MIU, Alm.del - 2011-12 - Bilag 354: EU-formandskabets konklusioner på drøftelsen af det 7. miljøhandlingsprogram og af Rio+20 på det uformelle miljøministermøde i Horsens den 17.

April 19th2012Presidency conclusions on 7thEAP (Session I and II)At the informal environment ministers meeting in Horsens the 18thof April 2012 the Environmentministers in light of an expected commission proposal discussed priorities of a 7thEnvironmentAction Programme and the way forward towards a transition to a green economy.The discussions were based on an outline from the Danish Presidency and a Commissionstakeholder consultation paper following up on previous conclusions on the 7thEAP and onresource efficiency by the Environment Council and on the European Council conclusion fromMarch 2012 which called for the rapid implementation of the roadmap to a resource efficientEurope.The outline for the discussions on the 7thEAP highlights that the current severe economic andfinancial crises that have struck the EU can not be solved independently of the climate and resourcecrises, that challenge the well being of Europeans and citizens worldwide. The crises are interlinkedand must be solved coherently. No solution of the economic crisis without renewed economicgrowth and job creation. No economic growth and job creation in Europe without improvedcompetitiveness and no improved competitiveness without a substantial improvement in resourceefficiency.The outline demonstrates how the 7thEAP could contribute to the implementation of the Europe2020 strategy and a more resource efficient, greener and more competitive economy while at thesame time maintain the primaryraison d’êtreof the environment policy to preserve, protect andimprove the quality of the environment, protect human health, ensure the prudent an rationalutilisation of natural resources and promote measures at international level to deal with regional andworldwide environmental problems.The outline presents proposals for the way forward towards a green economy that should beaddressed in the 7thEAP in areas where mature environment policies and legislation already existand in areas of specific importance for the transformation of the economy.In the discussion among the environment ministers there was a strong common understanding thatthe 7thEAP should identify priorities, objectives, credible targets, indicators and actions for 2020setting the course to achieving an ambitious and compelling 2050 vision for a green Europe and agreen European economy. The 7thEAP should be an overarching framework for these actionsrelating to the overall EU policies and strategies.There was agreement among ministers of the important role and the need for the active participationof all stakeholders in the transformation to a green economy.There was a general understanding that the 7thEAP should address the global processes aiming attransforming the global economy to a green economy, e.g. the forthcoming Rio+20 conference. Anambitious 7thEAP showing the way towards a green economy would be an important message tothe global parters.

Vision and better implementation and strengthening of environment policy and legislationThe vision should build on the 2050 vision set out in the Resource Efficiency Roadmap and theLow-Carbon Roadmap and the primaryraison d’êtreof the environment policy to preserve, protectand improve the quality of the environment, e.g. reflecting the 2050 vision of the EU biodiversitystrategy, protect human health, ensure the prudent and rational utilization of natural resources andpromote international measures to deal with global environmental problems.It was highlighted in the discussions that important elements in the ambitious and compelling 2050-vision should be EU as a competitive and resource efficient economy with an absolute decouplingof economic growth from environmental degradation, with domestic greenhouse gas emissions inline with the below 2 degrees objective, with a clean and healthy environment, nature and eco-systems, as a basis for the quality of life of the European citizens and integrating environment in toother policy areas.In the discussion on the 2020 initiatives and actions there was a common understanding that inmany policy areas mature environment policies and legislation have been developed and that inthese areas the 7thEAP should promote efforts to achieve the objectives set out in existing policiesand legislation by improving the way in which they are implemented and enforced.The communication from the Commission on improving the delivery of benefits fromenvironmental measures was highlighted during the discussions including specific initiatives forbetter implementation and enforcement such as improvement of structuring and dissemination ofenvironmental knowledge and information systems, improvement of inspection and surveillanceand of access to justice, support to networks of environmental professionals, partnerships withMember States on implementation agreements. The importance of involvement of civil society,financing and predictability for business was underlined.Specific areas for better implementation were emphasised during the discussions such as the EUlegislation on air, water, the marine environment, waste, biodiversity, climate and energy andchemicals. The importance of carrying out fitness checks – such as the Water Blue Print - ofexisting environmental legislation to ensure that it is implementable and fit for purpose and whereneeded to present reviews were underlined.Besides the importance of the 7thEAP in promoting better implementation and enforcement of themature environment policies and legislation there was a general support among ministers that the 7thEAP should address areas where added value could be achieved by developing new environmentpolicies and legislation.Special areas were highlighted during the discussions such as climate adaptation - including takingstock of the consequences of climate change on water resources and biodiversity and setting 2020-objectives for climate adaptation. Furthermore there was a call for a strategy for how urbanenvironment can contribute to greening the economy, the implementation of the EU biodiversitystrategy and a beyond Reach strategy for a toxic-free environment addressing combination effectsof chemicals and safety concerns related to endocrine disruptors and nano-materials washighlighted.

