At their informal two-day meeting in Brussels on Monday 15 and Tuesday 16 January, the EU environment and climate ministers sketched out ways of better preparing for and adapting to future climate risks. They also prepared for the Water Resilience Initiative, which the European Commission may present in March, and for the first-ever European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA), currently being drafted by the European Environment Agency (EEA).
The ministers were given a first look on Monday, in a preliminary form, prior to its presentation in April (see EUROPE 13328/4).
“The preliminary elements have made it possible to relaunch this debate and have raised the awareness of all the Member States, which are all eminently concerned, even if there are differences depending on the geographical area”, enthused Alain Maron, the Belgian Ecolo Minister for Climate Transition and the Environment for the Brussels-Capital Region, at a press conference on Tuesday, following the meeting he chaired.
He pointed out that the EEA’s assessment would be based on various climate scenarios.
Adapting to climate change is a priority for the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council. However, the Minister would not comment on the possibility of reaching conclusions at the ‘Environment’ Council on 17 June. “The aim is to make as much progress as possible”, he said.
A communication on water resilience, not new legislation. The European Commissioner for the Environment, Virginijus Sinkevičius, has made it clear that the initiative on water resilience, which is intended in particular to promote sustainable water management and whose broad outlines were unveiled in October (see EUROPE 13274/18), will take the form of a “very wide-ranging communication” and not a new legislative proposal (see EUROPE 13320/8).
“It will not establish priorities by sector” of economic activity, but primary users will be the focus of particular attention, he explained.
This includes major users such as industry, agriculture, energy and transport.
Pointing out that “farmers in southern Europe are in difficulty”, Mr Sinkevičius felt that “not enough use was being made of water reuse”.
Since July 2021, the Climate Law has required EU Member States to adopt, implement and update national adaptation strategies and plans, taking into account vulnerable sectors such as agriculture, water and food systems, as well as the need to promote nature- and ecosystem-based solutions. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)