Latest news from Jean Lambert, London's Green Party MEP

Letter to The Guardian on youth unemployment

Jean Lambert — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Jean letter about youth unemployment appeared in The Guardian on Friday, July 16

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/jul/16/unemployment-part-time-work-equality

With 5.5 million young people under 25 out of work across the EU, youth unemployment is one of most pressing problems facing Europe today. The number of graduates chasing every job has surged to nearly 70, and the number of vacancies available is predicted to fall by 7%.
We are facing dire social and economic consequences. Young victims of the recession are more at risk of long-term social exclusion and health problems. I endorse the recommendations of a recent report from my fellow MEP Emilie Turunen. She has called for a European youth guarantee to secure the right of every young person in the EU to be offered a job, an apprenticeship or additional training after a maximum period of four months' unemployment. With active measures and appropriate support, we can begin to turn Generation Lost into Generation Hope.

Jean Lambert MEP
Green Party

Green MEP welcomes proposal to protect rights of seasonal migrant workers

Jean Lambert — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Jean Lambert, the Green MEP for London, has welcomed the European Commission's proposal for a Directive on seasonal employment.

Employers in sectors such as agriculture, horticulture and tourism are increasingly dependent on people from countries outside of Europe to do season work. There have been many reports of crops being left to rot in the fields when too few permits for such workers have been given: this represents a lower income for producers and a waste of food.

The proposed Directive, which was presented yesterday, will define the standard contractual rights for third-country seasonal workers to protect them from exploitation and establish a common procedure for their entry and residence in the EU to allow for a more effective management of the process.

Jean, who is coordinator for the Greens on the Employment and Social Affairs Committee, said: "We hear many horror stories of the abuse of seasonal workers, whichever country they come from. This proposed Directive clearly sets out basic payment, employment, and social rights to which all such workers are entitled. However these rights are only as strong as the inspection measures which should enforce them.

"I particularly welcome that the proposal includes provisions on adequate and affordable accommodation for those from third countries, which will hopefully bring an end to the squalid and overpriced living conditions in which so many people currently doing seasonal work in the EU, particularly in the agricultural sector, are forced to live.

"When we look at the proposal we must also ensure that it deals not only with unscrupulous employers but also unscrupulous agencies which prey on people's hopes and recruit them with promises of decent work and good wages: the reality can be very different."

Background:

The proposal is part of a comprehensive package of measures, proposed in the Policy Plan on Legal Migration of 2005 and further endorsed by the Stockholm Programme, adopted by the European Council in December 2009. The European Union faces a structural need for seasonal work due to the fact that EU labour within this field is expected to become less and less available. The development of a well-organised legal immigration policy will therefore continue to play an important role in filling labour shortages and responding to the future demographic challenges of the Union.

In particular, the proposal:

establishes a simpler entry procedure for the admission of non-EU seasonal workers based on common definitions and criteria, such as the existence of a work contract or a binding job offer that specifies a salary;
sets a standard seasonal work time limit throughout the EU (6 months per calendar year);
provides for a multi-seasonal permit for three years or a facilitated re-entry procedure in subsequent seasons;
defines legal provisions applicable to working conditions of seasonal workers;
entitles seasonal workers to equal treatment with nationals of the Member States in determined fields (freedom of association and affiliation, social security schemes, income-related acquired statutory pensions, access to goods and services, etc);
leaves EU Member States free to apply a labour market test and to decide how many seasonal workers they admit; the proposal does not create a right to admission.

Plans to optimise Green Job potential given green light by Euro MPs

Jean Lambert — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Jean Lambert, the Green MEP for London, has welcomed calls to develop a European job strategy for a new sustainable economy. The plans were set out in a report overwhelmingly approved by the European Parliament's Committee on Employment and Social Affairs today.

The report, which was written by Elisabeth Schroedter, a German member of the Green group in European Parliament, importantly calls for the adoption of a definition in which all jobs that promote sustainable development are green jobs. It stresses that a sustainable economy is a combination of both social and ecological objectives and calls for the Commission to focus on people furthest away from the labour market, while putting a strong emphasis on training and life-long learning.

