This month the EEAC hosted two webinars on sustainable finance. The first was on the Corporate Sustainable Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and the second on the Capital Requirements Directive (CRD).
Both are now available for rewatching on YouTube. Find the CSDDD here and the CRD here.
Jan Verheeke, vice chair of the EEAC, spoke at the European Water Association Conference in Antwerp on the 11th of May.
The European Water Association (EWA) is an independent non-governmental organization, dealing with the management and improvement of the water environment. As a professional association, it covers the whole European water sector (wastewater as well as drinking water and water related waste).
In their yearly conference, the EWA focused on the proposed changes to the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive: What are the challenges and instruments? There were about 70 participants.
Here is Jan’s report from the conference:
Rejane Beurrier (European Commission) presented an overview of the proposed changes and of other water-related initiatives: taken together, the proposed changes form a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get urban water policy at a higher level. In the second introductory speech, I myself explored the challenge to build the connections between an existing more ‘structural’ policy and the potential of the proposed, more ‘systemic’, approach. Next, speakers from WAREG (the water regulators), Aquapublica and EEA showed a broad support for the overall direction of the proposal: a further reduction of the pollution, new measures in relation to emerging and micro-substances, the ambition towards energy-neutrality and the circular economy, an amplified application of the polluter pay’s principle and an increased transparency. In the afternoon, talks were about water policy and innovation, about technological challenges in relation to energy-neutrality, digital transformation, the problem of toxic cocktails in the stormwater, the funding opportunities in Horizon Europe and the effects of climate change on water quantity management – with repercussions on quality. It was definitely useful to participate, and some networking delivers that we could try and find good speakers for our own plans.
The EEAC Network, together with the colleagues of ESDN, has established recurring exchange cycles with delegates from the Council Working Party on the 2030 Agenda and delegates from the European Commission. These exchanges aim to support inter-collegial exchange on Europe’s sustainability challenges. During the latest exchange in Brussels on May 4th, Delegates discussed the Voluntary Review that the EU will provide to this year’s United Nations High-Level Political Forum, the work of the Council Working Party on the 2030 Agenda and the upcoming global SDG Summit.
Arnau Queralt Bassa, Gabor Bartus, Jan Mertens, and Fee Kirsch were representing the EEAC Network in this exchange.
On the 3rd and the 10th of May, the EEAC is organising two high-level expert webinars on sustainable finance. After the success of last October’s webinar on the CSRD, we are back to delve into two directives of the European Union. Both proposals are currently in different stages of the legislative process. At the same time, parliaments are discussing their impact and the consequences at national level. The FRDO-CFDD, the Rli and the RNE have invited two expert panels to shed a light on the current situation.
On the 3rd of May we will focus on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). The legislative proposal was presented 23 Feb 2022 and the institutional trilogue for the CSDDD should start mid-2023. The proposed directive is addressed at Member States and will cover approximately 13.000 EU companies. MS will have to ensure that large companies conduct human rights and environmental diligence at the level of own operations, operations of their subsidiaries and value chain operations of entities with which the company has an established business relationship. The webinar focuses on Article 15 of the draft directive, which will require companies to also adopt a plan to ensure their business model and strategy are compatible with the objective of achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
This webinar aims at offering an overview on the obligation of companies to define and implement plans to ensure compatibility with the transition to a carbon neutral and sustainable economy in accordance with the latest developments of the CSDDD proposal. Beyond the implementation process, the panel of high-level experts will also address key issues such as possible supporting guidance and best practices, and the role of national initiatives to promote corporate climate commitments. Additionally, we will set out the challenges of the directive’s transposition by the Member States.
To take part in the webinar on May 3rd from 14:00- 15:30, please register here
On the 10th of May, we focus on the Capital Requirements Directive. For the CRD, the trilogue is in April. The European Banking Authority will have a strategic mandate because it will set up many crucial modalities of transition plans such as their content, criteria and their implementation. From the moment that these plans are to be integrated into Pillar 2 of the prudential regulation, it will open up possibilities for action and sanctions by the supervisory authorities, who check whether banks’ risk management processes and capitalisation match their risk profiles.
The EEAC has invited a panel of high-level experts to address which aspects need to be taken into account to ensure that the ambitious goals of the amendments to the CRD can actually be achieved. The panel will zoom in on the main issues discussed in the trilogue . We will also look at the leeway of the European Banking Authority in the implementation process, and the possible risks and opportunities of its mandate. Finally, zooming in on a Dutch and an English example, the webinar also focuses on what we can learn from national initiatives of transition plans in the financial sector.
