12.4.2022
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
L 114/23
have been more consideration of social issues in the 7th EAP, by building on the existing links between environment and social policy, as regards, for example, the impact on vulnerable groups, jobs, social inclusion and inequality.
Moreover, the Commission report noted that, despite increasingly ambitious environmental targets in many policy domains, spending on environmental protection had remained constant in Europe over many years (approximately 2 % of GDP) and that the failure to implement environmental legislation costs the Union economy around EUR 55 000 000 000 each year in health costs and in direct costs to the environment.
The Commission report noted that the 7th EAP’s implementation could have been reinforced by a stronger monitoring mechanism.
(4)
According to the European Environment Agency (EEA) in its report ‘The European environment – state and outlook 2020, Knowledge for transition to a sustainable Europe’ (‘SOER 2020’), there is a unique window of opportunity for the Union in the next decade to show global leadership on sustainability by tackling the urgent sustainability challenges that require systemic solutions.
Systemic change entails a fundamental, transformative and cross-cutting form of change that implies major shifts and reorientation in system goals, incentives, technologies, social practices and norms, as well as in knowledge systems and governance approaches.
As stated in SOER 2020, one of the most important factors underlying Europe’s persistent environmental and sustainability challenges is that they are inextricably linked to economic activities and lifestyles, in particular the societal systems that provide Europeans with necessities such as food, energy and mobility.
Ensuring policy coherence with, and full implementation of, existing environmental policies would take Europe a long way to achieving its environmental goals up to 2030 and achieving the UN 2030 Agenda and its SDGs.
(5)
The Commission responded to the challenges identified in SOER 2020 by adopting the communication of 11 December 2019 entitled ‘The European Green Deal’, a new growth strategy for the twin green and digital transition that aims to transform the Union into a fair and prosperous society, with a sustainable, competitive, climate-neutral and resource-efficient economy, and to protect, conserve and enhance the Union’s natural capital whilst improving the quality of life of current and future generations.
Swiftly achieving climate and environmental targets while protecting the health and well-being of people from environmental risks and impacts and ensuring a just and inclusive transition should be the priority.
Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council (5) enshrines in law the Union target to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest.
(6)
In its resolution of 28 November 2019 on the climate and environment emergency, the European Parliament underlined that immediate and ambitious action is crucial and urged the Commission to take concrete action, including by ensuring that all relevant future legislative and budgetary proposals are fully aligned with the objective of limiting global warming to under 1,5 °C and that they are not contributing to biodiversity loss, and by addressing inconsistencies of current Union policies on the climate and environment emergency, in particular through a farreaching reform of its agricultural, trade, transport, energy and infrastructure investment policies.
(7)
The European Green Deal underpins the Next Generation EU Recovery Plan, which promotes investment in sectors which are key for the green and digital transition, in order to build resilience and create growth and jobs in a fair and inclusive society.
The Recovery and Resilience Facility, which will power the Union’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, together with the Union budget for 2021-2027, is also based on the priority objectives set out in the European Green Deal.
Furthermore, all initiatives under the Next Generation EU Recovery Plan are to respect, where applicable, the ‘do no significant harm’ principle as set out in Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council (6) (the ‘Taxonomy Regulation’).
The Next Generation EU Recovery Plan offers an important opportunity to accelerate the pace of transition towards climate neutrality and the protection of the environment.
(5) Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 2021 establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality and amending Regulations (EC) No 401/2009 and (EU) 2018/1999 (‘European Climate Law’) (OJ L 243, 9.7.2021, p. 1).
(6) Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2020 on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, and amending Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 (OJ L 198, 22.6.2020, p. 13).