Furthermore, the report also recognises the need for the workforce to participate in the necessary changes and calls for "green workplace representatives" to assist that change.

Jean, who is a member of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, said: "The support of my fellow MEPs for this report is an important step towards adapting our economy for a sustainable future.

"Of course, the change towards a sustainable economy is not only an ecological necessity, but should also be part of our strategy for a social Europe. This change should open opportunities for all, not just highly qualified employees, whether inside or outside the labour market and regardless of age, gender, race or sexuality.

"This means addressing people's education and training to equip them with the skills needed to adapt to a sustainable economy. Furthermore, to protect the integrity of these relatively new practices and sectors it is essential that we create a framework to ensure good working conditions for green jobs.

"This is not a transition we can opt out of - it is imperative that we act before it's too late. Initiatives such as those set out in this report must be urgently adopted if future generations are to have any quality of life."

Notes to Editors

To read the report in full visit:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2009_2014/documents/empl/pr/812/812974/812974en.pdf

Green MEP welcomes vote adopting affirmative action on youth unemployment

Jean Lambert — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Jean Lambert, the Green MEP for London, has welcomed the European Parliament's overwhelming support for a report calling for strong initiatives to promote youth access to the labour market.

The report, which was produced by Emilie Turunen MEP for the Employment and Social Affairs Committee, also calls for strengthening of traineeships, internships and apprenticeships.

Jean, who is a member of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee, said: "Such strong support for the initiatives proposed in Emilie's report is enormously encouraging. It shows that youth unemployment is where it should be, at the top of the political agenda.

"With 5.5 million young people under 25 unemployed across the EU, youth unemployment is one of most pressing problems facing Europe today. Indeed, only this week, figures released showed that the number of graduates chasing every job has surged to nearly 70, while the number of vacancies available is predicted to fall by 7 per cent.

"This chronic issue has far-reaching social and economic consequences, from the increase in welfare costs to the erosion of the tax system, with young victims of the recession more at risk of long-term social exclusion and health problems. It is high time to act and through the series of progressive and affirmative initiatives set out in this report I believe we can begin to turn Generation Lost into Generation Hope."

Emilie added: "The youth unemployment situation is so critical we risk losing a generation to social exclusion while gambling with the economic and social future of the EU. Through this vote, a large majority in the parliament have called for some very concrete initiatives. Now it's up to the Commission to put it into practice. 5.5 million young people and counting are waiting for action."

Notes to Editors

The report calls for:

A European Youth Guarantee securing the right of every young person in the EU to be offered a job, an apprenticeship, additional training or combined work and training after a maximum period of 4 months' unemployment;
A European Quality Charter on Internships that sets out minimum standards for internships
An expansion of the European Social Fund and an earmarking of a minimum of 10 % of this fund for projects targeting young people
A permanent EU youth taskforce to monitor developments on youth employment, enable cross-section policies, share best practice examples and initiate new policies;
A non-discriminatory policy towards young people;

Emilie Turunen has represented the Danish Socialist People's Party (Socialistisk Folkeparti, SF) in the European Parliament since June 2009. In 2008, Emilie became the national chair of the youth wing of the SF and in the same year was also made a member of the National Executive and Executive Committee of the SF. She graduated with a bachelor degree in social sciences and working life studies from Roskilde University in 2009.

Jean's speech at the stop nuclear trains demonstration in east London

Jean Lambert — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Thirty years ago, before some of you here at this demonstration were born, in 1980, the then London Ecology Party (now the Green Party) published a major in-depth report on the transport of spent nuclear fuel through London: it was called "Carrying the Can" and we owe a real debt to the memory of its author, Mike Barker

In the report he said, in language which now sounds a little dated and sexist: It is beside the point for the man in the street to declare himself in favour of nuclear power as long as the reactors are situated many miles away, when the irradiated fuel from those reactors is being carried within a half-mile of his home.

