5.5.2022
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
C 184/129 Thursday 21 October 2021
39.
Deems that climate and related energy policies should reflect the latest science on ecosystems and different carbon pools, and their true value for climate change mitigation and adaptation; is of the opinion that nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based approaches and the restoration and conservation of ecosystems and biological diversity are vital enablers of climate change mitigation and adaptation; calls for more data on areas within and outside carbon- and species-rich ecosystems and on the quality of conservation management, protection and restauration measures in order to inform decision-making on restoration priorities, as well as on measures and policies to combat climate change and biodiversity loss;
40.
Emphasises that all climate policies should be pursued in line with the principle of a just transition and the polluter pays principle by phasing out any environmentally harmful subsidies, and in close cooperation with all stakeholders including civil society, social partners and the private sector leaving no one behind; considers, therefore, that more transparency, stronger social partnerships and civil society engagement at local, regional national and EU level are fundamental to achieving climate neutrality across all sectors of society in a fair, inclusive and socially sustainable manner; recalls that Article 10 of the European Climate Law provides tools for setting up voluntary indicative sectoral decarbonisation roadmaps for the most emitting sectors within the EU, and urges the Commission to engage with these sectors in order to facilitate these roadmaps;
41.
Stresses that measures taken to mitigate or adapt to climate change must not lead to the exacerbation of other current environmental problems or the creation of new ones in the EU or third countries; draws attention, in this respect, to the environmental risks associated with the growing demand for certain critical raw materials necessary for the transition to a low-carbon economy or for climate engineering, and calls on the Commission to take these risks into account in its actions and to seek to minimise them in accordance with the precautionary principle;
42.
Believes that ambitious implementation of the NextGenerationEU recovery package in the form of sustainable policies offers several advantages that spur growth during economic downturns, such as the creation of new jobs, deliver higher short-run fiscal multipliers and lead to higher long-run cost savings, and is an opportunity to show other nations the benefits to their economies; encourages the Commission, the Council and the Member States to maximise this package’s potential for supporting the green transition;
43.
Highlights that sustainable economic growth and the development of new green technologies should be supported, as they can act as significant drivers of climate change mitigation;
Adaptation to climate change, loss and damage
44.
Reiterates that adaptation action is an unavoidable necessity for all countries if they are to minimise the negative effects of climate change and achieve climate resilience and sustainable development, noting the particular vulnerabilities to climate change impacts of developing countries, especially the least developed countries and small island developing states; calls on the EU and the Member States to step up adaptation action and to engage local authorities in order to fully honour the commitments under the Paris Agreement and ensure that EU adaptation policies match EU global leadership in climate change mitigation; welcomes, in this regard, the new EU Adaptation Strategy, the linkages with the EU Biodiversity Strategy and the new regulatory framework on adaptation stemming from the European Climate Law, and calls for their ambitious implementation, including of their international components;
45.
Stresses that the EU Adaptation Strategy adopted by the Commission on 24 February 2021 expresses the Commission’s aim of scaling up resources and further mobilising larger-scale adaptation finance, and that particular attention is needed to ensure that financial resources reach the most vulnerable communities in developing countries;
46.
Welcomes the new regulatory framework for adaptation to climate change under Article4 of the European Climate Law; stresses that additional regulatory measures with clear targets and milestones are necessary to enhance adaptive capacity, strengthen resilience and minimise vulnerability to climate change;