In response to the climate and environmental emergency, the European Parliament wants the EU’s comprehensive Environment Action Programme for 2030 (8th EAP) to be aligned with the European Green Deal and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with real results to show for it.
By a large majority (528 votes in favour, 130 against and 47 abstentions), it endorsed the position of its Committee on Environment (ENVI), thereby strengthening the European Commission’s proposal, as rapporteur Grace O’Sullivan (Greens/EFA, Ireland) had expressly requested. The amendments tabled by the ECR group to mitigate this were all rejected.
“We need less talk and more action. This EAP can free us from superficial rhetoric and empty promises. This report is a solid basis for proposing multi-decade legislation that will encourage action and systemic change”, stressed Ms O’Sullivan during the debate.
For MEPs, the 8th EAP must be an ambitious, high-level strategic tool to guide EU environmental policy until 2030. They stress the need to monitor and evaluate the progress of the EU and its Member States in achieving the six priority objectives, namely: - climate change mitigation; - adaptation; - protection and restoration of terrestrial and marine biodiversity; - a non-toxic circular economy - zero pollution; - reducing the pressure on the environment caused by production and consumption in all sectors.
These targets should be met by 2030, and the European Commission should present progress indicators by 31 December 2021, the resolution says.
Member States should integrate the SDGs, and climate, environmental and social objectives, into their national plans as part of the European Semester, including in recovery and resilience plans.
The European Parliament advocates a shift to a sustainable economy of wellbeing, including introducing a general framework for measuring progress beyond GDP after a thorough review of all existing European indicators that measure social, economic, and environmental progress.
It calls for the phasing out of all direct and indirect fossil fuel subsidies by 2025 and all other environmentally harmful subsidies by 2027. The European Commission would establish by December 2022 which subsidies are harmful.
The resolution calls for the coherence of all EU actions with the objectives of the 8th EAP and systematic monitoring of the coherence of all EU policies and measures.
The European Parliament wants annual reports from the European Commission on the progress of the EU and the Member States and a mid-term review of the 8th EAP targets in 2024.
The European Parliament’s vote will allow the opening of negotiations with the EU Council, which voted on the 8th EAP in March (see EUROPE 12680/29). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)