The report also says that: nuclear safety should not be regarded as a series of isolated danger spots on remote parts of the coastline, but as a single entity, the shape of which corresponds to the transportation network (at present mostly rail) linking the reactors with Windscale (now Sellafield)

That is still true today - the nuclear industry is a network, formed by transport routes, because there is still a problem in dealing with the toxic by-products of that industry. And it is worth remembering the effects of those toxins as we approach the anniversaries of the horrendous Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings in early August. The effects of any major release of radioactivity from spent fuel during its journey are potentially devastating: no less shocking than the effects of the London tube bombings.

Nuclear sites and the transport for nuclear fuel and spent fuel have long been seen as potential targets for terrorist attack. If you were planning a so-called "spectacular", the Olympic Games are an obvious target as we have seen in past on at least two occasions.

In 2001, an enquiry by the London Assembly into the transport of nuclear spent fuel through London raised a number of concerns about trackside security, emergency response planning, the ability of public services to cope etc. That is an area to return to when we are facing vicious cuts to public services.

In May this year, Green Member of the London Assembly Darren Johnson, asked the current Mayor the following question:

What reassurances or information can you provide to Londoners whilst the North London Line is closed, and with the prospect of the route running through the site of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games? Have you liaised with the Nuclear Decommissioning Agency, the Metropolitan Police Service and the relevant Government departments?

As you might expect, given that this Mayor is rather different to his predecessor, his answer was not what we would have hoped for:

"It falls outside of my jurisdiction," he said. "... I am therefore unable to confirm if nuclear waste will be transported through London during the 2012 Games. However I have no concerns regarding the transportation of nuclear waste, and have full faith that the government agencies responsible undertake this in a safe manner which poses no risk to Londoners or visitors during the Games."

So that's all right then - I feel very reassured, as I'm sure you do. He went on to say: "May I suggest your question is better placed to the Government? "

So, the Mayor of London "has no concerns".... Many of us do. That's why we're here today!

So, we will "take it up with the Government". And when we do - will make the point that the plans of the previous (Labour) Government for 10 new nuclear power stations (many using existing sites) will keep this nuclear web in place.

We will also make the point that there are safer alternatives in real, renewable energy - not the greenwash treatment currently being given to nuclear power.

Only this week, Germany's Federal Environment Agency announced that: Germany could derive all of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2050 and become the world's first major industrial nation to kick the fossil-fuel habit. Germany has a nuclear moratorium thanks to the Greens. Last month a report by the UK's Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth, mid Wales, said Britain could eliminate all its carbon emissions by 2030 by overhauling its power supply (and not including nuclear power)

We are being told that nuclear energy is necessary for a low-carbon future, in order to help combat climate change. Climate change is a debt from our past to us, now and for future generations. Nuclear waste - containing some of most deadly substances known in the world today - is another debt to future generations and a real risk to us now.

We have to tackle this environmental debt-crisis: we have to switch off our fossil-fuel habit and switch on to real renewable energy. That will permanently stop the transport of nuclear waste through London and make this world a safer place.

Jean speaking at the anti-nuke trains demonstration in Victoria Park, Tower Hamlets, on Saturday, July 10th.

Green MEP demands end to 'nuke trains' through Olympic site

Jean Lambert — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Jean Lambert, the Green MEP for London, will demand the end of nuclear waste trains travelling through the Olympic site at a demonstration in east London on Saturday.

Campaigners will march from Victoria Park in Hackney to Stratford, around the perimeter of the Olympic Park, to draw attention to the danger posed to Londoners by the regular movement of radioactive waste from power stations in southern and eastern England to Sellafield. The ‘nuke trains' travel along the Northern London Line which passes through the Olympic Park, just a few dozen metres from the Aquatics Centre.

Jean, who will be speaking at the event, said: "The transportation of such highly dangerous radioactive waste puts the lives of Londoners at unnecessary risk of potential accidents and terrorism. These trains carry all the vital ingredients for a ‘dirty bomb' and the very real threat of a terrorist attack will be amplified in the run up to the Games. For this reason the Olympic organisers must put a stop to these trains before the Games begin. The lives of Londoners must be the top priority.

"Of course, the real crux of the problem is the use of nuclear power in the first place. It is not the green solution to climate change, however its proponents try to wrap it up. Uranium is still a finite fuel and no safe solution has been devised to store the toxic radioactive waste, it is damaging to the environment and people's health.

