EU environment ministers call for accelerating Europe’s green transition

The informal Council of Environment Ministers of the European Union (EU), held on Thursday and Friday in the Danish city of Aalborg, called at the end of its meetings to accelerate the ecological transition in Europe to meet climate objectives and improve the resilience of its member states.

“A safer and more competitive EU is linked to a stronger environmental policy, so we need to accelerate our green transition for resilient societies,” said Danish Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke at the end of the ministerial meeting. The informal meeting, which was attended by the Spanish Secretary of State for the Environment, Hugo Morán, analysed the progress made so far in the EU in the fight against climate change and discussed the EU’s environmental policy in the short and medium term. On the first day, the ministers discussed the policy priorities on climate issues that should be reflected at the EU European Council in October, prior to the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2025 (COP30) that will take place in December in the Brazilian city of Belém. The second session served to discuss, for the first time at ministerial level, the EU climate target for 2040, which contemplates a reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of 90% compared to 1990 to ensure a decarbonised Europe. “We have been talking about what we need to do in the coming years, because no country has achieved the ambitious environmental targets, so we have to work together on this,” said Heunicke, whose country holds the EU’s rotating presidency.

Read more on Swiss Info