Heed women’s concerns on environment, says incoming commissioner

By Ian Mundell

Date: 07/10/04

THE incoming environment commissioner, Stavros Dimas, says that the Commission should pay more attention to women's concerns about the environment.

Criticized after his Parliamentary hearings by some environmental campaign groups for not showing sufficient technical mastery of his dossiers, Dimas, who has been commissioner for employment and social affairs since the summer, at least showed himself familiar with how women might have a particular interest in environmental matters.

Environmental and women's NGOs welcomed the prospect of a heightened dialogue on the gender aspects of EU environment policy. They want to see gender differences recognized in policy on chemicals and environment and health, where women face different and sometimes greater threats from pollution than is the case for men.

Dimas made a commitment to dialogue on gender and the environment in his pre-hearing responses to the European Parliament, highlighting current projects that he wished to pick up when he switches jobs in November, such as a gender-impact checklist for environmental policies and projects, and a request for women's NGOs to help the Commission to define the connection between gender and environmental problems. "I intend to continue these good practices," he said.

While the current Environment Commissioner, Margot Wallström, has earned praise from NGOs for her engagement with gender issues, many see her approach as overly informal. "The reality of policymaking is that if you just have ad hoc meetings here and there, nothing is going to come out of it," says Daniela Rosche, international policy officer with Women in Europe for a Common Future, a network of 63 organizations across Europe with environmental interests. "My advice to Mr Dimas would be to set up a really good political process that is clear and transparent to everyone, if he is serious about gender mainstreaming."

Dimas's statement also raised expectations among NGOs by making a commitment to review the funding for gender issues and if necessary to make the case for additional resources.

"There need to be more resources available within the Commission, to ensure that some of the current policies…actually have a proper gender analysis," says Genon Jensen, director of the European Public Health Alliance Environmental Network, citing the REACH chemicals proposal.

Incoming European Commissioner for Environment, Stavros Dimas has outlined his ideas for the first term of the Barroso Commission.