Für die Hilfe, die sie Flüchtlingen an der Grenze zu Belarus geleistet hat, wurde die polnische Stadt Michałowo mit dem Paweł-Adamowicz-Preis ausgezeichnet. Der Preis wurde ins Leben gerufen, um das Vermächtnis der 20-jährigen Tätigkeit von Paweł Adamowicz als Bürgermeister von Danzig zu bewahren und zu fördern. Die Preisträger wurden am 13. Januar im Europäischen Solidaritätszentrum in Danzig bekannt gegeben, und die feierliche Verleihung an den Bürgermeister von Michałowo, Marek Nazarko, findet auf der Plenartagung des Europäischen Ausschusses der Regionen (AdR) am 8. Februar in Brüssel statt. 

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While air and pesticides pollution have decreased in the EU, harmful noise, nutrient pollution and municipal waste have stalled. Much stronger action is needed if the EU is to achieve its 2030 pollution reduction targets. These are some of the conclusions of the first Zero Pollution Monitoring and Outlook Report, the main topic of the Zero Pollution Stakeholder Platform conference that took place in Brussels on 14 December. The report provides a snapshot of pollution in the EU and includes guidelines to deliver the 2030 targets of the EU's Zero Pollution Action Plan.  

Cities and regions should urgently consider donating power generators and heating equipment to Ukraine to cope with the worst of the winter, the European Commission and European Committee of the Regions have urged. The call was made in a letter sent on a day when the French government hosted an international con ference – "Standing with the Ukrainian people" – to gather aid to help Ukraine through the winter, as well as a bilateral conference for resilience and reconstruction with the Ukrainian government. 

The Valea Jiului Development Society Project was announced as the winner of the sixth edition of the Transformative Action Award at a ceremony hosted by the European Committee of the Regions. The Romanian civil society coalition’s transformative action focuses on spearheading systemic change in the Jiu Valley, a former mining region, by strengthening local civil society, promoting sustainable development, fostering collaboration, and encouraging equitable investments. 

In the context of the United Nations (UN) Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) that is taking place in Montreal, EU cities and regions are pushing for more ambitious biodiversity targets while calling for a formal recognition of subnational governments in protecting ecosystems and restoring natural habitats. Zero pollution and the outcomes of the UN climate talks (COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh were additional items in the agenda of the ENVE commission meeting which also hosted the 2022 Transformative Action Award ceremony.