"The only real green solution to climate change is renewable energy. Renewable energy is affordable, safe and clean and the UK has some of the best resources in Europe. Wind power at sea alone could meet our electricity needs three times over and bring thousands of jobs to the UK. And yet the government is still considering investing more money in nuclear energy.

"Just as climate change is an ecological debt for the future, so too is nuclear power. It is dirty, dangerous and expensive, and only compounds the problem is supposedly seeks to solve."

Notes to Editors

For more information about the demonstration visit http://www.cnduk.org/index.php/20100708914/press-releases/nuclear-power/nuclear-waste-trains-threaten-olympic-games.html

Green MEP welcome Euro Parliament's demands on Iceland to cease all whaling

Jean Lambert — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Jean Lambert, the Green MEP for London, has welcomed a resolution adopted by European Parliament today that calls for Iceland to stop all whaling and drop its reservation lodged with the International Whaling Commission as a prerequisite for joining the European Union.

The call was made as part of an amendment to a resolution on Iceland's application to join the European Union tabled by the Green/EFA group.

Jean said: "This is a big victory for all those who have campaigned long and hard against the premeditated, deliberate and unnecessary practice of whaling.

"The resolution sends a strong signal to Iceland that if they are serious about membership of the European Union, it must respect international standards. I hope that Iceland will now join the rest of the EU in seeking to put an end to this inhumane practice in the rest of the world.

"Such a positive result follows the positive outcome of the talks at the International Whaling Commission, where the ban was crucially upheld. It's important that we act now to capitalise on this wave of international condemnation and stand together to put pressure on those countries who continue to practice this barbaric slaughter of animals."

Image above: Marc Votier

Statement on recent political developments in the Maldives

Jean Lambert — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Ms Jean Lambert (Greens/EFA, UK), Chair of the European Parliament's Delegation for relations with South Asia, issued the following statement today:

The European Parliament has, over the previous years, expressed its constant support to the Maldives in their democratic reform process and welcomed, following the adoption of a new constitution in August 2008, the first multiparty presidential election in October the same year. This election was assessed by an EU Election Expert Mission and considered "free and fair" by international observers; some months later, in May 2009, the first multi-party parliamentary elections took place.

On behalf of the European Parliament's Delegation for relations with South Asia, and taking into account the history of our engagement with the Maldives as well as our hope that the reforms which are being undertaken will be successful, we are therefore particularly concerned at the recent events that have led to the resignation of the Cabinet. We believe that such political instability could have a crucial impact on the social, economic and tourism development of the country, which needs stability in order to capitalise on its location.

We therefore call on all political forces in the Maldives to work constructively and in good faith, as well as to respect both the letter and the spirit of the Constitution, taking the measures which are necessary in order to promote good governance and allow the country to tackle the challenges it faces.

In view of the developments in the Maldives, and at the request of several Members, the European Parliament's Delegation for relations with South Asia intends to discuss the situation in the Maldives at its next meeting, to take place in Brussels on July 15th.

Green MEP celebrates 40 years of the Gay Liberation Front at Pride London

Jean Lambert — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Jean Lambert, London's Green Party MEP, will join over one million people expected at Pride London 2010 this Saturday, July 3rd, to celebrate 40 years since the founding of the Gay Liberation Front [1].

Speaking ahead of the Pride London parade [2], Jean Lambert MEP commented: "I am proud to support this important celebration of equality, diversity and freedom for all. It is a great opportunity to showcase the achievements of the LGBT community, while also pay homage to a city which allows you to be whoever it is you want to be, regardless of your sexuality.

"Of course, events such as Pride London would not be possible if it wasn't for the courageous, ambitious and revolutionary work of the Gay Liberation Front and other such organisations. And this year we celebrate 40 years since the founding of this ground-breaking organisation and the freedom it has afforded the LGBT community.

"However, we must not be complacent about fighting for equal rights for all. In many countries across Europe people still face discrimination and abuse as a result of their sexual orientation.

