European Union News - Environmnet

In a context in which cities are increasingly populated and need for water is growing exponentially, the World Water Day celebrated on 22 March, has been devoted in its 2011 edition to an adequate management of water in urban areas. Under the theme “Water for Cities – Responding to the Urban Challenge”, attention has been drawn to the need to ensure both water supply and adequate sanitation in all urban areas.

Key players in business, academia, finance, policy and green groups met together at the 10th Environmental Technologies Action Plan (ETAP) Forum on Eco-Innovation held on 22 March in Birmingham, where some business case studies on sustainable material management were presented. The event aimed to encourage innovation through cross-fertilisation between disciplines and sectors as well as identify and prioritise the key issues that need to be addressed by Government and EU action.

EU ministers in charge for energy met in Brussels on 22 March to held a debate over the recent developments in Japan and North Africa and their implications in global energy market and consequences over European energy supply. Briefed by the Commission over the last developments, ministers discussed the measures to be taken both at EU and national level. Regarding the debate around nuclear security, ministers pointed out that the global character of this issue would need for neighbouring countries to be involved in this risk assessment process.

The President of the Committee of the Regions, Mercedes Bresso, and the Commissioner for Energy, Günther Oettinger, called for stronger involvement of regions and cities for a sustainable Europe.Cities are home to 80% of the population in the EU and are responsible for 70% of its greenhouse gas emissions.

If society is to enjoy food security and environmental protection, a continuation of support to farmers is crucial. This support, however, can only be effective if subsidies are only paid to active farmers. This is one of the key aspects pointed out at the Plenary Session of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), where after hotly debating an opinion on the future of the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) was adopted.

Policy makers and industry representatives meeting at the coordination meeting convened by the Commissioner Günther Oettinger to analyze the situation caused in Fukushima nuclear power plant after the earthquake and tsunami which affected Japan in the previous days, agreed to hold stress tests in all nuclear power plants of the European Union. The European Commission will determine the timing and common standards for such tests which will assess preparedness and resilience of these facilities in view of an eventual incident.

Ministers meeting at the Environment Council held in Brussels on 14 March, reached a political agreement on its first-reading position on revised EU rules concerning waste electronic and electrical equipment. During this meeting, ministers also exchanged views on possible justifications to allow member states to restrict the cultivation of genetically modified organisms in their territory, and adopted conclusions on the review of the Community strategy concerning mercury as well as conclusions on the follow-up to the UN climate conference in Cancún in December 2010.

The Portuguese city of Almada was judged by an independent panel of mobility experts to have done the most to promote alternatives to the car, and to highlight the positive impact of other means of transport on public health and the environment during European Mobility Week 2010. With Almada, Murcia in Spain and the Latvian capital Riga were runners-up in this year's contest.