The pursuit of synergies between Governments and private companies for the implementation of effective measures, which will lead to the achievement of climate and environmental goals by 2030, in the light of the revision of the National Plan for Energy and Climate, highlighted the Minister of Agriculture , of Rural Development and Environment, Petros Xenophontos, in his intervention at the Informal Meeting of EU Environment Ministers, held in Stockholm on 18-19 April 2023.
The Minister, who participated in the Summit held in the framework of the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU, referred to the significant opportunities that exist for businesses to become pioneers by investing in environmentally friendly technologies and practices.
As stated in a Ministry announcement, during the first day of the Summit, the European Ministers had the opportunity to discuss with business representatives the conditions, incentives and further cooperation, in order to overcome the bottlenecks related to the sectors of nature and biodiversity, climate neutrality and circular economy to achieve the green transition.
In his intervention, Mr. Xenophontos conveyed the position that there are several economic and institutional factors that can be promoted further, in the context of the effort to improve the competitive viability of businesses. The Cypriot Minister noted that systems that recognize sustainable business practices with legal clarity and justice are essential in the effort of the green transition.
Mr. Xenophontos pointed out that the EU Classification Regulation and the new proposal of the Directive on green criteria will help to clarify which investments are environmentally sustainable, support the development of green markets and give a clearer picture of the national situation so that the incentives for businesses to be granted in a more targeted and correct way.
He then added that Cyprus, in the context of the energy crisis and the REPowerEU plan, has incorporated into its national legislation, provisions for the acceleration the granting of environmental permits for renewable energy projects, with a maximum deadline of seven months from the submission of the project application.
In relation to the actions being taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Mr. Xenophontos said that at this stage priority should be given to the industrial sector and together we should create a supportive environment for the transition of industries to zero emissions, investing in low-carbon technologies, with affordable financing and a level playing field for businesses.
"We have a responsibility to take bold steps towards a clean, zero-emissions future, while ensuring that our economy is sustainable, resilient and beneficial for all", Mr. Xenophon underlined.
In his last speech on plastic pollution, the Minister noted that successful reduction should be based on a mix of economic tools and legal measures, which will proactively address the entire life cycle of plastic products, by promoting policies to improve the design of plastics products that will aim to strengthen durability, reuse and recycling.
The Summit also analyzed the EU's main priorities for the development of a circular economy for plastics and the promotion of sustainable production and consumption of as circular products as possible, while at the same time there was a discussion on the measures to promote new innovative solutions and standards that will contribute to the active involvement of the business community and the extended producer responsibility systems in the circular transition of plastics.
Source: KYPE
