Eighth Environment Action Programme has Potential to Impact on Climate Emergency if Swift Action Taken to Align with European Green Deal.
Speaking today, after the Eighth Environment Action Programme (8th EAP) Draft Report was unveiled, Green Party MEP Grace O’Sullivan, who is the European Parliament Rapporteur (chief negotiator) on the legislation, said it is make-or-break time for the future of the planet.
“We are on a precipice and this is an important piece of legislation. The 8th EAP provides a far-reaching framework that underpins the EU’s overall environment policy development over the next nine years. This EAP comes at a crucial time, with the planet in the midst of unprecedented challenges.
“It’s a report which has the potential to improve people’s lives, as well as having a meaningful impact on the health of the planet. It includes language around the measurement of progress ‘beyond GDP’ and calls for an EU-wide shift towards a more sustainable wellbeing economy, by establishing new indicators of economic performance and social progress, indicators that monitor and value humankind’s true priorities – our health, education, the natural world and communities.”
The draft report aims to work against the backdrop of the Sustainable Development Goals, and to enhance links with the European Green Deal, by strengthening objectives around climate, biodiversity and food systems and enhancing good governance and policy coherence.
Speaking on the urgency of decisive action around climate and biodiversity, Deputy O’Sullivan said: “Time is of the essence. We need action, not talk. We need to put mechanisms in place to implement, monitor and review systemic and on-the-ground change, if we are to fulfil the European Commission’s commitments under the European Green Deal.”
Over the coming days, Deputy O’Sullivan will be presenting the report to the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) Committee in the European Parliament where, on May 10th, members of the Committee will debate and vote on proposed amendments in the draft report. All MEPs will then debate and vote on the report in June.
“I’ve spent the past number of weeks working essentially around the clock with my team, on the amendments I’m forwarding to the Commission’s proposal. I hope that when the draft report goes before my fellow colleagues in the European Parliament, they will support it and join me in working to strengthen the Commission’s 8th EAP, to make it a truly impactful piece of legislation.”
Read the report here:
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