Debate Climate and Energy

Now we arrive to point seven on our agenda. It's the exchange of executive vice president for a clean, just and competitive transition, a long-standing friend of the European Committee of the Regions, Teresa Riber. And I also invite the reporters to the stage Constantinos Bakoanis and Rafar Jeski to join us on the podium. Uh the reporters are coming coming. No. Yes. I see Constantis. I don't see Rafal. >> Okay. We will start. So um So in the past years um European attention was dragged from clim everyday realities of climate change to the borders and beyond. But I think the past few weeks changed a little bit the focus uh to the inside and to urgent adaptation to growing uncertainty in also climate. So I'll give the floor to the guest executive vice president right away. >> Thank you. Thank you so much uh president, members of the committee, friends. It is a great pleasure for me being um with you today and I think that my first message it's a message of gratitude for allowing me to share this very important uh being present take part in this very important discussion. Yes, 37° may be something frequent in southern Europe. It is not so frequent in Brussels, in Paris, in Hamburg, in London. It is a scary scenario that has been lasting quite a lot during last week and that may be increasingly frequent in our continent. So allow me to start with uh something that is important and that please take this as a very sincere recognition of your very important work. I would like to quote Elanor Astrom. She won the Nobel Prize for something which is quite obvious but it is important to remind. She showed that our shared problems are rarely solved from the top alone. Trust Sarwood is built closer to the ground in communities small enough to act and yet connected enough to matter. And you are representing exactly those communities and climate and energy also represents with other fields those aspects of of our day-to-day reality that need to be addressed. So I come not to say what to do but to recognize and see with you how to improve our action because yes energy and climate policies are not designed and implemented exclusively in Brussels. We have a very important role to take but it is together with you. We need to work hard to join efforts to multiply success to build opportunities to facilitate the scale to be prepared for what it is already happening to decide on the ground in your regions in your cities in your communities. You are the front line of this transformation and I am with you ready to back and to support you but recognition has to show up where it counts. So let's speak about the budget. Let's speak about MFF. The concerns you express the way we can handle better your expressions of interest and concern. A budget where we place energy, climate and environment at the hurt of the next MFF. They run horizontally across every major program. The 35% climate and environment target is binding. It will mobilize more than seven 700 billion euros dedicated to this policy goals and our proposal also included the do not significant harm principle which means that funding must not negatively impact biodiversity infrastructures people and other environmental objectives and we track our funding for climate mitigation adaptation environment through a clear expenditure mechanism a mechanism that reflects your very sincere and bold opinion. Of course, more will be needed in light of the huge investment needs for the green transition. It is the starting point of the negotiations and the role is crucial to ensure that our joint EU budget delivers on the challenges we face as an union. We also acknowledge the fundamental importance of regional and local dimensions because as I said, it is there where reality where facts take place. Turning away from fossil fuels to clean homegrown energy, building resilience to string weather and restoring natural ability to support us all happen locally. Green, healthy and climate proof cities, highquality services, water supply, housing, waste management take place at the city level. So the national and regional partnership plans are designed to connect to national energy and climate plans to ensure stronger role for cities and regions. It must be so. Let me reassure you on the foundations because trust is built on them. Still cohesion policy remains a cornerstone cover within the plans and ensuring your role in their governance is respected because we cannot deliver when working from centralizing power. We need to share responsibilities and join efforts in a respectful and effective manner. We may need flexibility but we need to respect each other. Just transition in cities and outermost regions are recognized as well as the objectives of the social climate fund are preserved so it can shield vulnerable households from rising energy cost. We have also heard from this house and the parliament on life to keep it visible and effective. This will be a key demand in the further inst inter institutional negotiations. Our MFF proposal aims to support the clean and just transition placing the regions at its core. Europe imports more than half of the energy we consume. That is not a market detail. It is a strategic vulnerability. The recent conflict in the Middle East cost us 40 billion euros in extra imports in three months only. We have made real progress. Over 70% of our electricity is now clean, up from 57% in 2019. But supply side gains will soon hit a