EESC:Agriculture | Rural Development | Environment - Newsletter of the NAT Section

 

March 2023 ■ www.eesc.europa.eu/nat

The NAT section of the EESC is currently working on a number of opinions.     Find out more about our: ongoing work   |   upcoming work

EDITORIAL

Circular economy can make the EU economy more resilient to external shocks The European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ECESP) was set up in 2017 based on a recommendation in the NAT opinion on the Circular Economy Package and is a joint initiative of the EESC and the European Commission. It aims to be a source of information and a forum for discussion. Over the years the Platform has grown and this week's European Circular Economy Conference has demonstrated once again both how successful it is and the importance of fostering the transition to a circular economy. The Annual Activity Report included in this edition of the newsletter shows that there are currently over 761 good practices featured on its website, which has been visited nearly half a million times since it was set up. Read more

MEET OUR MEMBERS

Meet our members | Cillian LOHAN: We are the voice of our many and varied organisations and networks The NAT section feels like my home in the Committee. There I worked on opinions that led to the establishment of the Youth Climate and Sustainability Round Tables, as well as the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform. The EU can seem like a bureaucratic echo chamber lacking real voices and real-life perspectives but we can organise our section work to be inclusive and to give space to voices, such as those of youth, that usually do not have the resources or connections to reach the decision-makers in Brussels. Read more

On 9 February 2023 the EESC hosted a public hearing on the right to a healthy environment in the EU in the context of the war in Ukraine. The event gathered international institutions, environmental law experts and European and Ukrainian civil society stakeholders and looked into immediate EU responses to the environmental damages caused by the war, analysed EU legislation and collected experts' view on the protection and improvement of a healthy environment.  A video recording is available on our website. Read more

OUR FEATURED NEWS

Circular Economy Stakeholder Conference 2023 On 27 and 28 February 2023, the EESC and the European Commission co-hosted the 6th European Circular Economy Stakeholder Conference, welcoming altogether some 1,000 circular economy practitioners and specialists to debate new regulations and policies, showcase best practices of EU-funded projects and schemes, explore innovations and look for partners willing to launch on joint projects. Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, who also took part in the event, stressed that Europe must transition to a circular economy and power it with renewable energy to remain sovereign and competitive. Read more

European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform - Annual Activity Report The European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform's 2022 Annual Activity Report is now out. It describes what has been achieved over the last year and what the Platform has been focusing on. Find out which EU Circular Talks were organised, which issues the Leadership Groups were exploring and which international events the Platform took part in. The report also provides figures on website content and the Platform's social media accounts. Read more

EESC online event | Time for an EU Blue Deal On 27 February 2023, the EESC hosted a high-level hearing on water policies and challenges aiming to set the scene for its cross-cutting work on water in 2023. The event focused on the most pressing water-related challenges now and in the years to come, and on the state of play regarding existing policies and actions. The outcome of the hearing will now feed into a package of own-initiative opinions which aim to examine the economic, social, environmental, and geopolitical aspects of water. A video recording of the event is available online. Read more

EESC online event | Ecological overshoot  On 16 February 2023 the EESC hosted a public event to assess the extent of the EU's current ecological overshoot. The event looked into proposals from organised civil society to push back against resource depletion and presented good practices and initiatives to reduce the EU's impact on the environment. Speakers discussed how the European Green Deal and EU climate change policies can tackle the EU's footprint, the policy measures needed and the main challenges ahead. A video recording and the presentations of the speakers are available on our website. Read more

Pollution: "We cannot be satisfied with the current ecological state of European waters" In an interview with Toute l'Europe, NAT member Arnaud Schwartz talked about his recently adopted opinion on "Integrated water management – revised lists of surface and groundwater pollutants" and stressed the poor condition of surface and ground water in Europe and the importance of setting out a time limit for the phasing out of priority hazardous substances. Once released into the environment, different substances interact with each other so it's important that these cocktails of chemical products, as opposed to a molecule studied on its own in a laboratory, are taken into account to determine limits in the uses and in their presence in the environment. Read more

Timber construction can help reduce CO2 emissions  With the objective of more sustainable and less polluting buildings in mind, a recent hearing organised by the EESC explored the potential of wood construction in reducing CO2 emissions and thus in contributing to the EU's goal of climate neutrality. With the European Green Deal and the use of wood as building material, the EU could create a sustainable and climate-friendly future because increasing the share of renewable resources, and in particular the proportion of wood used in building materials, are key factors in reducing carbon emissions. An exploratory opinion on the topic is currently being drawn up. Read more

Study on Structured youth engagement Deadline for expression of interest: 20 March 2023 at 17:00 CET The EESC is planning to launch a procurement procedure for a study on Structured youth engagement in the aftermath of the European Year of Youth 2022. The goal of the study is to map and draw lessons from good practices of structured youth engagement to help the EU institutions, and in particular the EESC, to develop the necessary and appropriate mechanisms to ensure that the voices of young people are duly heard. The study shall, among others, provide case studies of participation mechanisms, EU policy recommendations and possible actions for future EESC initiatives. Read more

