Brussels, 29 June 2007

EURO COOP is the European Community of Consumer Co-operatives. Its Secretariat is based in Brussels. Its members are the national organisations of consumer co-operatives in 17 European countries. Created in 1957, EURO COOP today represents over 3,200 local and regional cooperatives, the members of which amount to more than 22 million consumers across Europe.

Worldwide scientific consensus has now clearly demonstrated that Climate Change is one of the greatest environmental, social and economic threats facing the Earth. This danger emerges from observations of upsurge in global average air and ocean temperatures, rising global sea level and widespread melting of snow and ice. The planet's average surface temperature has increased by 0.76° C since 1850 and most of the warming that has occurred over the last 50 years has most probably been triggered by human activity. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the global average surface temperature is expected to rise by a further 1.8-4.0°C this century if no further resolutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are taken.

Against this background, European consumer co-operatives are in a privileged situation to respond to the challenge raised by Climate Change. Consumer co-operatives indeed stand out for being responsible actors of the European social and economic world and for basing their activities on shared values of social responsibility, self help and self responsibility. They are moreover in a very special position to develop in depth links between individuals and society and therefore to convey important messages to wide sectors of civil society.

For this reason, the Euro Coop General Assembly calls on the European consumer co-operative movement to recognise that Climate Change is one of the greatest emergencies of our time and that it is of the utmost importance to act now to fight the causes and adapt to the dramatic changes to come. To this regard, it calls on the European consumer co-operatives to commit:

1. To measure and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that arise as a result of our activities;
2. To communicate with, inform and motivate our members towards a lower carbon lifestyle;
3. To use our political influence and that of our members to encourage our Governments to play a constructive part in the Kyoto negotiations now taking place, one that recognizes the need for global emissions to reduce significantly and quickly;
4. To engage in the adoption of concrete measures for energy conservation and efficiency in the use of renewables.

Additionally, Euro Coop will:

1. Provide the opportunity for members to liaise with each other at European level to promote the exchange of best practices in the fight against Climate Change, including actions taken to improve energy efficiency, promote renewables and reduce the environmental impact of products we sell;
2. Team up with knowledgeable NGOs and other relevant stakeholders working in the field of Climate Change with a view to building an alliance for change;
3. Lobby the European Institutions to ensure Climate Change remains the top priority on the political agenda;
4. Encourage consumer co-operatives to promote energy efficient products and where possible phase out inefficient ones thus helping consumers make a contribution towards a lower carbon lifestyle.