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Amid increased and devastating impacts of climate change and continuing degradation of our nature, the European Union must redouble its efforts to stay the course on its climate and environment policies and ambitions. Sticking to the European Green Deal is the right thing to do, Leena Ylä-Mononen, the European Environment Agency’s (EEA) Executive Director, will say in a keynote speech today in Brussels, adding its policies not only protect the environment but also contribute to the EU’s competitiveness and security priorities, and can help to build a fairer, healthier society.
The speech headlines a special insight policy discussion ‘Staying the course: driving sustainability forward in a shifting geopolitical context,’ co-organised by the Friends of Europe think-tank in Brussels which takes place Tuesday (3 December) afternoon.
Leena Ylä-Mononen
EEA Executive Director
In her speech, the EEA Executive Director will stress that despite recent political and policy shifts EU decisionmakers should not lose sight of the crises posed by a rapidly changing climate and the “gradual creep” of environmental degradation such as water scarcity or soil degradation which have long and damaging impacts on our societies, economies and even food security if not tackled more urgently. “These imply future financial and societal costs that are so high, they may be impossible to bear... not acting now will be much more costly in the future,” Ylä-Mononen will say.
“Security in the 21st century goes beyond purely military and defence considerations. A comprehensive approach to security recognises the critical roles that environment, climate, and sustainability play in ensuring long-term stability and resilience,” she will underline.
In a call to action the Executive Director will urge EU decision makers to make sure existing climate and environment legislation is fully implemented and to ensure “a significant acceleration of work on emissions reduction, climate adaptation and environmental protection,” alongside measures to make sure vulnerable populations are not left behind.
She will say that competitiveness and security “can go hand in hand with environment and climate ambitions,” by ensuring a stable natural resource base that can enhance the EU’s long-term resilience and strengthen its competitive position.
Follow the event live
The speech and panel debate facilitated by Friends of Europe can be followed live starting at 12.30 (CET Brussels time). There will also be an opportunity for those following the livestream to ask questions.
More information on the European Environment Agency
The EEA is an agency of the European Union. Our task is to provide sound, reliable and independent information on the environment and climate. To support policymaking in Europe, we work closely with national and European institutions, in particular the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union.
The European Environment Agency in brief, our corporate web publication, presents our role as an agency that supports European environmental policy. It outlines what we work on, our strategic priorities, our key outputs, our key services and publications, and what it is like to work at the EEA.
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