"What we need now is for political leaders at EU and national level to take a firm stance against homophobia and discrimination against LGBT individuals to help create a positive shift in public attitudes and behaviour."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

[1] The Gay Liberation Front was born in New York in 1969 following the infamous Stonewall Riots which saw clashes between the police and gay community. It was brought to London in 1970 by Bob Mellors and Aubrey Walters, with founding members including Peter Tatchell. Although it wasn't the first gay organization in Britain, it is widely regarded as the beginning of the modern movement for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender freedom and human rights

[2] The Pride London parade begins at 1pm at the junction of Wigmore Street with Portman Square. For more information visit: http://www.pridelondon.org/

Jean's speech on Green Jobs at public hearing for a roadmap towards a post-lignite era for Greece

Jean Lambert — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Green Jobs: A Green Group Perspective

The European Union has been developing its climate change strategy over a number of years. We have the so-called ambitious target for the reduction of emissions of 20% on 1990 figures by the year 2020 and we are in line to meet that target, partly due to the recession and the collapse of the old heavy industries in Eastern and Central Europe - that was not a planned reduction.

Now, I have just come from a seminar on climate change, where a member of the IPCC pointed out that the range of reduction their research points to as being necessary to keep the global temperature at not more than a 2° rise, is between 25-40%. So, the EU needs to do more and make a greater unconditional commitment of reductions.

Greater ambition is necessary - Greens campaigned for at least a 40% reduction in our European Election campaign last year: we are pushing Commission and Council to go for at least 30% in the EU 20-20 strategy, which is supposed to be the big strategy document for the next 10years. But targets are not enough. Throughout much of the discussion, what has struck me is how little attention was paid as to how this would work at the point of delivery - what would it mean for the workplace?

You cannot deliver low-emission energy systems, such as solar power, if you don't have a workforce trained to produce and maintain those systems.

Back in 2007, the London Development Agency commissioned a piece of research on the state of skills in sectors relevant to climate change. It was done at the instigation of the Greens on the London Assembly (always useful to be the two votes the then-Mayor needed to get his budget through!). What it found, was that in virtually every one of the key 6 Skill -Sectors it looked at, the curriculum was not really adapted to take account of the environmental dimension.

The UK is not alone: at that time even Germany - a leader in renewables and energy efficiency - did not have a coherent training strategy.

That is why the Greens pushed for this dimension to be taken up in the EU's revised Sustainable Development Strategy (it is in there now, but still not fully taken up) and are still pushing now. Gradually, things are shifting but it has taken persistence - questions to each new Presidency when they present their priorities to the Employment and Social Affairs Committee (EMPL): What will you do about Green jobs? How will you develop the environmental dimension within your plans for employment? Putting questions to the training agencies as to how they will develop the necessary skills and arguing for this to be taken up in their work programmes etc.

It has been striking to Greens on EMPL that in the Commission, the interest in the development of jobs that are environment friendly and aiming at lower emissions has come from the Industry Committee, those interested in Innovation, even Agriculture but not from the section dealing with Employment. We are pushing their involvement now with what's called an Initiative report, where the Committee has the opportunity to do a report on something it considers important and not wait for the Commission. So my German Green colleague, Elisabeth Schroedter, has just completed her report and it is hot-off the-press!

The Green Group is continuing to develop the Green New Deal concept that formed our manifesto for last year's election and have commissioned further research about job potential.

We need to develop these jobs for both environmental and social reasons - they are not only "future" jobs, they are the jobs we need now, in a recession, to help us towards that future. Let's look at some of the potential