ceiling if not matched by electrification of demand. Our rate has stalled at 23% for a decade. Others have identified a way to reach more than 34% of their consumption. This 23% is the average level of petrol states and behind other key industrial players such as China that does not count on oil and gas. We may discuss on the importance to develop our strengths as electro economies because we need to electrify faster in industry, transport and buildings. But as a relevant union leader told me recently, we also need to warn against those that behave as if we were a kind of fossil idiots, so to say, people that lock in fossil fuels dependency. We need to navigate but to get rid to build a much more respectful and a much more optimistic future. And we may pay more attention to the so-called echon nations, those being deeply vulnerable but remaining committed and active on climate. It is on the ground where you have a specific capacity to make the difference. Renewable energy, heat pumps, batteries, clean grids. These technologies build prosperity locally and a robust ETS can be enjoined to fund that. Green areas with climate shields, freshwater security, climate proof buildings, climate proof infrastructures to prevent the collapse of our health system, our transportation services to assess the risk and anticipate the debate of the acceptable thresholds and identify the communities and individuals that are exposed to the highest risk in our communities. In that context, I welcome your call for social leasing. Heat pumps, rooftop solar, efficient appliance, electric vehicles. They are all placed within reach of every household. That's the aspiration. I also welcome your support to the temporary estate aid framework as well as on the windful profits measures and solidarity contributions. That is how we may beat energy poverty. How we can build competitiveness at once. How we can pay back and reward citizens efforts to build a better future. What you build at home, you can also defend abroad. This brings me to the diplomacy that you also comment on. You're right that Europe should defend the rulesbased order while raising its ambition. The two go together. We cannot ask others to act while slowing down ourselves. And mayor mayors and regional leaders deliver the Paris agreement through real territorial action. Last week I took part of the climate London week, the 10th anniversary of the global cabinet of mayors and the homage to Antonio Gutes, the secretary general that has been working hard on climate. As I said, 37 degrees in London, 40 degrees in Paris, 36 in Brussels. It is insane. Let's work under the coalition for high ambition, multi-level partnerships. Let's join efforts. Let's join forces. We can work with multi-level governments and European Commission. You are also the first line of defense against disinformation and polarization. So your voice has to carry at the different levels including the multilateral settings. Let me close simply. This transition will be one locally or it will not be won at all. You can count on us and I hope I wish I enjoy counting on you. Thanks a lot. >> Thank you very much. you know that our attention is constant on the everydays and everyday realities and climate and energy goals. So we keep up and now I will invite first Constantinos Bakuanis who is reporter on the opinion EU global climate and energy vision towards more inclusive climate and environment global negotiations. The floor is yours. >> Thank you very much Madame President. Dear executive vice president and dear colleagues, first of all, I would like to sincerely thank all members who t tabled amendments to this opinion. I am indeed very much grateful for the constructive cooperation across political groups and national delegations. This opinion sets out the committee of the region's priorities ahead of two major international conferences later this year. the UN biodiversity COP 17 in Armenia and the UN climate COP 31 in Turkey. These conferences come at a particularly difficult moment. As we all know, multilateral cooperation is indeed under growing pressure. International commitments are increasingly questioned. Scientific evidence is challenged and geopolitical tensions risk diverting attention. And this is me being as polite as possible. Yet, climate change and biodiversity laws do not stop at NASA borders. They require stronger, not weaker, international cooperation. The vice president mentioned before that Europe experienced one of the most severe heat waves on record in recent days. But what is the truth? That every year we break the record. And every year extreme heat claims thousands of lives. This is not an isolated weather event. It is a consequence of the climate crisis. This is why this opinion sends a clear message. Adaptation is essential, but adaptation alone is not enough. We must also tackle the root causes of climate change by accelerating the transition to clean, secure, and affordable energy. Reducing our dependence on fossil fuels is not only a climate imperative. It is also essential for Europe's competitiveness, security, and strategic autonomy. Across Europe, cities and regions are indeed delivering solutions. We know this very well. We are renovating buildings. We are creating greener and cooler public spaces. We're adapting essential public services. And we are strengthening emergency preparedness. But local action cannot succeed with they are without adequate resources. A plan