"The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us that we urgently need a better environment, healthier cities and a cleaner air. We must ensure that the new Environment Action Programme promotes a sustainable business environment and fosters green investments as the basis to reach a toxic-free environment, provide better living standards for people and create communities that are more resilient." Dimitrios Karnavos, Mayor of Kallithea and European Committee of the Regions Rapporteur on the 8th Environment Action Programme made these remarks when presenting his opinion during the CoR Plenary.
Karnavos added that cities and regions cannot be left alone. "Local and regional authorities should be equipped with the right instruments and adequate resources to implement environment legislation and policies on the ground, otherwise we cannot reach climate-neutrality by 2050."
Karnavos emphasised that Environmental protection policy, requires constant vigilance and further decisive action. He said "Let us not forget that major issues such as biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, climate change, waste and other equally important environmental problems are still here and pose risks to everyone."
Karnavos key proposals in the opinion include:
- Addressing the inadequate implementation of environmental policies and legislation;
- Ensuring full participation and cooperation of local and regional authorities in all dimensions of environmental policy-making;
- Better link between environmental policies and investment in "green" sectors for a "green" recovery;
- The need to further highlight the link between environmental protection and human health;
- The need to highlight other typologies beyond urban areas, such as rural, coastal and mountainous areas which have special local environmental characteristics.
- The need for a new monitoring mechanism that will take into account local and regional authorities in the collection and use of data related to the implementation of environmental policies;
- The importance of an award system at the European, national, regional and local levels, creating added value for society, citizens and businesses in order to increase their efforts to protect the environment;
- The important role of "good legislation" for the effective response to the principle "do no harm".
The opinion also calls to learn from each other and exchange best practices, asking the Commission to strengthen its cooperation with the CoR, in the framework of the Technical Platform for Cooperation on the Environment and explore ways how to improve dialogue and information pooling.
Franz Schausberger, Representative of Salzburg Province referred to the situation in Tyrol "Transport of goods has skyrocketed in Tyrol to the detriment of the environment and health of citizens. This has continued throughout the pandemic. We need to switch to cleaner transportation."
The 8th Environment Action Programme will guide European environmental policy until 2030. Its objectives include achieving climate neutrality by 2050, accelerating the transition to a circular economy; pursuing a zero-pollution ambition, including for air, water and soil; protecting, preserving and restoring biodiversity; and reducing environmental and climate pressures related to production and consumption (particularly in the areas of energy, industrial development, buildings and infrastructure, mobility and the food system).