Raad Milieu, 19/12/2019, 19 december 2019

Voornaamste agendapunten

Europese Green Deal

Aan het begin van de zitting zal de Commissie de mededeling over de Europese Green Deal presenteren. De Raad zal vervolgens van gedachten wisselen over het milieu- en klimaatbeleid van de EU in de nieuwe zittingsperiode, met aandacht voor die Green Deal.

EU environment and climate policy

The Environment Council had an exchange of views on the EU environment and climate policy in the new legislative term. This discussion highlighted member states' views on the commitments and actions needed in the new legislative term, including the European Green Deal.

At the European Council meeting of 12 December 2019, EU heads of state and government tasked the Council with taking work forward to pursue the goal of achieving a climate-neutral EU by 2050, in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement.

• Watch the recording of the public debate
• European Council conclusions of 12 December 2019
• Europese Green Deal (Europese Commissie)

Last week, EU heads of state and government endorsed the objective of achieving a climate-neutral EU by 2050 and asked the Council to take work forward on the European Green Deal in line with this objective. We are starting this work immediately. We are committed to leading global climate action.

Krista Mikkonen, Minister of Environment and Climate of Finland

Biodiversiteit

De ministers willen conclusies aannemen die politieke sturing bieden voor het biodiversiteitsbeleid van de EU na 2020.

• Watch the recording of the public debate
• VN-conferentie over biodiversiteit 2020

Around one million species are at risk of extinction. What we're doing now to protect and preserve biodiversity is not enough. We need to do more, and we need to do it faster. The Council conclusions are an important step towards 2020, the 'super year' for the environment, when the countries of the world will agree on new biodiversity targets. The EU is pursuing ambitious objectives to halt the loss of biodiversity and improve the state of the environment. If we commit to the objectives together, we still have a chance to save the environment. Krista Mikkonen, Minister of Environment and Climate of Finland

Overige punten

De Commissie zal de ministers informeren over de stand van zaken met betrekking tot de geschiktheidscontrole van de luchtkwaliteit. Zij zal de ministers inlichten over de geschiktheidscontrole van het water en de Refit-controle van de behandeling van stedelijk afvalwater. Ook zal zij haar verslag presenteren over de toepassing door de EU van het Verdrag van Aarhus wat de toegang tot de rechter inzake milieuaangelegenheden betreft.

Het Finse voorzitterschap en de Commissie zullen de ministers informeren over de recente internationale bijeenkomsten, waaronder de VN-klimaatconferentie (COP25) in Madrid.