that is not tested, staffed and funded is not a real plan. The next MF must therefore provide cities and regions with the investment we need. The investment we need to strengthen resilience and accelerate the green transition. At the same time, no territory must be left behind. The Atoler cohesion must therefore remain at the heart of Europe's climate and biodiversity policies. Climate action also means protecting and restoring nature. Investing in nature-based solutions, ecosystem restoration, and water resilience is one of the most effective ways to reduce the impact of heat waves, floods, and droughts while delivering environmental, social, and economic benefit. Whether at COP 31 or COP 17, we must be systematically involved in national planning and implementation, financing, and monitoring. Global global commitments will only succeed if they are translated into action on the ground. That is why this opinion calls for a mandated multi-level dialogue with the UNFCCC process, stronger participation of local and regional authorities, national delegations, and our full involvement in shaping the post 2030 climate and energy framework. I would like to thank everybody for their support. I would also like to sincerely thank our expert Paula Leori for her valuable support with this opinion. Thank you very much. >> Thank you very much. And now I invite Rafael Chasovski who is the reporter on the opinion mainstreaming climate, energy and environmental priorities across the next budget. That floor is yours. >> Uh President, Commissioner uh colleagues, too often the debate on climate and energy is presented as a choice between economic strength and decarbonization. But for Europe's regions and cities, a clean transition is not only not only a climate imperative. It is a matter of security. It is a matter of competitiveness and above all a matter of resilience. If we want a stronger Europe, we must do three things. Reduce our energy dependence, lower the costs of climate change, and create new business opportunities rooted in European value chains and clean technologies. Europe's competitiveness depends on its ability to produce more clean and affordable energy in Europe. As long as we remain dependent on imported fossil fuels, our economy will stay exposed to geopolitical instability, supply disruptions, and price shocks. We have seen this very clearly in recent crisis. Since the beginning of the war in Iran, the EU's fossil fuel import bills have increased more than 22 billion euros. We saw similar effects after the war in Ukraine. This is not only an environmental program. It is a major economic vulnerability for our households, our businesses, and our local economies. That is why structural investment in homegrown energy must start at local and regional level by accelerating renewables, investing in energy efficiency, and strengthening grids and interconnections. Competitiveness is also about reducing the growth growing cost of climate change. Climate change is becoming a silent killer. According to the World Health Organization, since 21st June, more than 1,300 excess deaths have been recorded in Europe, links to high temperatures since many of our homes, schools, and workplaces are simply not built for these realities. Beyond the human strategy, there are direct economic impacts, damaged infrastructure, disruption of transport and public services, and rising costs for healthcare and emergency response. If we do not invest in adaptation, these costs will continue to rise and weigh heavily on local and regional economies. The green transition is also about creating growth, supporting clean tech, the circular economy, and other sustainable sectors open new markets and drives innovation. Investing in regions and city turns climate ambition into real economic development on the ground. It helps local companies and startups scale up solutions in renewable energy, energy efficient construction, sustainability, mobility, and circular materials. Europe's sustainable competitiveness will be built on its regions and on its cities. Yet, the new MF proposals risk weakening this by moving towards more centralized model. This is a big mistake. We are Europe's best allies in achieving this priorities and that's why we need to do something about it. We have three main requests. Multi-level governance. NRPPS must include multi-level governance platforms and mandatory urban and regional chapters. We welcome the support of the European Parliament on this and we will urge member states and European Commission to follow the parliament's direction. Investment in climate and competitiveness. The Europe European Competitiveness Fund should provide direct financing to local energy and climate plants and [music] direct funding for cities. As Europe invests in clean energy, climate adaptation, and green innovation, its regions and cities will be stronger, safer, and more prosperous. Thank you very much. >> Thank you very much. [applause] >> And now I will give the floor first to the representatives of the political groups and then I will open to the members for one minutes as indicated in the list. Uh first the floor goes to Maru Marula. Um, Madame Executive Vice President Ria, uh, extreme heat is now a reality. You pointed out it clearly citizens know that. However, Europe can achieve its ambitious climate goals, but only if we radically strengthen the implementation. The direction is European. However, action takes place on the