raise to any affirmation or rumour saying that there is a breach of democracy and the rule of law in Hungary”.
“The Charter of Fundamental Rights is primarily for the EU, not necessarily legally binding in this way for Member States“, said Axel Voss (EPP, DE), adding that “this should be addressed as a regular breach of the EU Treaties“. On the independence of the data protection supervisor, he said that “it should be discussed, but not in an exaggerated fashion”. “European law must be the cornerstone of our action”, he underlined.
“Let the Commission do what it has to do”, urged Ms Gál, adding that “these issues should not be politicised” and that it is “very good” that the Commission, as guardian of the treaties, “follows this and says what needs to be changed”.
“This is about the risk of breach of fundamental rights”, argued Sophie int’Veld (ALDE, NL), adding that activating  Article 7 of the Treaty,  in order to assess whether there is a risk of a serious breach of EU values, “would be justified”.
“I support my group’s request for the application of Article 7. These are basic rights that should be respected by all Member States in Europe”, added Sonia Alfano (ALDE, IT).
“We are facing a drift that is worrying this House”, said Rui Tavares (Greens/EFA, PT). “A dictatorial drift”, he added. “We see again and again that citizens expect us to act on fundamental rights”, he insisted, adding that “democracy means not only that majorities rule, it is also means that majorities change”. “Would a candidate country with this kind of laws have any chance to join the EU?”, he wondered.
Mr Tavares also advocated applying Article 7, in order to determine whether there is a clear risk of a serious breach of the values on which the EU is founded. This would be an “alert procedure” for Hungary, he said.

Image via Wikipedia

Media law, electoral law, church law:
Kinga Göncz (S&D, HU), asked the Commission what it expected the Hungarian authorities to do after the legal analysis is concluded, suggesting that a more political answer would be required, and not just a legal one. In the previous year, there had been “cosmetic changes” to Hungary’s media law, she recalled, adding that this should be avoided now. Ms Göncz also asked the Commission to analyse Hungary’s electoral law and church law.
Kyriacos Triantaphyllides (GUE/NGL, CY), asked whether the infringement of labour laws and attacks against political parties were being addressed by the Commission. Krisztina Morvai (NI, HU) also urged that  the Hungarian people and workers should be heard.
Csaba Sógor (EPP, RO), defended the media and religious laws passed by the Hungarian government. “There are nine Member States which recognise fewer churches than Hungary”, he said, adding that “in Hungary there is no state religion, as it happens in many other Member States”. He also claimed that the Club radio was not closed in Hungary.
Ana Gomes (S&D, PT), voiced concerns about the electoral laws, which could render the main political opposition party illegal, she said, adding that this debate “is not against the Hungarian people, it is for the Hungarian people”.
“What is happening in Hungary today is very serious for the European project and its universal values. This is a mutation of democracy”, said Louis Michel (ALDE, BE).
József Szájer (EPP, HU), called on the European Parliament to “make an investigation before passing any judgement, as the Commission is doing”. “What Fidesz inherited is something that needed to be restructured, we needed to create a new state that is functional”, he stressed, noting that the Hungarian parliament had passed 230 laws and 30 cardinal laws. “If there are only these 4 or 5 mistakes that we are discussing, I think we did a very good job”, he concluded.

Image via Wikipedia

It’s not only about Hungary
We are talking about “shared principles and values”  and “Parliament cannot turn a blind eye to what is happening”, said Birgit Sippel (S&D, DE), stressing that “this is not a discussion between the Commission and Hungary only. As the EU we lose all our credibility if one of our Member States is not respecting fundamental rights“.
“This isn’t about Hungary, it is about any Member State of the EU having problems with fundamental rights. I think no other Member State would have been treated differently. The Copenhagen criteria do not disappear when a country joins the EU and Article 7 also allows the Parliament to initiate proceedings”, said Alexander Alvaro (ALDE, DE).
Sophie int’Veld (ALDE, NL), observed that “Hungary took a sovereign decision to adhere to the EU treaties” and must therefore respect them. “The situation in Hungary is exceptionally serious”, but there are other Member States not respecting fundamental rights, se said, citing the treatment of Roma people in France or that of migrants and asylum seekers in her own country.
Cornelia Ernst (GUE/NGL, DE), described the way in which the Roma issue had been handled as a “fiasco”, and called for action to prevent the treaties from being violated.

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A strictly legal issue?
“We accept that this is not only a legal issue, it is both legal and political”, Ms Le Bail told MEPs after the debate. “What the Commission is expecting from Hungary is full compliance with EU laws, the wording and the spirit of the EU Treaties and with the Charter of Fundamental Rights”, she concluded.

In the chair: Kinga Gál (EPP, HU)
REF. : 20120109IPR35005

Source of text : European Parlament News

I can see now that European Union is working and I can feel that I the European Citizenship I have got is usefull and the vision of Monnet became truth again: European Integration will be forced and contributed in crises. (Jean Monnet)

Hungary should not be treated as victim in satiation of a precedent. The current issues regarding Hungary bring to the surface several deep problems not only regarding Hungary but also the entire EU society. The issue is already to much politicised which is dangerous. Clear, proper, precise procedure should be fulfilled before judging and coming to any conclusion on decisions taken by a member of EU which is still a sovereign country also.

Why I remark these? Because an exaggerating process and the early judging and the too much or hard political voices might even more destroy and harm the otherwise nowadays already extremely weak financial creditability of Hungary and the big bill for the hard words at the end will be paid by us Hungarians and all the Europeans and in London and New York the esteemed credit rating “institutions” usually does not wait till the end outcomes of a proper legal procedure with their decisions.

Related texts: Statement of the European Commission on the situation in Hungary on 11 January 2012

The official translation of the new constitution of Hungary

The old one of 1949, modified in 1989 can be found here

I suggest to read carefully both.

Letter of US FS Mrs. Clinton to Hungarian PM Mr. Orban

Letter of EC President Mr. Barroso to Hungarian PM Mr. Orban

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“…2011 was a year of incredible turmoil and of enormous triumph, demonstrating what is possible when people stand up for what they believe in.

In 2003, in the run up to the war in Iraq, Time argued: “There are two forces in the world today – US military power, and world public opinion”. For nearly a decade the second super power, global public opinion, has been dormant, but it’s now woken and Time asks ‘Is there a global tipping point for frustration?’

The answer is yes! And that tipping point has arrived. We are witnessing a convergence of crises. A convergence of economic, democratic and ecological deficits that are fuelling frustration worldwide. From Tahrir Square to Occupy Wall Street, from Moscow to Durban, people are taking a stand and taking action…”

 Blogpost by Mike Townsley

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