Zero Pollution Stakeholder Platform: joint efforts to tackle pollution must continue after EU elections

​​The Zero Pollution Stakeholder Platform – a joint initiative of the European Commission and the European Committee of the Regions bringing together experts and key stakeholders – met on 18 April to discuss the next steps on the EU’s zero-pollution agenda and the importance of continuing the joint efforts to reach the 2030 targets on improving air, water and soil quality and reducing waste.

In his opening remarks, the President of the European Committee of the Regions Vasco Alves Cordeiro reaffirmed the CoR’s support for continuing the platform’s work in the next EU legislative term and emphasised the need to guarantee just transition for everyone when designing Green Deal related policies.

“Pollution levels in Europe are still too high, and this is why we believe that the Zero Pollution Stakeholder Platform should continue its work beyond 20​24. We need to pursue our action to achieve the Green Deal goals, but we cannot sacrifice some for the benefit of all. Social justice must go hand in hand with climate action. It is often said that pollution does not stop at borders. This is true for EU, national, regional and local borders. To properly fight pollution, we need to work together, following a sound multi-level governance approach“, President Cordeiro said.

In a video message, Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevicius highlighted some of the key legislative acts under the current European Commission, including the revision of the Air Quality​, Urban Wastewater Treatment and Industrial Emissions directives.

“Despite the war, the energy crisis and the inflation, Europe has stayed on course for zero pollution. Vast majority of the legislative proposals in the Zero Pollution Action Plan have been agreed with the European Parliament and the Council. However, the 2022 Monitoring and Outlook report gives a very clear message: we're not on track for most of the 2030 goals. Now we need to implement what we agreed, and this is a task for everyone: for industry, for public authorities and for the NGOs. It's also very encouraging to see so many cities embracing the green transition. For example, 110 cities have now signed up to the Green City Accord and 33 are winners of the European Green Capital or Green Leaf Award”, Commissioner Sinkevicius said.

Leena Ylä-Mononen, Director of the European Environmental Agency (EEA), and Salla Saastamoinen, Deputy Director of the Joint Research Centre (JRC), referred in their presentations to the Zero Pollution Monitoring and Outlook 2024 report that is expected to be published in the end of the year and will provide an analysis of the progress towards the 2030 zero pollution targets. It will also look at inequalities and social justice against the triple crisis of pollution, biodiversity loss and climate change.

Speakers from the CoR’s political groups and from the different organisations also highlighted the need to build more comprehensive monitoring networks, to boost the capacities of local and regional administrations and to better communicate to citizens about the zero pollution policies and their impact on health and environment. The recent pushback against Green Deal policies was a source of concern for many speakers.

CoR member and President of Helsinki Region Markku Markkula (FI/EPP), who co-chaired the meeting, concluded: “Ahead of the EU elections, our Green Deal Going Local working group has been analysing what has been reached and what should be the next steps. The Green Deal 2.0 recommendations will be presented at the group's next meeting on 29 May. The key is continuing and accelerating the whole Green Deal implementation and getting stronger political commitments from all levels."

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The recent CoR opinion on multilevel Green Deal governance stressed the need to involve all relevant stakeholders in the implementation of the Green Deal priorities and pointed at the positive experience of the Zero Pollution Stakeholder Platform, jointly co-chaired by the European Commission and the CoR. The CoR committed to continue its support for the ZPSP and proposes to include it in the "Green Deal 2.0" in order to continue its work in the long term to help achieving the Zero Pollution Ambition for a Toxic-free Environment of the Green Deal. The current mandate of the platform runs until the end of 2024.

Following CoR members represented the political groups at the Zero Pollution Stakeholder Platform meeting on 18 April:

• Csaba Borboly (RO/EPP), President of Harghita County Council

• Luca Menesini (IT/PES), President of the Province of Lucca

• Frida Nilsson (SE/Renew E.), Member of Lidköping Municipal Council

• József Kobor (HU/EA), Member of Pécs County Assembly

• Una Power (IE/Greens), Member of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

The CoR co-chair of the platform is Marieke Schouten (NL/Greens), Alderman of the municipality of Nieuwegein, who participated in the steering committee meeting in the morning. She was substituted in the public afternoon session by Mr Markkula​.

Rewatch the meeting​