ground in cities and regions through cooperation with industry, universities and citizens. This is where energy systems, chains, clean technology are deployed, uh investments are made and public support is built. We need systematic transformation rather than fragmented projects. EU missions uh the competitiveness compass the clean industrial deal cohesion policy FB10 and several other EU initiatives must reinforce one another and support integrated placebased action. The committee of the region has mobilized the major European resource that remains underused. It's our members and uh through them through us the public private ecosystems uh in cities and regions can really be taken to active use. We have the CR has a green deal calling local road mapap where we commit ourselves to measurable implementation local green deals uh scaling of pioneering uh solutions and stronger links between mitigation adaptation biodiversity competitiveness innovation and investments. Now on behalf of our green deal going local work working working group I propose that we prepare a joint action program with you madame commissioner and your services. We should uh define uh a small number of high impact actions through which we really can implement and this is where we can deliver and we can mobilize the bottom up movement a real movement to re to reach the commission ambitious targets. Let's do that together. >> Thank you. The floor goes now to Hanas Danoska. >> Thank you very much. I will speak in Polish. Global climate and energy vision. Fore speech. for electric. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you madam chair. I will speak in French. Foreign speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech. Tooth legislation, toothlation. Fore! Foreign! Foreign! territory. Mercy. Thank you, Madame President. Energy is one of the most important ingredients of our development, our progress and our security. It is a foundation of our competitiveness and strategic autonomy. It touches the quality of life and personal budget of every and each of our citizens. Therefore, we should be devoted our utmost attention. Our uncontested goal should be sustainable and affordable energy produced on the territory of the European Union. Dependence on energy imports must be reduced in short term and eliminated in long term. Alliances and international markets have proven to be volatile and therefore unreliable. It should be equally clear that one type of energy dependency must not be replaced with the new one. Fossil fuel dependency must not be replaced by renewable smart system dependency. Digitalization should increase resilience not create a new layer of foreign dependence. EU can rely only on its own knowledge, innovation and investments. Therefore on its own competitive production that's why energy transition must continue full speed. It is existentially important to upgrade the EU policy and legal framework with firmly embedded efficient multi-level governance as well as funding for cities and regions to ensure energy resilience, sustainability and affordable prices as well as just energy transition. Thank you. Thank you France Costritorich. Madame President said nationalism. Municipal. Metro local. President territo. territo. Europe. consider Marco Marcelio. Presidentology. Foreom in the industry. territorial. Foreign Energet Andre Groy. Thank you, President. [clears throat] Executive Vice President Ribera. Europe is facing a defining energy challenge. High energy price continue to undermine our industrial competitiveness, putting pressure on our businesses, on our jobs, and investment across our regions. Recent geopolitical crisis starting from Russia's aggression against Ukraine to the instability in the Middle East have once again demonstrated the strategic vulnerability of our energy system. If you want Europe to remain competitive, we must guarantee access to affordable, secure, and sustainable energy. As transports, heating and industry continue to electrify, electricity demand will only increase. We therefore need an energy system that can meet this growing demand while continuing the transition to lowcarbon energy. This requires a diversified energy mix based on the renewables and other lowcarbon technologies including wind, solar, biomass and nuclear energy. And at the same time, investment in innovation including research into nuclear fusion must continue. But production alone is not enough. Without proper planning and significant investment in infrastructure, this ambitions will remain out of reach. As highlighted in the opinion on wind power in the committee of the regions for which I was a rapper, Europe must accelerate grid investment investment. Today Europe remains heavily dependent on important technologies for renewable energy production and at the same time many of our grids still lack the capacity to transport electricity efficiently from where it is produced to where it is needed. Recent events in your country, Spain, have also shown the importance of grid resilience and system stability. We therefore welcome the commission's recent initiatives on electrifications, grids and energy security. But now is a time to move from strategic to implementation. Europe needs financial resources and industrial ambitions necessary to achieve energy autonomy and strengthens its competitive. Thank you. >> Thank you, Nina. Linen. >> Dear president, dear vice president of the commission and colleagues, this is the