The Commission for the Environment, Climate change and Energy (ENVE) of the European Committee of the Regions debated on the Conference on the Future of Europe, the 2022 European Commission's Work Programme and the 'Fit for 55 package' whose purpose is to update the EU’s 2030 climate and energy laws to reflect the 55% net emissions reduction target that the EU set for 2030. Other topics included the development of a trans-European energy infrastructure, the new EU strategy on climate adaptation and the mainstreaming of gender equality under the European Green Deal.
The ENVE meeting was chaired by
Rastislav Trnka
(SK/EPP), Chairman of Košice Self – Governing Region and First Vice-chair
of the ENVE commission, who said:
"We must work together to achieve the objectives of the 'Fit for 55
package', starting with the sectors that have the highest energy
efficiency potential such as buildings, transport and industry. The
revision of the Emissions Trading
System (ETS) and that of the Directives on
Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency and the Energy Performance of
Buildings is a unique opportunity to further support Local and Regional
Authorities implement these policies on the ground. We are ready to
take the helm."
Members debated on the 'Fit for 55 package' with Cristina Lobillo Borrero, Director for Energy Policy,
Strategy and Coordination at the European Commission's DG ENER, who
reiterated that local and regional authorities are 'strategic to deliver
the energy transition' and pointed out the important role that the new
National Ambassadors of the Covenant of Mayors
can play in motivating local and regional authorities to join the Covenant
and receive its support to deliver sustainable energy and climate plans
that take Europe closer to climate-neutrality.
The European Commission plans to propose a “Fit for 55” legislative package
in the summer of 2021. Today's debate took place while the Council of the
EU
adopted a regulation
establishing a €17.5 billion Just Transition Fund (JTF) to alleviate the
socio-economic costs for communities across the EU that are heavily
dependent on fossil fuels or GHG-intensive industries and need to diversify
their local economy.
Intervening on the “Fit for 55” debate, Barbara Mariani,
Policy Manager for Climate at the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) also
emphasized the need to set a clear date to end subsidies on fossil-fuels in
the EU, called for a phase-out of the free allocation of emission
allowances and stressed that the decarbonisation of the agriculture sector
is 'lagging behind'.
All CoR members and participants of the Young Elected Politicians programme (YEPs)
are invited to complete the survey to
provide information on their climate commitments and participation in
climate-related international networks.
On the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE), Rebeca Harms, member of the
CoR's High Level Group on European Democracy
, stressed the fundamental link between the CoFoE and the European Green
Deal, 'the major long term project in the EU', and pointed out the
transformation of our economy, industry, agriculture and lifestyle requires
a close cooperation between the local, regional, national and European
levels.'
Two drafts opinions were discussed and adopted:
On the opinion
'Revised Trans-European Energy Infrastructure Regulation fit for the
Green and Digital Transition'
, rapporteur
Robert Sorin Negoiță
(RO/PES), Mayor of Bucharest District 3, stressed that: "
Investing in trans-European energy infrastructure is key to achieve the
new climate targets and the 2050 climate-neutrality objective and to
provide clean affordable energy, leaving no one behind. We are pleased
that the future framework will preserve the key role of regional groups
in the identification and selection process of Projects of Common
Interest (PCI) and Projects of Mutual Interest (PMI). If properly
involved, cities and regions can ensure projects' optimal impact,
strengthening the presence of 'citizens-prosumers' and local energy
communities."
The draft opinion was adopted unanimously.
On the opinion
'Forging a climate-resilient Europe - the new EU Strategy on Adaptation
to Climate Change'
, rapporteur
Markku Markkula
(FI/EPP), Chair of the Espoo City Board and President of the Helsinki
Region, declared:
"Regional and local roadmaps and Green Deal Going Local action plans
based on political leadership are the way forward. We nevertheless need
EU support instruments and financing to mobilise public-private
investments, which remain key. Cities and regions are the ones
demonstrating how we can reach climate neutrality through smart and
systemic approaches."
Members had an exchange of views on the opinion
'Gender equality and climate change: towards gender mainstreaming in
the European Green Deal'
. Rapporteur
Kata TÜTTŐ
(HU/PES), Deputy Mayor of Budapest, said:
"Women and girls are disproportionately affected by the climate crisis.
This is why it is important that gender equality and gender
mainstreaming are present in the action at all levels within the
European Green Deal. For a fairer and just recovery after the COVID-19
pandemic, cities and regions must prevent a gender-blind implementation
of the green transition."
The Deputy-Director General of the European Commission's DG CLIMA, Clara de la Torre, underlined the need to leverage the
full potential of the transition while leaving no one behind.
Click here
to access our ongoing survey on gender and climate.
Members of the ENVE commission appointed
Marieke Schouten
(NL/Greens) as the rapporteur of the opinion 'EU Action Plan: Towards Zero
Pollution for Air, Water and Soil' and
Frida Nilsson
(SE/Renew Europe) as the rapporteur of the opinion 'Local and regional
authorities accelerating the implementation of the EU Pollinators
Initiative'.
Click here
to access the agenda and working documents of the ENVE commission meeting
of 7 June 2021.
Contact:
David Crous /
David.Crous@cor.europa.eu
Berta Lopez Domenech /
Berta.LopezDomenech@cor.europa.eu