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EU environment and climate ministers approved Council conclusions on the preparations for the 2025 UN climate change conference (COP30), which will take place in Belém, Brazil, from 10 to 21 November 2025. The conclusions will serve as the EU’s general negotiating position at COP30.
This year’s COP marks the ten-year anniversary of the Paris Agreement. Ahead of COP30, parties are expected to share their new climate commitments, which will show whether the 1.5ºC Paris Agreement temperature limit is kept within reach. In its conclusions, the Council underscores its strong support for the multilateral climate cooperation and outlines EU's priorities ahead of COP30, emphasizing the urgency of global climate action.
Today, EU stands on a strong European mandate for COP30. We must leave Belém with a clear path forward to keep 1.5 within reach. Climate change is here, and we have to act and adapt sooner rather than later. Next step is EU’s NDC and the Climate Law, and we stand ready to carry on after the strategic discussion between the European heads of state and government.
Lars Aagaard, Danish Minister for energy, climate and utilities
The EU reaffirms its commitment to keeping global temperature rise to 1.5°C and calls for a dedicated outcome at COP30, to address the collective level of ambition and implementation. The conclusions further call for enhanced adaptation efforts and underline the importance of mobilizing climate finance in line with the new collective quantified goal (NCQG) adopted at COP29 in Baku from a broad range of contributors. It stresses the need to triple renewable energy capacity globally and double the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030, coupled with acceleration of zero- and low-emissions technologies and phase out of fossil fuel energy production and consumption globally.
Ministers also adopted conclusions on the European water resilience strategy, which was issued by the European Commission in June 2025.
The strategy aims to restore and protect the water cycle while creating a sustainable, resilient, competitive and circular water-smart economy, and ensuring access to safe and affordable water. The strategy sets out a pathway to make Europe water resilient, including tackling water scarcity through increased water efficiency.
Europe’s water and ocean resources are under growing pressure from pollution, waste and climate change. As the fastest-warming continent, Europe face more droughts, floods and water scarcity than ever before. These challenges know no borders — they demand strong, united European action. With the progress we made today on the Water Resilience Strategy and the Ocean Pact, we are stepping up joint efforts to protect our freshwater and oceans through a more coordinated and holistic approach that safeguards climate, biodiversity and future generations.
Magnus Heunicke, Danish Minister for environment and gender equality
In its conclusions, the Council welcomed the strategy, emphasising the urgent need to restore and protect the water cycle, enhance water infrastructure and ensure equitable access to water. Ministers stressed the importance of water resilience across all sectors, innovation, transboundary cooperation and coordination. They stress the urgency to tackle pollutants at the source to safeguard European water.
The conclusions also highlight the strategic role of water security for the EU’s competitiveness, crisis preparedness, and global cooperation. The Council stressed the importance of ensuring adequate and accessible financing for the implementation of the water resilience agenda.
Environment ministers exchanged views on the European ocean pact, an initiative launched by the European Commission to strengthen EU ocean policy in six priority areas, from restoring marine health and boosting the blue economy to supporting coastal communities and enhancing maritime security.
Ministers underlined the need for stronger, more coherent action to protect and restore marine biodiversity. They welcomed the pact’s holistic approach linking ocean health, the blue economy and coastal communities, and highlighted the importance of aligning existing EU legislation and governance frameworks.
The forthcoming revision of the marine strategy framework directive (MSFD) was met with general support and identified as a key opportunity to accelerate progress towards achieving good environmental status in EU marine waters. Ministers noted the need for a more coherent implementation of the directive and urged for streamlined reporting cycles to reduce administrative burdens, as well as a better alignment with other EU policies and an integration of climate change considerations. Ministers also stressed the need for dedicated funding, for better addressing pollution at the source and for better marine area management.
The Danish presidency and the European Commission informed ministers about three recent international meetings:
the resumed third session of the ad hoc open-ended working group on a science-policy panel (SPP OEWG 3.2) and subsequent intergovernmental meeting (SPP IM) on the sound management of chemicals and waste
the second part of fifth session of the intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC-5.2) to develop an international binding instrument on plastic pollution
the upcoming package of proposals for the new emissions trading system for road transport and building fuels (ETS2)
Cyprus informed ministers on the different initiatives and tools it has developed to strengthen the circular economy in the country and facilitate its implementation.
France and Spain also informed ministers on the CO2 emission standards for light-duty vehicles, particularly emphasising that staying on track for zero-emission vehicles by 2035 is essential to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
Ministers held an informal lunch on the preparations for international environmental negotiations at the upcoming seventh session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) in December 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya, and the intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC) process on plastic pollution.
