A new chemical romance? How closer UK-EU collaboration could benefit the environment
Invited by co-hosts CHEM Trust and in partnership with SERA, (Labour’s Environment Campaign), IEEP UK will be speaking at a fringe event at this year’s Labour Party Conference. The event, titled, ‘A new chemical romance? How closer UK-EU collaboration could benefit the environment?’ will be an opportunity for IEEP UK to explain key areas of environment and climate policy where the EU and UK could usefully be working on together to not only improve our collective environment, but support economic growth and boost cross-channel relations. Come join us!
Time: 4-5pm
Date: Sunday 22nd September
Venue: The Labour Climate and Environment Hub, secure zone, ACC, Liverpool
Chair: Will Hutton, political economist and journalist
Speakers:
- Rt Hon Nick Thomas–Symonds MP, Minister for the Constitution and European Union Relations (invited)
- Emilien Gasc, climate, energy and environment lead, Delegation of the European Union to the United Kingdom
- Michael Nicholson, Head of Environmental Policy, Institute for European Environmental Policy UK
- Chloe Alexander, Senior Campaigner, CHEM Trust
- Francesca Ginley, Policy and Advocacy Manager for Chemicals, Marine Conservation Society
Focus of the event:
Every corner of our planet is contaminated with harmful chemicals, from Mount Everest to the Arctic. This pollution is fuelling the biodiversity crisis, alongside the climate crisis and habitat loss. In England, none of our rivers meet legal water quality standards for chemical pollution. As well as contaminating our rivers, PFAS, so-called ‘forever chemicals’, have been found in high concentrations in our drinking water, in pollution hotspots across the UK and even in our blood.
Rather than addressing this crisis, the UK’s regulation of harmful chemicals has been at a standstill. Since leaving the EU, the new UK system has not restricted a single harmful chemical, in comparison to 10 in the EU and some of our chemical safety rules have been weakened.
The Prime Minister has set out his aspiration to reset relations with the EU. What are Labour’s plans for closer ties with the EU? What benefits could this bring for our shared environment, as well as for trade and security? Is a closer relationship possible and what are the challenges?
Please note: the event is taking pace within the secure zone, and you will need a Labour party conference pass to attend.
To RSVP/for further information, email: chloe.topping@chemtrust.org
Photo by rocco-dipoppa-yxDhneWz3vk-unsplash & Keir Starmer attends the Munich Security Conference, Germany – 17 Feb 2024, keir.starmer.mp, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, https://bit.ly/3WZBvXy