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.