To take part in the webinar on May 10th from 14:00- 15:30, please register here
The newly elected Danish government faces the major task of fulfilling the objectives of the Danish Climate Act and ensuring that Denmark can be a climate frontrunner that can inspire the rest of the world. In its annual status report, the Danish Council on Climate Change (DCCC) takes stock of Danish climate policy, assessing whether current policy efforts demonstrate that Denmark will meet its national climate targets and its EU obligations, e.g. the obligations under the newly agreed burden sharing agreement and the Regulation on land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF). Finally, the report includes recommendations for policies and measures that the government should prioritise in the coming year.
Status Outlook 2023 – English Policy Brief
Denmark’s current national climate targets include a target of a 50-54 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 compared to 1990, a reduction of 70 percent by 2030 and climate neutrality no later than 2050.
The DCCC commends the government for outlining a strategy for how to meet the 70 percent target, but, overall, the Council assesses that the government has not yet demonstrated that the targets are likely to be met. This is mainly due to a significant risk that several of the elements in the government’s strategy will not deliver the expected reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The Council also finds that even if national targets are met, this will not necessarily mean that Denmark also fulfils its new EU obligations. Most likely, Denmark needs to do more in the transport, agricultural and household sectors to also meet these obligations. Finally, the DCCC recommends that the coming year’s climate policy should focus on implementation of already agreed policies and measures and on addressing emissions from the agricultural sector.
The EEAC Network has a new coordinator. On the first of March, Fee Kirsch assumed her position in the Network. Her background is in Climate Policy and Transnational Governance. She holds a masters from the European University Institute in Florence. In 2021 she was first introduced to the Network while working for the German Sustainable Development Council. Since then, she has trained at the European Commission, working at DG CLIMA and volunteering at the We Are Tomorrow Global Partnership, a network of youth-led organisations campaigning for better climate policy and youth participation.
She replaces Michiel de Vries. Read more
The EEAC Network and the Permanent Representation of the Netherlands to the EU organized a policy debate on the way forward to a sustainable European food system. Over 65 invited guest joined the session in Brussels on February 2nd 2023.
European society and its food system are facing a triple challenge, guaranteeing a healthy diet for all, mitigating and adapting to climate change, as well as protecting and restoring habitats for their biodiversity and ecosystems services. This triple challenge requires a systems approach. The Legislative Framework for sustainable food systems, which the European Commission has announced in the Farm to Fork strategy and is expected to adopt by the end of 2023, could provide a strong basis for the system approach. The ambition as well as the challenges to achieve a sustainable food system in the EU are vast and raise questions. How should the Legislative Framework best foster human and planetary health in a coherent and balanced approach between an agricultural supply policy, environmental policy and food (consumption) policy? And will the Legislative Framework direct the strong innovation capacity of actors away from ever lower food prices towards more sustainable farming, food processing and food consumption? Or how can a just transition be ensured?
The debate facilitated a a constructive and open exchange of views about the opportunities and challenges of transforming the European food system and the role that the EU legislative framework for sustainable food systems could play in this transformation. The Exchange was timely given that the European Commission is in the midst of preparing the EU legislative framework on a sustainable food system in the EU. It furthermore built upon the recently issued EEAC position paper on a sustainable food system in the EU. Read More
Although compositions, focus areas, and working methods among advisory councils that are member of the EEAC Network differ, the vast majority of councils faces challenges or has valuable lessons to share regarding matters such as collecting evidence, interacting with experts, policymakers and the general public, communication, ways of collaborating online, or regarding the structuring of council debates. In order to stimulate mutual exchange on ways of working and good practices that can contribute to improve the work and impact of EEAC member councils a series of online exchange session is scheduled to take place throughout 2023. A group of eleven advisory councils met online to exchange experiences and best practices with regard to the way in which advisory work is presented to policy makers and the wider audience. A next meeting in this series is scheduled to take place in March 2023.
The EEAC Network has elected a new board. During the EEAC’s Annual Plenary Session (APS), member councils elected four new board members, and renewed the mandate of the current Chair. Arnau Queralt Bassa (CADS) will stay on as Chair. Katalin Sipos (NFFT) and Jan Verheeke (Minaraad) will assume the role of vice-chairs. Julia Hertin (SRU) and Folmer de Haan (Rli) make up the rest of the board. The newly elected board started its duties on 1 January 2023. Read More
Following the CBD COP15, SRU Council member Prof. Dr. Josef Settele gave a presentation on the process and outcomes of the Conference. Representatives of ten advisory councils from across the EU joined the internal EEAC session that took place on Thursday December 22nd 2022.
In prelude to CBD COP15, The EEAC Working Group on Ecosystem Services produced observations, insights and recommendations on the draft post 2020 Framework for Biodiversity. Read More
