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Preparations for the next calls for proposals under the Innovation Fund are well underway. As announced at the Innovation Fund Expert Group meeting on 6 July, the Commission plans to launch the second call for large-scale projects on 26 October, while the second call for small-scale projects is expected to be launched in March 2022.

In spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, Europeans remain very concerned about climate change and support action across the EU to tackle it, according to the latest Eurobarometer survey by the European Commission. European citizens now identify climate change as the single most serious problem facing the world. Read more about the survey and the results in your country.

According to provisional monitoring data published by the European Environment Agency, the average CO2 emissions of new cars registered in the EU, Iceland, Norway and the UK in 2020 have decreased strongly compared to 2019, as manufacturers were stepping up their efforts to raise the share of electric vehicles in their fleets.

The European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco on 28 June announced their intention to establish a Green Partnership. The partners aim to strengthen their cooperation in the fight against climate change, and to work together on advancing their energy transition, protecting the environment and boosting the green economy. The first results of this work are to be presented at COP 26 in November.

Climate action: there’s a lot of talk about it, but what can you do to actually make a difference? Which changes can we all make in the worlds we inhabit – whether that’s at home, at school, at work or in our community – to collectively have an impact? How can we inspire our friends and colleagues to do the same?

To get concrete answers to these questions, join the Climate Pact Day of Action on 29 June.

Are you aged between 15 and 30 and want to make a difference for the planet? Then we want to hear from you!

The Youth Climate Pact Challenge, launched as part of the European Climate Pact, brings young people together to co-create and develop new climate projects and solutions. The challenge will be kicked off at the youth engagement workshop held as part of the Climate Pact Day of Action on 29 June.

The workshop is your chance to make your voice heard on climate issues, turn your ideas into reality and connect with the growing Climate Pact community. No experience is necessary – from beginner to seasoned sustainability advocate, everyone is welcome.

The European Commission today adopted the Commission Decision instructing the Central Administrator of the European Union Transaction Log to enter the national allocation tables of the Member States into the European Union Transaction Log.

Applications are still open until 30 June.

The 2021 UN climate change conference (COP26) is scheduled to take place from 1 to 12 November 2021 in Glasgow. While uncertainties remain on the practical organisation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the EU aims, like in previous years, to provide a space for side events as part of the EU Pavilion programme.

The Commission is looking for private sector organisations to join the membership of the EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste for a new mandate, in order to further mobilise action against food loss and waste across the EU. A call for applications for private sector organisations with expertise and proven track record in food waste prevention has opened on 22 June 2021 and will run until 23 July 2021.

The European Parliament endorsed the European Climate Law on 24 June, and is expected to be approved by the Council shortly. The Regulation will then be published in the Official Journal and enter into force 20 days later. It transforms the European Green Deal’s political commitment to EU climate neutrality by 2050 into a binding obligation.

NextGenerationEU is a once in a lifetime chance to emerge stronger from the pandemic, transform our economies and societies, and design a Europe that works for everyone. The Recovery and Resilience Facility offers an unprecedented opportunity to speed up the recovery in Europe and reinforce the commitment to the twin transitions: green and digital.

This Commission Staff Working Document is part of the knowledge base underpinning the 2021 EU Climate Adaptation Strategy, and some of the measures to close the climate protection gap that will be undertaken in the context of the upcoming Renewed Sustainable Finance Strategy. It may also be relevant for other policy- and decision-makers on adaptation issues at national, regional and local level.

On 14 June, the Commission organised a citizen's dialogue on the European Green Deal in Austria. More than 30 schools from the whole region of Salzburg and from other parts of Austria participated in the online discussion with Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans and the Federal Minister Leonore Gewessler.

The average CO2 emissions of new cars and vans registered in the EU, Iceland, Norway and the United Kingdom in 2019 stayed well below the applicable targets, according to final data published by the European Environment Agency. However, average CO 2 emissions of new passenger cars in 2019 increased for the third consecutive year, while emissions from new vans remained stable. This left manufacturers with the significant challenge of reducing the average emissions of their fleet in 2020 when stricter targets were introduced.

At the EU Green Week , Europe’s biggest environmental event, the winners of the 2021 LIFE Awards were announced by the EU’s LIFE programme . This years’ Awards honoured winners in three different categories from the Slovak Republic (Nature), Spain (Environment), and France (Climate Action). The public also voted for their favourite project in the Citizen’s Award, and the work and dedication of young volunteers were recognised in the LIFE4Youth Award.

The interactive site “Our planet, our future” that teaches 11-17 year-olds about the science of climate change. The website is available in all EU languages and teachers can find a selection of classroom exercises on the Teacher’s Hub.