KONRAD-ADENAUER-STI FTUNG

WORKI NG WI TH POLI TI CAL

PARTI ES TOWARDS

PROGRAMMATI C POSI TI ONS

ON ENVI RONMENT AND ENERGY

I. Why? – Neccessity of Party Programmes

II. How? – Elaboration of Party Programmes

III. Idendity – The Political Spectrum

IV. Examples – Different Political Platforms

Why?

I. Why? – Neccessity of Party Programmes

Initial Situation: many parties pay little attention to the development of party programmes

Reason: parties are mostly identified through their representatives rather than through their programmes

Why?

OBJECTIVE

Why: The party programme proves whether a party can find solutions to social concerns with political suggestions

Why?

What is a Party Programme?

= global document presenting long-time ideas and actions (political ambition, basic values, mission for the country in every aspect of society)

≠ electoral programme ≠ position papers

designed with regard to a specific election

political views with regard to certain policies

Why?

Importance of Party Programmes

Enabling party members to know and defend the basic party lines in public

Developing a line of communication to the citizens and voters

A political platform can win an election if it represents the majority of the electorate

How?

II. How? – Elaboration of Party Programmes

http://scienceandscientist.org/Darwin/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Top-down-and-Bottom-up.jpg

How?

Top-Down Approach

= deductive reasoning

starts with the big picture and breaks down from there into smaller segments

Executive makes the decision; lower levels are bound by it

pro: efficiency, responsibilities are clearly definedcontra: little acceptance of lower level

Bottom-Up Approach

= inductive reasoning

starts in great detail and links the elements together to larger sub-levels

Grassroots make the decision; decisions arise from their joint involvement

pro: high level of expertise, better feeling of what is neededcontra: lack of transparency

How?

Elaboration of Party Programmes

Top-Down as well as Bottom-Up Approaches can be used for the Elaboration Process

But: highest number of affiliates should participate in the elaboration of the basic programme or at least give their approval!

Identity

III. Identity – The Political Spectrum

http://esl.fis.edu/vocab/images/politicalSpectrum.gif

Identity

http://www.beaconhillacademy.org/lessons/images/nolan.gif

Identity

Question

What is your political

compass?

How do you know what you are?

http://i45.tinypic.com/6qyz3d.png

Set of Policies:

• Economy / Taxes

• Education and Youth

• Culture

• Public Health

• Transport

• Sports

• Employment

• Social Welfare

• Environment

• Energy

• Climate Change

Identity

Identity

Environment As part of creation, man is responsible for nature and the environment; the preservation of the natural environment is an element of responsible freedom

No profiling in the environmental topic

Energy Traditionally primary vote in favor of safe and affordable energy looking at the economic and industrial location

Identity

Environment Generally hesitant to impose environmental restrictions on businesses to favor free trade

National thought: protection of the father-land and its intact environment and home

Energy Energy policy is focused on the concept of autarky and public services regarding the own nation

Domestic energy sources stand therefore in the foreground and are supposed to be reinforced and exploited

Identity

Environment Environmental protection should be regulated by the state

Environment and economy are seen partly as a contrast and partly as an innovative combination serving social development

Energy In favor of an innovative energy policy that does not threaten the industrial base and jobs

Research and development of an alternative energy sector should be encouraged

Identity

Environment Environmental policy is not a central topic

It has become more interesting through economic opportunities and successes such as a growing green-tech industry

Energy The basic principles of energy policy primarily follow the requirements from the perspective of the economy: low-cost, secure, available

Identity

Environment Environmental policy is the trademark and identification profile of the Greens

They are trying to work on all fields against the growing environmental damage

Energy Committed to a rapid transformation of the energy industry to low emission renewable energy options such as solar and wind power, energy efficiency and conservation measures

Strong anti-nuclear movement

Party Programmes emerge out of the identity of a party

The identity of a party is particularly the result of its historic background

Identity

Examples

IV. Examples – Different Political Platforms

Examples

http://cdp-philippines.org/cms/about-cdp/political-platform/

Examples

http://www.greenparty.in/

Examples

http://www.gerakan.org.my/my_ideology.asp

Examples

http://www.kas.de/wf/doc/kas_13533-544-2-30.pdf

Understanding the importance of developing a party platform in the field of environment and energy

Strengthening the political parties capacity to include positions on environment and energy in their

platforms

Questions and Answers

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

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