Consultation on the renewed sustainable finance strategy
Summary
On 11 December 2019, the European Commission adopted its Communication on a European Green Deal, which significantly increases the EU’s climate action and environmental policy ambitions.
A number of levers will need to be pulled in order to build this growth strategy, starting with enshrining the climate-neutrality target in law. On 4 March 2020, the European Commission proposed a European Climate Law to turn the political commitment of climate-neutrality by 2050 into a legal obligation. This follows the European Parliament’s declaration of a climate emergency on 28 November 2019 and the European Council conclusions of 12 December 2019, endorsing the objective of achieving a climate-neutral EU by 2050.
Excerpt
Consultation on the renewed sustainable finance strategy
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Introduction
This consultation is also available in German and French.
On 11 December 2019, the European Commission adopted its Communication on a European Green Deal, which significantly increases the EU’s climate action and environmental policy ambitions. A number of levers will need to be pulled in order to build this growth strategy, starting with enshrining the climate-neutrality target in law. On 4 March 2020, the European Commission proposed a European Climate Law to turn the political commitment of climate-neutrality by 2050 into a legal obligation. This follows the European Parliament’ s declaration of a climate emergency on 28 November 2019 and the European Council conclusions of 12 December 2019, endorsing the objective of achieving a climate-neutral EU by 2050.
The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak in particular shows the critical need to strengthen the sustainability and resilience of our societies and the ways in which our economies function. This is necessary to, above all, minimise the risk of similar health emergencies in the future, which are more likely to occur as climate and environmental impacts escalate. In parallel, it will be paramount to ensure the resilience and capacity of our societies and economies to resist and recover from such emergencies. The COVID-19 outbreak underscores some of the subtle links and risks associated with human activity and biodiversity loss. Many of the recent outbreaks (e.g. SARs, MERS, and avian flu) can be linked to the illegal trade in, and consumption of, often endangered wild animal species.
Furthermore, experts suggest that degraded habitats coupled with a warming climate may encourage higher risks of disease transmission, as pathogens spread more easily to livestock and humans. Therefore, it is important – now more than ever – to address the multiple and often interacting threats to ecosystems and wildlife to buffer against the risk of future pandemics, as well as preserve and enhance their role as carbon sinks and in climate adaptation.