Transforming the economy to a Green EconomyIn the discussions among ministers on the way forward regarding transforming the economy therewas a common understanding that significant ecological and economic challenges exist in relationto the changes in global consumption and production patterns and that the 7thEAP should addressthe great potential in transforming the economy in to a green European economy characterized byincreased competitiveness and sustainable, resource efficient, circular and low carbon growth.Specific initiative were highlighted during the discussion including the need for setting concrete,measurable, smart and realistic 2020-targets for resource efficiency and decoupling of keyresources for instance for water, raw materials, land as well as for consumption and productionclusters as stated in the Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe.Environment ministers supported the huge potential in developing a Single Market for SustainableGrowth that will help the transformation towards a green economy through resource efficiencyrequirements for products, promotion of sustainable products and boosting sustainable consumptionand production patterns. A number of initiatives were highlighted in the discussion, includingcorrecting market failures, phasing out environmentally harmful subsidies, taking the product policyforward, implementing and further developing the approach set out in the Eco-Innovation ActionPlan and developing incentives and targets for Green Public Procurement while at the same timeworking to increase green private procurement.Environment ministers generally supported that the potentials of a circular economy should beaddressed in the 7thEAP. Specific initiative were called for including setting targets for resourceuse and waste reduction, stimulating the secondary materials market and demand for recycledmaterials and stimulating the move towards an economy based on re-use and recycling.Environment ministers had the common understanding that developing measures to integrate andpromote a greening of investment patterns is essential for a transition to a green economy. Anumber of specific initiatives were called for including integration of resource efficiencyconsiderations in the environmental impact assessment in a way that is implementable,mainstreaming climate action in to relevant policies and integrating environmental externalities intonational accounting.

SESSION III Rio+20 Presidency ConclusionsInclusive Green Economy Roadmap – goals, targets and actionsAt the informal environment ministers meeting in Horsens 19 April 2012 the Environment ministersdiscussed the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, which will take place in Rioin June (Rio+20), and considered which concrete proposals for goals and targets the EU and itsMember States could come forward with in the Rio+20 negotiation process.The discussions were based on suggestions from the Commission responding to the invitation in theCouncil Conclusions from 9 March 2012: “…based on the Conclusions of the European Council of1-2 March 2012, as a matter of urgency to present proposals for clear operational targets andconcrete actions with agreed timeframes in areas directly related to the transition towards aninclusive green economy…., such as sustainable energy, water, sustainable land management andecosystems, oceans and resource efficiency, in particular waste, to be proposed by the EU and itsMember States in the Rio negotiations with a view to an ambitious and focused outcome”.An inclusive green economy is a vehicle for achieving sustainable development. It offersopportunities for all countries for generating economic growth, for creating new jobs and foreradicating poverty, whilst maintaining the natural resource base that our economies depend on.National circumstances differ, and therefore there is ‘no one size fits all’ when it comes toimplementing inclusive, green economy measures. However, there are a number of key areas thathave to be tackled at international level. A global inclusive green economy roadmap with concreteinternational goals, targets and actions would provide long term and stable direction for theinternational community’s move towards sustainable development and act as beacons for nationalaction.Some believed that the Commissions suggestions on goals and targets were not sufficient andambitious enough, for instance on water. Some mentioned other themes and areas for possible goalsand targets such as food security, nutrition, gender and sustainable cities.There was a general understanding that it is a matter of urgency to inject political momentum intothe Rio+20 preparatory process and that the EU and its MS have a responsibility and an opportunityto ensure the possibility of a concrete and ambitious outcome of Rio+20. It is high time to moveaway from rhetorical debates and semantics and to start focusing on substance. It is essential thatRio does not just launch a set of processes but that we have to secure concrete outcomes byagreeing on goals and targets.There was a general understanding that the importance of the social dimension should be furtherstressed by the EU, including social equity and poverty eradication; that the five priority areas arenot “a closed list”; that the Commissions suggestions are a very good basis for delivering on a clearposition on goals and targets; and that the suggestions are not and should not be communicated as a“counter-proposal” to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). On the contrary, the EU shouldmake clear to our global partners that an inclusive green economy and SDGs can and must go hand-in-hand. The green economy roadmap is a vehicle towards achieving sustainable development andas such also towards achieving SDGs.

In the discussion among the ministers there was a clear understanding that the EU and its MSshould present concrete goals and targets in the forthcoming Rio+20 negotiations starting in NewYork 23 April along the lines suggested by the Commission, It will be made clear to our globalpartners that the proposals are indicative and illustrative of what kind of goals, targets and actionsthe EU would like to see agreed upon in Rio.In parallel to the negotiations in New York, the Presidency will seek a fast track formalendorsement of concrete goals and targets in the five priority areas under the auspices of theCouncil. To this end, the Presidency urged Member States to be precise and focused.Furthermore, ministers stressed the link between the inclusive green economy and the institutionalframework for sustainable development, including the upgrade of UNEP.Together with Member States and the Commission, the Presidency will continue to further developthe EUs Rio+20 positions.Horsens, 19 April 2012.