At their plenary session on Wednesday 31 January, the members of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) adopted recommendations aimed at responding to the health threats posed by environmental pollution and the consequences of climate change. Drawn up by the President of the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla (EPP, Spanish), the CoR opinion focuses on speeding up the implementation of the European Green Deal in partnership with local and regional authorities.
“The close cooperation envisaged under the ‘Green Deal’ is essential. It should focus on health, the environment, urban planning and transport, which constitute one of the main axes of a sustainable and prosperous Europe”, declared Mr Moreno Bonilla.
He also emphasised the need to strengthen the competences of local and regional authorities, their funding and their capacity for action by increasing the support granted to them, in particular through the financial instruments of cohesion policy.
The CoR opinion, which is accompanied by a study on the impact of local and regional measures, focuses in particular on the importance of collaboration between local and regional authorities, healthcare establishments and environmental agencies in drawing up adaptation plans specific to each region and ensuring the resilience, adaptability and responsiveness of healthcare systems.
To see the CoR’s opinion, go to https://aeur.eu/f/aom (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)