We built a coalition to pass this law for the restoration of our ecosystems, in the face of boycotting and strong opposition from the conservative groups and part of the liberals, who wrongly pitted farmers against the Green Deal.
We led the European Parliament's actions in response to the Commission's Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. We supported ambitious goals to protect 30% of Europe's land and sea, of which 10% is under strict protection (notably all remaining primary and old forests).
We paved the way to Zero Pollution Ambition for air by 2050, which fits with our efforts to be climate-neutral. Leading the revision of air quality laws, we made sure Europe aligns with the latest WHO guidelines by 2035. We also added rights for people affected by poor air quality to seek compensation. We also improved how air is monitored for better and more accurate information. We strengthened the rules for countries to follow so they can meet air quality standards by 2030 and 2035.
Our efforts on improving the Industrial Emissions Directive guarantee the ongoing reduction of pollutants released into water, soil, and air. The revision of the Directive strengthens the requirements associated with permit conditions and tightens rules for breaches, as well as strengthens rules on the protection of water, especially drinking water.
We addressed the interconnected challenges of deforestation, climate change and social responsibility to create a more sustainable and equitable future for EU citizens and the global community. Our efforts were formalised through the EU legislation on deforestation-free products, which entered into force in June 2023. Initially presented by the Commission in November 2021, this regulation is part of a comprehensive plan to combat deforestation and forest degradation, as reaffirmed by the European Green Deal, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, and the Farm to Fork Strategy. Thanks to the S&Ds, the adopted rules now include a broader range of products, subjecting them to stricter obligations for all economic operators importing related goods into the EU.
We played a crucial role in promoting the sustainability of products by leading the revision of the Ecodesign regulation that will set sustainability requirements for various products. The regulation allows for the establishment of a wide range of requirements, including on product durability, reusability, upgradability and reparability, addressing presence of substances of concern, energy and resource efficiency, recycling carbon and environmental footprints, and information disclosure. The proposal also includes obligations for economic operators to disclose information on the destruction of unsold goods, with the Commission having the authority to set bans on such destruction for certain products. There will already be a direct ban on the destruction of unsold textile products. This aligns with our previous work on the EU Textile strategy.
We pushed for a fair, healthy, and environmentally-friendly food system through the Farm to Fork strategy. We endorsed ambitious goals, and successfully pushed the Commission to only approve Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) national strategic plans that demonstrate a clear commitment to sustainability from economic, environmental and social perspectives, aligning with the objectives of the European Green Deal, relevant EU-wide targets, and the Paris Agreement. Also, the agreement on the revised Fisheries Control Regulation will push the entire sector towards sustainability, including better management of marine resources, the prevention of over-fishing, and the recovery of over-exploited stocks.
We support the creation and promotion of bold EU laws that protect the environment, such as the European Green Deal and its plans. These rules aim to take a thorough and lasting approach to keeping our environment safe.
We want a just transition in climate and environmental action, leaving no one and no region behind. Our goal is to reduce the harm from environmental pollution and degradation in vulnerable communities, while looking at how environmental actions affect people socially to make sure everyone gets a fair deal.
We are pushing for laws that protect at least 30% of the EU's land and sea, with 10% under strict protection. We also back the 23 worldwide goals in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
We are fighting for more and healthier EU forests, focusing on their protection and restoration, while also working towards additional CO2 removal in the land use and forestry (LULUCF) sector. We are committed to reducing the EU's impact on global deforestation and forest degradation, and bringing down EU greenhouse gas emissions. To achieve these goals, we push for EU laws addressing deforestation, forest degradation and biodiversity loss.
We advocate for reducing chemical pesticides, with a focus on the more hazardous types. Our goal is to speed up the transition to different models of agriculture that protect our water, soil, and air resources, stop biodiversity loss and combat pest resistance.
We advocate for chemical safety and reduction and are working towards minimising or removing exposure to harmful chemicals, including industrial chemicals (PFAS, Bisphenols, etc.), agricultural pesticides, and those present in every-day products. We are aware that combining different chemicals can be harmful, with consequences that are not fully known, and so we are committed to addressing the impact of these potentially harmful mixtures.
We are working towards aligning harmful air pollutant levels with the latest health recommendations from the World Health Organisation to protect everyone's well-being, especially those in lower socio-economic groups. To do this, we are working on stricter rules to reduce pollution from transportation, industry and farming, tackling the main causes of air pollution in Europe.
We are committed to cutting industrial emissions, and enhancing industry’s energy and resource-use efficiency by pushing for improved laws on industrial emissions. Our goal is to tighten regulations on harmful emissions from industrial installations, drive improvements in energy, water and material efficiency, promote reuse practices, and fight for the adoption of safer, less toxic or non-toxic chemicals in industrial processes.
We advocate for laws that cut industrial pollution, curb unsustainable farming practices and regulate the overuse of fertilisers and pesticides. This will make sure that we use soil sustainably, decrease the contamination of European soil and restore natural sinks that absorb carbon.
We are committed to leading the transition towards a circular economy, making products sustainable in the EU market, while reducing the reliance on plastic packaging and tackling the pervasive issue of micro-plastics.
We are fighting to ensure the restoration and sustainable management of EU soil by 2050, while fulfilling our promises to land degradation neutrality (outlined in the UN Sustainable Development Goal 15.3).
We want the adoption of more fishing techniques that prioritise the health of our environment and marine ecosystems. At the same time, promoting the Farm to Fork Strategy is crucial in order to speed up the transition to a sustainable food system, so everyone can have access to sustainable, safe, nutritious and affordable food.
