EU Environment and Climate

Happy #WorldWetlandsDay!   🌱 Wetlands cover only 6% of the worlds' land surface, yet 40% of all plants and animals depend on them.   They are biodiversity hotspots, and they act as powerful carbon sinks helping to fight climate change.   ⚠️ But they're also the ecosystems with the highest rates of decline, loss, and degradation.   That’s why the EU Habitat Directive protects 28 wetland habitat types, such as peatlands and wet forests, listing them as priority habitats for restoration actions.   The EU Nature Restoration Regulation focuses on restoring wetlands by: 🦆 increasing biodiversity 💧 securing the things nature does for free, like cleaning our water and air and protecting us from floods 🌡️ limiting global warming to 1.5°C 🌽 preventing natural disasters and reducing risks to food security   🆕 In addition the EU is restoring wetlands with the LIFE programme's biggest project so far: LIFE HumedalES. It aims to restore more than 26,000 hectares of wetlands across Spain: https://lnkd.in/d7yX3ub7

🗓️ Be part of the Climate Action Days in March!    The #EUClimatePact wants to amplify your local climate efforts.    From symbolic digital campaigns to workshops and clean-ups, every action counts.      Host an activity and showcase your climate action by registering your event⤵️  https://lnkd.in/ekd9XUh9   #MyWorldOurPlanet

📢 International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP) and the European Commission are launching a new multi-year, EU-funded capacity-building program to support emissions trading systems (ETS) worldwide 🌍 Building on 15+ years of experience and training over 1,000 policymakers, the initiative will provide global and regional trainings as well as tailored country support 🤝 ✒️ Led by Ecologic Institut with Get2C, EDF, and leading experts, the program aims to help jurisdictions design and strengthen emissions trading systems in a rapidly evolving carbon pricing landscape.

Dear friends, colleagues, Some of you have heard me talk about the difference between the attention economy – all the noise around us – and the real economy. We learned this week that global investment in clean energy keeps growing while that in fossil energy is declining. For the first time, the EU generated more electricity from solar and wind than from fossil. And in 2025, China and India, for the first time since the 70s, reduced their coal use. While plenty of people talk down our agenda, we keep making progress. This week was no exception. IMF Director Kristallina Georgieva called on Europe to stop the doom loop: 7 of the world’s best performing economies are in Europe. On Tuesday, the EU-India Summit made history with our largest ever free trade agreement. It secures a clear, legally binding commitment to implement the Paris Agreement and creates many opportunities for cooperation on decarbonisation, the energy transition, clean tech, carbon pricing and resilience. The EU also upgraded its Strategic Partnership with Vietnam this week, reaffirming our commitment to ambitious climate action and carbon pricing. Did you know that in Vietnam, 40+% of new car sales are electric, compared to 28% in the EU (where ICE cars lost 10 percentage points of market share). At the Association Council with Morocco, we built on our Green Partnership to deepen cooperation on the energy transition and sustainable growth. Today, many colleagues were deep in discussion with Member States and candidate countries at our European Climate Policy Group (ECPG) meeting. We have entered a more intense phase of preparations for the post-2030 framework, and this work is essential to ensuring sound, evidence-based policy. It is an exercise of unity in diversity on our path to climate neutrality by 2050, which everyone is committed to. In other news, we have launched the second version of NEATS, the Non-CO2 Aviation Effects Tracking System IT tool, together with EUROCONTROL, for monitoring and verifying the non-CO2 impacts of aviation. On Monday, we published its assessment of Belgium’s updated NECP. While Belgium has raised its ambition, additional efforts are needed, notably on renewable energy and energy efficiency. Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra went to the ENVI Committee on Wednesday, to discuss the automotive package, recent proposals on CBAM, and the temporary Decarbonisation Fund. Among other points, he highlighted that 2035 marks the start of full climate neutrality in road transport and that significant flexibilities already exist until then. We have also launched a public consultation on certification methodologies for carbon farming activities, which is a vital step toward scaling up carbon removals. Finally, I invite you to watch the latest episode of Emission Impossible: an interview with Director (and dancer) Beatriz Yordi, in which she delves into decarbonising road transport, the Social Climate Fund, and aviation emissions. Enjoy the weekend, Kurt

