'We have to solve the climate crisis, the health crisis and the economic crisis quickly and effectively together': debate on the green transition at local and regional level

Greens co-president Bernd Voss stated the importance of a right framework to implement the recovery funds in order to achieve the climate goals in the Green Deal debate ‘Achieving Climate Targets 2030 and supporting green transition at local and regional level’ during the 5th ENVE Commission Meeting today. 

With the participation of Eva Kracht, Deputy Director General for European Policy of the German Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, and Mauro Raffaele Petriccione, Director-General Climate Action from the European Commission, the debate focused on the CO2 reduction target of 55% for 2030 to be passed in the European Council in December and the economic opportunities that derive from the Green Deal and the green transition. During his intervention, Mr Voss mentioned the need to solve the climate crisis, the health crisis and the economic crisis quickly and effectively together. He argued that ‘we need even more action, the sooner the better, and we have over 130M citizens in our cities and regions who call for decisive action on climate’ and that as part of the right framework for funding implementation, there is a need for effective CO2 pricing.

Greens alternate Josef Frey also intervened in the debate arguing that the EU’s current CO2 reduction targets are still not enough, and that the members of the CoR should call for a 65% CO2 reduction goal by 2030 to show how determined the CoR is to reduce emissions.