Environment and green economy

An update on the Green Deal developments

Editorial from the Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen

The EU charts a path through the pandemic and beyond with hope and determination.

Nearly one year after its adoption, the European Green Deal has confirmed itself as a top priority of the current Commission. The current crisis has affected neither the level of ambition nor the implementation rate; on the contrary, the Green Deal has become the roadmap for the EU recovery and a model for a global green recovery initiative.

In line with the global ambition of the new EU Circular Economy Action Plan, the Commission has launched the ‘SWITCH to Circular Economy Value Chains’ project to support partnerships working to improve circularity across global value chains.

The shift to a green economy is an ambitious and urgent global objective. Success at scale in this endeavour requires another lens with which to see inclusion. Tackling inequalities is not just an option, but a core aspect of the transition.

Wildlife conservation goes hand in hand with improving local livelihoods in one of the world’s most intact tropical rainforest landscapes, the Trinational Sangha World Heritage Site in Central Africa.

Brush up your knowledge about biodiversity. Our planet and the economy depend on it: at least 40 % of the world’s economy and 80 % of the needs of the poor are derived from biological resources. This makes biodiversity loss the most critical global environmental threat alongside climate change — and the two are inextricably linked.

The series of ‘Quick Tips’ publications is produced to support DG DEVCO and EU Delegation staff with the integration of environment and climate change into sectoral programming.

Colleagues in EU Delegations around the world share how they plan to implement Green Deal measures in the countries where they work.

Ensuring the protection of forests and their sustainable use is critical for development in many of the EU’s tropical partner countries.

The Action Plan adopted on 11 March is one of the main building blocks of the European Green Deal. It conveys the EU’s strong ambition to lead global efforts to build a circular economy through international partnerships, trade relations and diplomacy.

Large-scale government measures to restart the economy post-COVID-19 are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change the way we produce, consume and trade, and to pave the way for a new economic model. The circular economy, which integrates sustainability and resilience and allows us to give back to the planet more than we take, should be at the heart of this transition.

With the ‘European Green Deal’, the EU commits to lead by example, advance climate action and set standards for sustainable growth.

New strategy proposes a roadmap for future cooperation between the European Union and Africa

Robert Steinlechner, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Peru, shared his reflections on how his delegation can contribute to implementing the Commission’s new priority policy.

The beginning of 2020 saw the launch of the second phase of the SWITCH to Green Facility as well as a new facility to support cooperation in the Water sector, both with a 3-year mandate.

Over 100 colleagues from 83 EU Delegations and EU Headquarters in Brussels attended DEVCO Environment and Climate Change Week to discuss the new European Commission policy priorities and how to strengthen environment and climate change dimensions in EU external cooperation, in particular in light of the next programming phase.

This study investigates the impact of mobile money (MM) on SMEs' resilience and the associated business outcome in developing countries amid Covid-19. Despite the potential of MM to improve SMEs' resilience, little evidence has been documented. Using Enterprise Survey data in Zambia, it shows that SMEs are more likely than large firms to experience catastrophic sales decline, reflecting their inherent vulnerability.

Further news items on climate, energy and forest-related issues. It's been a busy few months!