...the EU's eco-industry has an annual turnover of over €270 billion which equals more than 2% of the EU's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The eco-industry's two most important sectors are pollution management (including technologies and services in waste management, air pollution control, soil remediation, and recycling) and resource management (including renewable energy plants and water supply).
The employment in the EU eco-industry increased at 5 percent per year in the 1990s, which made the eco-industry one of the fastest growing sectors of the EU economy. Since 2000, the smaller but more dynamic sub-sectors (such as resource management subsectors) have been the source of net new employment. This was due to the extraordinary progress made in new technologies such as solar and wind energy .
Using the widest definition, about 10 percent of the jobs in the EU are somehow linked to the environment. When the indirect effects are included this share increases to 16.7 percent17, meaning one in six jobs in the EU are in some way linked to the environment. The aim should be for every job to be a "green job" in the sense that it takes account of the environment. But Green work must also be decent work - paid at a level that people can live on, good working conditions and workforce involvement. That involvement will be crucial. The TUC in the UK has been involved in pilot projects which show how effective that can be. It is why the Greens here are supporting the Trade Unions in their call for Environmental Representatives in the workplace - just as we currently have Health and Safety reps.
According to the ETUC, Climate change challenges the energy sector directly. The transformation from fossil-based energy production to an energy sector mainly based on renewable energies and energy efficiency is a crucial issue for achieving carbon reduction aims. Municipal and decentralized structures will partly replace energy production from central plants. This is a crucial challenge for workers in this sector where green jobs can be created. Just transition must mitigate on the other hand the negative effects for employment

We have already seen massive job losses over the years in the energy sector. About ten years ago, I was one of a group of Greens who visited a lignite plant in the former GDR. (at the invitation of Elisabeth Schroedter). A new electricity plant had been built in the few years since unification, new machinery brought in and the number of jobs had fallen from 3000 to just 300. That is just one example: jobs are going in the old sectors - what about the new ones?

As I was saying - the jobs are there.

There is broad agreement among many studies that alternative energy creates more jobs than conventional sources do-in other words, a switch from oil, gas, or coal produces a net gain in employment

All predictions show that employment linked to renewable energy in Europe will grow over the next decades. High investment sums for increasing capacities of renewable energies will lead to more employment in engineering, machinery and other branches .
In wind energy, the prediction for the UK alone (if we can get the investment): is that with a 15% renewable energy target by 2020 set by the EU for the UK there could be 125,000 jobs in manufacturing: we could also find 100,000 jobs in solar installation in the UK in a shorter time frame, if we could sort out the supply bottle neck.

• Even countries with less good wind "supply" are producing jobs. Germany had some 82,000 employed in the sector in 2006, according to the Government. Spain currently employs about 33,000.

Solar Photovoltaics look very positive for the EU.

Between 2000 and 2005, the solar photovoltaics (PV) industry averaged annual growth rates of more than 40 percent-one of the fastest growing industries in the world. In the current climate, there are many who would be satisfied with a 4% growth figure!
Global production of PV cells rose to a record 3,733 MW in 2007-a more than 20-fold increase from 1998. Its output soaring, Europe has now overtaken Japan as the leading producer, but China is developing very fast.
Germany continues to dominate the installation market, with almost half the global market .Their "green roofs" programme still leads the field.
A German government-sponsored study estimated PV employment at 26,900 jobs in 2006. But in 2007, the Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft (German solar energy association) put employment even higher-at 35,000 people, surpassing the number of jobs in the country's nuclear industry. Spain follows closely behind, with more than 26,000 jobs in 2007.

As important as leadership in PV technology is, many jobs are also created in the installation and servicing of PV systems rather than in their manufacture. The technology thus holds promise for economic development and employment in many locations.

The Solar Thermal Industry is also productive.
• Germany has some 19,000 people employed in this industry. Within Europe, Germany leads solar thermal water heating development, accounting for 50 percent of the market in 2006-way ahead of Austria, Greece, France, and Italy. Spain currently has about 9,000 jobs. In 2006, the Italian solar thermal industry provided almost 2,000 full time (direct and indirect) jobs, with 3,000 jobs forecast for 2007 (assuming one full-time job per 70 kilowatts-thermal (100 square meters) installed) . Where is Greece in all this development?

So at the macro-level (power-plant equivalent) and the micro (domestic) level - the jobs are there. We want to reduce our emissions so as to help avoid the worst predictions on climate change - so the need is there. The big question is - where is the political will to lead us to this major change in the energy sector and new, sustainable jobs?

Speech by Jean Lambert MEP, at a Public Hearing For A Roadmap Towards A Post-Lignite Era For Greece, European Parliament, Brusels, Thursday 15 April, 2010.