The European Green Deal promises substantial benefits for Poland’s economy and its people. To turn these promises into reality, support from the public is essential, said the EU Environment Commissioner, who will visit Poland for a two day program Thursday through Friday.
According to the European Commission, the commissioner will travel with the Minister of Climate and Environment, the Minister of Agriculture, the Mayor of Warsaw, members of parliament, and representatives of non government organizations.
The commissioner notes that the discussions will cover climate protection, preservation of nature and biodiversity, and the reduction of pollution.
The talks are also expected to review the status of the European Green Deal, a plan to build a stronger Europe. The commissioner looks forward to detailing environmental goals with the Polish government and stakeholders to better appreciate their position and address concerns. The Green Deal is projected to bring many benefits to Poland’s economy and society, but achieving them requires broad support. Ministers will also be briefed on ongoing negotiations about air quality and nature restoration. A key advantage of a face to face meeting is the ability to resolve tensions and clarify misunderstandings on the spot.
The commissioner noted that many questions on these topics are raised by non governmental organizations.
They show a strong interest in developments on the Oder River, so the discussion will likely dive into specifics. The Commission’s main concern is to prevent a repetition of last year’s disaster, which means obtaining a complete picture of the situation. While many details are known, the core issues have yet to be fully addressed.
When asked about EU targets for reducing soil, sea and air pollution, the commissioner emphasized that the current political climate makes achieving zero emissions more challenging than ever. Still, remaining on the green course is essential because current pollution levels remain too high. Environmental factors contribute to a noticeable share of premature deaths in Europe, driven mainly by air pollution and also by noise and exposure to chemicals. Premature mortality rates vary across regions, underscoring significant differences between member states.
A faster pace of transformation?
The commissioner added that pollution also harms animal and plant life. Without cutting pesticide and plastic pollution, global biodiversity targets agreed in the United Nations Biodiversity Framework will not be met. The EU supports these global initiatives and assists other countries in reducing pollution both inside and outside its borders.
That is why accelerating the green transition and climate action remains a priority. This includes swiftly bringing in renewable energy sources and advancing the climate and energy agenda toward a fairer, greener future.
The Commission has put forward several important proposals and urges rapid adoption of these measures to curb harmful pollution. At the same time, wider use of current EU instruments is needed at local, national and cross border levels. The benefits of clean air measures would exceed the costs, and overall GDP could rise as a result. If all proposed measures are enacted, premature deaths from air pollution could fall sharply by 2030 compared with 2005 levels.
The commissioner also oversees the common fisheries policy. Asked about the Baltic Sea situation, he replied that fisheries in this basin have faced growing difficulties in recent years. Previously valuable stocks have had to close, including eastern cod in 2019, western cod, western herring and main basin salmon in 2022. Other pelagic stocks such as herring in the Gulf of Bothnia and the central Baltic have shown weak development. This is likely due to reduced oxygenated water from the North Sea, gaps in environmental enforcement, climate change, and past overfishing.
The commissioner stressed that fisheries management steps alone cannot reverse these trends. Immediate action is needed for fishermen and their families. Member States should implement environmental legislation without delay and fulfill commitments under the ministerial declaration Our Baltic Sea from September 2020, along with the HELCOM Action Plan for the Baltic Sea.
The commissioner also announced plans to host an event titled Our Baltic 2 in Lithuania on September 29 to review the ministerial declaration’s implementation and to address questions such as the dumping of munitions in the North and Baltic Seas.
What proposals from the European Commission can be anticipated later this year? The commission will propose a new forest monitoring law to improve detailed information on EU forests. In the circular economy, amendments to waste legislation will target reductions in food and textile waste. There will also be measures to limit the release of microplastics by updating related rules on car wrecks and chemical regulation.
The commissioner emphasized these plans as part of an ongoing effort to reduce pollution across the board and to strengthen environmental governance within the EU.
READ ALSO: — THE INTERVIEW; The EU and energy policy have broader implications for European life. — Debates about the EU and climate policy feature strong opinions about economic and social outcomes.
Source: wPolityce