Posted on April, 07 2014

Brussels - WWF launches its online pledge for candidates and voters for the upcoming European Parliament elections. WWF will ask MEP candidates to commit to nine environmental priorities ranging from ensuring safe and clean water, to saving fish stocks, stopping the illegal wildlife and timber trade and protecting the climate.

With 22 offices in the EU and millions of supporters, WWF is looking to mobilise European election candidates and voters in a common call to ensure Europe remains a frontrunner in environmental protection and uses its resources more efficiently to build a sustainable economy for its people.

“The EU has the power to lead us into a new era - one where we produce and consume within the means of One Planet. This is the only way forward which can protect our natural resources whilst securing economic stability and jobs. And it is those MEPs who are successful in the elections who will have the power to vote on key issues that can make this transformation a reality”, said Tony Long, Director of WWF European Policy Office in Brussels.

A recent poll found that 95% of European people consider protecting the environment as important to them personally. WWF’s pledge will enable voters to know their candidate’s views on a broad range of environmental priorities and thereby help them to choose the right person to represent them when they go to the polls between 22 and 25 May.

“European voters need parliamentarians who can listen to their concerns and represent their interests. Environmental protection has been a longstanding interest of the European Parliament precisely because it is a subject that connects voter concerns to the EU. WWF is committed to working with the new European Parliament over the next five years to ensure this strong environmental allegiance continues,” continued Tony Long.

751 Members of the new European Parliament will have the power to decide on crucial policies on trade, energy, fisheries, development, nature conservation and other areas that could protect our environment and health, as well as create jobs and a stronger economy. So the more parliamentarians we can get to care about the environment the bigger the chance we have of protecting it.

From today until 25 May, MEP candidates can sign the pledge at ep2014.wwf.eu while voters can send a message to their political parties to get them to care more about the environment and they can raise awareness of the pledge amongst their social media contacts.