The European Union’s fixation on economic stability and growth is leading us in the direction of ecological instability and collapse. That is why the EU needs a fundamental change of path towards a new Sustainability and Well-being Pact, leading experts urge in an open letter.

In a bold shift away from the prevalent culture of quick fixes and partial remedies, a group of prominent academics and policy experts in the field of system change from across Europe will issue, on Thursday 9 May (Europe Day), an open letter to the European Union to adopt a new Sustainability and Wellbeing Pact.

An initiative of the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), the letter, which has 212 signatories, focuses on three main areas of systemic change:

1. Replacing the policy fixation on economic growth with a focus on human and ecological welfare
2. Shift the tax burden away from taxing labour and towards taxing wealth and polluting activities
3. Implement zero-waste strategies that place the impetus on resource efficiency

The EEB is Europe’s largest network of environmental organisations, with around 150 members in over 30 countries.

The open letter is available in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Dutch, Croatian, Finnish, Slovenian and Estonian.

The letter will officially be launched on Europe Day (Thursday 9 May 2019). If your publication would like to publish the letter (on or after Europe Day), the EEB can send you an advance copy under embargo.

If you are interested in producing a news report or feature about the issues raised in the letter, the EEB is happy to help with your questions and interview requests.