FED: International global alliance for Green MPs launched today

AAP General News (Australia)
04-10-2001
FED: International global alliance for Green MPs launched today

SYDNEY, April 10 AAP - An international alliance of young Green Party members was launched
today with a firm commitment to band together on global environmental issues.

The resolution to form the Global Young Greens Network came out of the first international
gathering of young green campaigners, which saw over 400 party members attend meetings
in Sydney over the weekend.

Brazilian greens representative Ana Carolina Da Motta Peri said delegates would support
each other on campaigns of international importance, like the deforestation of the Amazon,
with the support of 1000 Green MPs from 60 countries around the world.

Australian Greens Senate candidate for the next federal election, Kerry Nettle, said
the growth of the green vote around the world meant the public was realising the importance
of the environment in international politics.

"In the last set of elections around the world we saw 20 million voters vote for the
greens," she said.

"I think that people really see us as having vision, having answers, having solutions
and being really positive in how we portray those.

"The vote for the greens around the world comes very strongly from young people, and
it's because young people recognise that the greens provide real answers and involvement
for young people in politics."

Other resolutions passed at the conference included:

* opposing corporate globalisation and working for ecologically sustainable alternatives

* opposing genetic engineering and supporting sustainable organic alternatives

* condemning the United States government for failing to reduce greenhouse emissions

* calling for the eradication of the nuclear industry around the globe.

Ms Nettle also foreshadowed the issues the Greens saw as important in the run up to
the federal election, including public versus private education funding, Australia's role
in global environment policy and various social justice issues.

She said in the last three elections in West Australia, Queensland and the federal
seat of Ryan, the Greens had polled more than the Democrats and they were hopeful of a
similar result later this year.

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KEYWORD: GREENS YOUNG

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