Brussels, 09/07/2012 (Agence Europe) - There is no doubt for the EU27 environment and climate change ministers that adaptation to climate change must urgently be integrated into all European and national sectoral policies (agricultural policy and cohesion policy of course, but also energy, transport, industry, buildings, water, and land use policies). They have no doubt either that in these times of crisis, the financing of adaptation measures must be come from reliable sources of funding. This consensus - reached at the informal meeting of the Environment Council in Nicosia (see EUROPE 10650) - enabled the Presidency to record in its conclusions that they had reached “concrete proposals to be considered in the development of the forthcoming European Adaptation Strategy and in other policies as well”, a very pleased Sofoclis Aletaris, Cypriot Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, who chaired the session, announced. Matthias Groote (S&D, Germany), leader of the European Parliament's environment committee, was delighted that “the environment ministers seem to recognise that it is essential to invest in adaptation to climate change now, rather than face the much greater cost of flooding and other consequences in the future”. He went on to say that water management must keep pace with a good climate policy. The Cypriot Presidency has thus managed to kill two birds with one stone by dedicating this session to these two subjects. The action programme for safeguarding water resources is expected in November, and the future adaptation strategy in 2013.
Adaptation. In the opinion of the ministers, since adaptation measures are primarily the responsibility of member states, the European adaptation strategy will have to be flexible and take into account the diversity of climate change consequences in member states, their vulnerability and ability to adapt as well as their degree of progress in, and implementation of, their national strategies. The strategy's first objective should be to support national efforts while at the same time aiming for collective action, cross-border cooperation and exchange of knowledge and best practice.
The 2014-2020 budget proposal should encourage and facilitate public investment in adaptation and should guarantee effective implementation of national strategies. To this end the budget should receive reliable funding - both public and private. Governments should therefore continue their efforts to strengthen the role of private financing and expertise, and to put the framework in place able to encourage private investment (making potential investors aware of specific needs and investment opportunities, while giving them direction, associating the private sector in the development of national adaptation strategies, examining the different options possible and the best approach to adopt in order to cover insurance risks).
The following ways were proposed to help member states make better use of the EU financial instruments which have integrated adaptation: - placing integration at the heart of national sectoral policies and investment funds; - increasing national funding for research and innovation for adaptation; - providing guidance to potential beneficiaries and investors and setting prior conditions by the managing authorities of the Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund of the member states.
The exchange of information and dissemination of knowledge, especially on effectiveness and the economic aspect of the different adaptation measures possible and the ways of financing them, need to be strengthened.
Safeguarding water resources. Aware that the objectives of the framework directive on water (Directive 2000/60/EC) will not be achieved (“good ecological and chemical status” for water by 2015) the ministers recognised that it is not so much the directive that should be amended - its implementation should be improved - but much more the contradictions that currently exist with other sectoral policies that have to be resolved. “There is a general understanding that the current EU legal and policy framework for water is largely adequate for addressing the key challenges”, said the president of the Council. During discussion, a consensus was reached on the lack of a single solution which might satisfy all needs and correspond to all the various specificities of the member states. In order to encourage the integration and implementation of water policy, the member states support financing sufficient to implement the measures, more efficient water governance, managing water demand, protecting water ecosystems, increasing the availability of clean water, better drought management, increasing the use of economic instruments, promoting innovation and strengthening international cooperation, and creating European standards on the efficient use and recycling of water. Such was their informal contribution to the action plan that the Commission is putting together. (AN/transl.fl)