ALSO ON THE AGENDA

European Commission | Using less chemical pesticides: a toolbox of good practices The European Commission published a database presenting an overview of the integrated pest management (IPM) methods currently available. The toolbox, which will be updated with additional examples on a regular basis, is intended to inspire national authorities and farm advisors to develop and implement IPM approaches after adapting them to local/regional farm and agro-climatic conditions. In parallel to this, a study will assess their effectiveness and prospects for their further uptake and investigate key barriers and drivers affecting the reduction of dependency on pesticide use. Read more

European Citizens' Food Waste Panel Accelerating food waste reduction in the EU was the topic of the first of the new generation of citizens’ panel to actively contribute to the EU policy-making process. The panel presented 23 recommendations to speed up food waste reduction to the European Commission, all around three lines of action: strengthening the cooperation in the food value chain, encouraging food business initiatives and supporting the change of consumer behaviour. The recommendations will support the Commission’s work on food waste, including the upcoming legislative proposal to set legally binding EU reduction targets. Read more

FAO Brief | Enabling a legal environment for the prevention and reduction of food loss and waste A legal brief recently published by FAO outlines a set of key regulatory measures that contribute to an enabling environment for the prevention and reduction of Food Loss and Waste (FLW) at all stages of the food supply chain under an agri-food system approach. Regulatory measures to tackle FLW include establishing institutional mechanisms for coordination of action, allocating clear roles and responsibilities among all stakeholders involved and setting binding targets for the reduction of FLW. Read more

Rural pact conference | Sharing Experiences and Learning for the Future  The long-term vision for the EU's rural areas was launched in June 2021. Since then, rural pact mobilisation has started in various parts of the EU, aiming to make rural Europe stronger, connected, resilient and prosperous by 2040. But what are the experiences so far and what can we learn from each other in order to take the next step for a revitalised rural Europe? A conference in Uppsala (Sweden) will share best practices at national and local level and discuss the involvement and participation of youth in the Rural Pact. Read more

UN Food Systems Stocktaking Moment The UN Secretary-General committed to convene a UN Food Systems Stocktaking Moment in June 2023 where, building on the momentum of the 2021 Food Systems Summit, countries will be able to review the commitments to action they had made, share stories of success and maintain bold action to further the resilience of food systems, while boosting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The Stocktaking Moment will take place in Rome, 24–26 July 2023, at the premises of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Read more

Circular Cities Declaration Report 2022 The 2022 Circular Cities Declaration Report is the broadest ever assessment of circular economy practices across European cities. The report provides a very broad spectrum of data and shows that considerable progress is being made: half of the 40 cities involved in the programme already have circular economy strategies in place or in development. It also highlights how our urban areas are becoming circular, but also how the transition can be accelerated. Residents, city authorities, national governments and the private sector all have levers they can pull to help us go circular. Read more

Fisheries, aquaculture and marine ecosystems On 21 February, the European Commission presented a package of measures to improve the sustainability and resilience of the EU's fisheries and aquaculture sector. From energy transition to protecting and restoring marine ecosystems, the main objectives of the measures are to promote the use of cleaner energy sources and reduce dependency on fossil fuels as well as reduce the sector's impact on marine ecosystems. The proposals also aim to make the sector an attractive job place for the younger generations. The NAT section will be actively involved in these proposals as part of its work on sustainable fisheries & aquaculture. Read more

PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS

Have your say! Citizens and businesses can share their views on new EU policies and existing laws. All initatives here.   Today in the spotlight:     Reducing packaging waste – review of rules (expires 13/04)

RECENTLY ADOPTED OPINIONS

At its 576th plenary session, held on 22 and 23 February 2023, the European Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinions in the field of Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment:   Revision of EU ambient air quality legislation   Review of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive   Integrated water management - revised lists of surface and groundwater pollutants

UPCOMING EVENTS

7/03/2023 | 10:30-13:00 CET | Partnership event More farms across Europe: a roadmap for the re-territorialisation of European food systems (EESC partnership event with Viacampesina)

9/03/2023 | 11:00-12:30 CET| Thematic debate Rural Pact #1: Renewable energies in rural areas

4/04/2023 | 9:30-17:30 CEST | Workshop How to strengthen EU's leadership on the SDGs

OTHER LINKS AND NEWSLETTERS

European Environment Agency - news  European Commission - DG CLIMA - news European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform - newsletter Eurpean Sustainable Development Network (ESDN) - newsletter European Environment and Sustainable Development Advisory Councils (EEAC) - newsletter  FAO - newsletter  ECOLISE - newsletter Via Campesina - press releases - newsletter Copa Cogeca - press releases The European Network for Rural Development - home - events Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) - latest news  Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) - newsletter International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food) - updates Meta - the news channel of the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) - news European Parliament - Envi Committee - newsletter EESC - Liaison Group - newsletter

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