28% of EU territory faced water scarcity during at least one season in 2023.   China and the EU share a common understanding that we must work together to act on water pressure globally.   That’s why leaders from both sides will meet in Brussels next week to take stock and plan how to build climate-proof water systems and societies.   Commissioner Jessika Roswall will present the EU Water Resilience Strategy, and its three pillars: 💧 restoring and protecting the water cycle 💶 building a water-smart economy 🚰 and ensuring clean and affordable water for all.   As a finite and increasingly scarce resource, water must be a priority in global cooperation.   Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dbW7AbKY

The new Copernicus ECMWF Global Climate Highlights 2025 report confirms a clear trend: global temperatures remain exceptionally high, with 2025 ranking as the third-warmest year on record. 🌍 Key findings include: 🔹 Global temperatures were around 1.47°C above pre-industrial levels 🔹The past three years were the warmest three-year period ever recorded 🔹Polar regions warmed far faster than the global average 🔹Sea surface temperatures stayed unusually high, even without El Niño conditions 🔹Sea ice reached record or near-record lows in both the Arctic and Antarctic Read more: https://lnkd.in/eenynFdw

Nature is the bedrock of a thriving economy! 📈🌍 And we are dedicating the 2026 #EUGreenWeek to it. Mark your calendars for the 3+4 June as you will hear from: 💡 Innovators and entrepreneurs 📊 Businesses that rely on healthy ecosystems 🏡 Cities using nature-based solutions 🌱 Farmers who are taking care of nature, and who are reaping its economic benefits We will highlight ideas, projects, and technologies already delivering results across Europe – all to show how nature-positive business models work in practice. Join us for the EU Green Week 2026! #NaturePositive

New study confirms growing costs of #PFAS pollution 🩺 🌿 💰   If the current levels in Europe continue until 2050 without regulatory action, the cost will reach approximately €440 billion during that period.    The EU has already taken significant steps to fight PFAS pollution: ✔️ the most harmful PFAS were banned ✔️ all Member States must monitor PFAS levels in drinking water ✔️ The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is currently assessing a universal PFAS restriction proposal ✔️ the Chemicals Industry Action Plan prepares the transition away from PFAS 🧪 Some "forever chemicals" are linked to negative effects on human health, resulting in considerable costs.   PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) pollution significantly impacts human health and the environment, resulting in considerable costs borne by all citizens. This becomes evident when individuals suffer illnesses from exposure, when contaminated water or soil require expensive remediation, and when essential natural processes, such as pollination, are disrupted.    Read more on the study: https://lnkd.in/dAMe-wTg

In 2023 alone, 182,000 deaths across the EU were caused by excessive fine particulate matter.   Asthma, heart disease, diabetes, and dementia – all could be reduced with air pollution prevention.   A mid-term review of the EU’s Zero Pollution Action Plan sends two clear messages: 🔹 Environmental protection and public health go hand in hand 🔹 EU countries must speed up to reach its 2030 targets   Where progress must accelerate: 🌍 Energy, transport, and agriculture must address environmental concerns more effectively 💧 Water pollution, waste, and sea plastics pollution are either stable or worsening 🚗 The EU is off track to reduce the number of people affected by transport noise by 30% by 2030   Read more: https://lnkd.in/dBrYi5MF

Over 300,000 Italians exposed to PFAS-contaminated drinking water. This is in Lonigo 🇮🇹, Italy's Veneto region. The reason: a chemical plant. And the Forever Pollution Project has identified nearly 23,000 contaminated sites across Europe.   PFAS are long-lasting chemicals found in stain- and water-resistant fabrics and carpets, cardboard food packaging, fire-fighting foams, and countless industrial products.   They enter the human body through contaminated food and water, the result of bioaccumulation across aquatic and terrestrial food chains.   Watch the full Euronews episode: https://lnkd.in/e-8yhBNt