Have your say – GreenData4All

You can also get involved in forming EU laws. The European Commission offers a platform “Have your say” with the list of all new EU initiatives open for public consultation. You need to register to write your feedback: ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say

GreenData4All – updated rules on geospatial environmental data and access to environmental information

About this initiative: The ‘GreenData4All’ initiative will help deliver on Europe’s green and digital transformation by updating EU rules on environmental geospatial data and on public access to environmental information. The aim is to:

• enable greater sharing of data between the public & private sectors and with the general public
• unlock the full benefits of data sharing for data-driven innovation and evidence-based decisions.

Feedback period: for stage 2 it is 26 February 2024 – 25 March 2024

Link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/13170-GreenData4All-updated-rules-on-geospatial-environmental-data-and-access-to-environmental-information_en

Feedback from Europeans for Safe Connections

We, “Europeans for Safe Connections“, welcome this initiative and it’s aim to:

• enable greater sharing of data between the public & private sectors and with the general public
• unlock the full benefits of data sharing for data-driven innovation and evidence-based decisions.

We understand that among the objectives belongs also “data-driven environmental monitoring and reporting” (page 3 of the document Call for evidence). However, It should be noted that no environmental impact assessment has yet been carried out on the harmful effects of radio frequency radiation from wireless technologies on the environment, animal and plant species, biodiversity and ecosystems, although this topic has been discussed by experts (See REGULATORY SCRUTINY BOARD OPINION -Summary of findings, point 2).

We also point out that the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in the context of addressing the alarming decline of wild pollinating insects in Europe, also in its opinion ‘A New Deal for Pollinators’ of 29. 9. 2023, “…calls for an EU study aimed at providing accurate data on the impact of electromagnetic radiation emitted by telecommunication antennas on wild pollinators in their natural habitats and on the necessary policy measures to ensure effective pollinator protection.”

We worry that more wireless monitoring (including 5G) will bring more harm to the environment. More geospatial data communication will bring electrosmog pollution and more energy consumption (See Have your say – datacentres). This is not a solution to environmental problems and should not be a part of the European strategy for data neither Green Deal. Too much digitalisation is an element that disrupts the naturalness of the countryside.

We already mentioned several negative impacts in our feedback to another initiative – Farm Sustainability Data Network (FSDN), e.g.: Development of wireless antennas in nature will endanger many species, including birds and insects according to STOA study.

Our suggestion:

When monitoring the environment and collecting data, we suggest to document also telecommunication masts and all RF EMF sources. Many scientists accept RF EMF as an environmental pollutant and want it monitored. We suggest to introduce passporting and registration of transmitters, i.e. introduce an obligation for telecom operators to disclose the location and parameters of BTS transmitters. This will “create more transparency for citizens to better understand the state of the environment they live in” as required by this initiative.

We already mentioned this suggestion in our feedback to another initiative – Open data where we explain that telecommunication companies claim that they build masts in public interest so let’s include them into public database. These information is already public by law e.g. in Poland.

According to the Aarhus Convention EU citizens have a right to ensure that the most up-to-date scientific data is taken into account when the EU adopts policies for the protection of the environment. Citizens have a right to access environmental information, to public participation in environmental decision-making processes and to access to justice.

Regarding the rollout of 5G the EU Citizens have not been asked whether they will accept the pervasive environmental consequences in the name of technological progress.

Given the many available scientific studies on the effects of radiation on flora and fauna, there is ample reason for political concern about the effects of EMF fields on nature.

We draw your attention to the official campaigns “Silent Spring” and the Wildlife Protection Project led by Diagnose Funk and EHTrust together with leading environmental biology researchers.

Best regards
Europeans for Safe Connections
This feedback was sent from a wired internet connection
– No use of harmful radiation
– Less electricity consumption
– Increased data security

Link to our feedback: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/13170-GreenData4All-updated-rules-on-geospatial-environmental-data-and-access-to-environmental-information/F3459201_en

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