Dimitrios Karnavos, Mayor of Kallithea has been appointed as Rapporteur General on the 8th Environment Action Programme (EAP). Following nomination by the ENVE Commission the announcement was made during a CoR plenary session. Karnavos will present the report directly to the plenary in the February 2021 plenary session.
In his first reaction Karnavos said "Regions and cities are the key actors in designing and implementing environment, climate and energy policies, therefore they are indispensable players in delivering the 8th EAP’s goals on the ground. They also bring various actors together including EU, national, regional and local leaders, local businesses, research centres and universities to work on more integrated strategies for climate neutral local communities."
The Environment Action Programme will guide EU environmental policy until 2030. It has six priority objectives:
- achieving the 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction target and climate neutrality by 2050
- enhancing adaptive capacity, strengthening resilience and reducing vulnerability to climate change
- accelerating the transition to a circular economy
- pursuing a zero-pollution ambition, including for air, water and soil and protecting the health and well-being of Europeans
- protecting, preserving and restoring biodiversity, and enhancing natural capital (notably air, water, soil, and forest, freshwater, wetland and marine ecosystems)
- 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)