C 75/4
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
28.2.2023
12. considers that decisive and clearly defined action is necessary to make Article 6 of the Paris Agreement operational and complete the Paris rulebook, which establishes a framework for voluntary international cooperation for countries to reduce emissions to meet their pledges, avoiding some of the pitfalls concerning double counting or the risk of fake emissions reduction credits;
Reviewing our current economic model to effectively address mitigation and adaptation, and ensuring adequate access to climate finance 13. emphasises that, to accelerate the transition towards a climate-neutral society, we need to review our current economic model to re-think the way in which we consume and produce and the way we value sufficiency, and calls on the EU to propose a new vision of prosperity for people and the planet based on the principles of environmental sustainability, the right to a decent life and the protection of social values (10);
14. proposes a new governance framework to develop these transformational changes, and encourages governments and regional authorities to create Just Transition Commissions to allow the social partners and civil society organisations, including youth organisations, to provide recommendations and to negotiate and develop national and regional just transition plans (11); considers that existing initiatives to address the social challenges of the green transformation have remained fragmented (12);
15. believes that the rapid shift towards a decarbonised economy will entail massive challenges for citizens, workers, companies and regions, especially those that are the most reliant on carbon-intensive sectors and industries (13), and that the NDCs should include undertaking a granular mapping and analysis of the impacts the transition will have on employment and skills in the country, sub-regions and sectors, including on subcontractors and downstream value chains, accompanied by national job plans and just transition strategies (14), based on the ILO principle of just transition; therefore endorses the proposal from the Conference on the Future of Europe (15) to ensure a just transition, which protects workers and jobs through proper funding for transition and further research;
16. underlines that the private sector’s responsibility for achieving the decarbonisation goal will require the rapid transformation of systems on an unprecedented scale, and points out that the private sector has a crucial role to play in the process;
17. acknowledges the many and varied efforts made by companies and entrepreneurs across the EU to develop business solutions to mitigate and adapt to climate-change related challenges, and believes that innovative and responsible business models should tackle climate change by focusing on measurable sustainability targets, including the reduced use of water, energy or chemicals;
18. is concerned that the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the EU is coming with an increase in emissions abroad to satisfy EU consumption, generating GHG spill-over effects (16), and considers that the EU’s GHG inventory approach needs to incorporate the GHG emissions associated with imported products, that decoupling socioeconomic progress from negative domestic and imported impacts on climate and biodiversity has to become a priority, and that CBAM is a supportive measure to achieve this goal;
19. notes that biodiversity loss and climate change mutually reinforce each other, as stressed by the scientific community, calls for a holistic approach to environmental action addressing the linkages between biodiversity loss and climate change, and proposes reviewing and increasing the size of protected areas and the efforts to protect remaining natural resources under the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 (17);
(10) (11) (12) (13) (14) (15) (16) (17)
EESC opinion on The sustainable economy we need (OJ C 106, 31.3.2020, p. 1).
EESC opinion on ‘Fit for 55’: delivering the EU’s 2030 Climate Target on the way to climate neutrality (OJ C 275, 18.7.2022, p. 101).
EESC opinion on Social dialogue within the green transition (OJ C 486, 21.12.2022, p. 95).
EESC opinion on ‘Fit for 55’: delivering the EU’s 2030 Climate Target on the way to climate neutrality (OJ C 275, 18.7.2022, p. 101).
EESC opinion on ‘Fit for 55’: delivering the EU’s 2030 Climate Target on the way to climate neutrality (OJ C 275, 18.7.2022, p. 101).
Conference on the Future of Europe — Recommendations adopted by the European Citizens’ Panel.
2021 Europe Sustainable Development Report — SDSN Europe.
Ongoing EESC opinion (NAT/841) on Nature restoration targets under EU biodiversity strategy.