summer we should all remember well because believe it or not, this is probably the coolest summer that Europe has left for some time. But there is still a way of speaking as climate change was an active agent. Weather hasn't got caused any suffering though. Climate didn't kill anybody and environment didn't cause any economic losses. Fossil intense industry did. Over consumption did and unsustainable forestry did. Inaction and negligent did and lack of courage to drive systemic change did. These are very scary times. The question is, are we scared enough to act so decisively that we would not have disputes over climate policies, no hard negotiations and close voting results in any of the European institutions? Because if we continue like this, things will only get worse. I hope I really really hope that this is none of the one of the not one of the moments when we get very serious with climate and aware but right after in the votings of next opinions budgets and policies we forget about and take other priorities. Dear vice president, the Greens and Progressives want to thank you for your leadership in climate ambition and commitment to advance with green deal. Eventually, the responsibility I believe lies as much in the hands of the commission as well as the smallest municipality that is present in this room. To succeed, we need you and you need us. We need the most ambitious climate policy that the EU has ever experienced this far. We need binding targets, EMI funding, bold objectives and we have so many cities that are more ambitious and innovative than their countries. All the more reason to include cities and regions in a mandatory way in NRPPS and I like the future needs from the local dimension most ambitious implementation that we have ever seen. Thank you. >> Thank you. Now we will move on to the one minute um um interventions. Please keep the time. The more you keep the time, more people can speak. Transformers. There's the program. Gracias, Anikaf. Fore instrument. capture utilization and storage. The floor goes now to Daniel Fer. Catastrophen catastrophin. for the Kenton. This feel the mic. in Hamburg. Parliament Foreign speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech. partner. Dear Madame, dear members, as we look to the future MF, we must draw clear lessons from the recent energy crisis. It has shown the urgent need for greater budgetary flexibility at EU level so that we can respond quickly and effectively to support both households and industry when cost increase. The next MF MF should therefore include adaptable financial mechanisms capable of mobilizing targeted investments in response to rising energy prices and evolving economic pressures. At the same time, climate and environmental spending must be designed with realism and coherence. It should be closely aligned with the forcoming review of the EU emission emissions trading system which will be decreasive ensuring that our climate ambition remains compatible with industrial competitiveness, economic resilience and strategic and autonomy. Thank you. President, numeric, energetic, Administrative territorial Mercy. Probably I got the name wrong. So, it's Stanislav. Yes. Zeski. No, he's not here. So then we move on to Thank you. I will speak in Fore poem. Antonio Dearo investment. prejudice. Investment Fore Matula. Foreign speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech. Fore. Thank you, Laura Capon. territory. Gracia. Serio Perez Garcia. and Instrument. Thank you, Madame President. I will speak in Dutch on behalf of the Dutch delegation. Forever states industry net Lexioch. Thank you madame chair, madame vice president. First of all all I want to congratulate the reporter both of them for this opinion. It did address a crucial issue for the future of cohesion policy and the next MFFF. It is essential that the next MFF reflects the needs and the priorities of local communities. In this regard, I welcome the recommendation to allocate 20% of the relevant funding to territorial priorities. This represent an important step towards strengthening the territorial dimension of European policies. As I said in the former opinion concerning automotive industry, this transition has to be done technologically by innovation and competitiveness and not ideologically. Finally, Europe's climate ambition must be inclusive including not only big cities but also small and mediumsiz towns that I represent here. The next MF should include dedicated instruments enable these communities to actively participate in the green transition. Only then can we speak of a truly transition in which no one is left behind. Thank you. >> Thank you. We have a problem. We have no interpretation. I will need to close the debate. Uh um because I had to choose between giving the words to members or to give the words to the executive vice president. And I'm sorry I chose the members. Uh, I'm really sorry, but we need to go um and talk to the press and we need the reporters and I need to give the floor to Gileian like right away. I don't know what we do with interpretation. >> We need to wait for the >> Okay, I'll leave this problem to Gileian. >> Thank you very much, Vice President, excuse Vice President Terzar for coming and for your flexibility. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. I will send you a kind letter with some comments and I will thank you all. I have I wanted to thank you all for your observations and comments. Thank you.