The European Commissioner for the Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, Jessika Roswall, advocated this Friday for “investing” in nature and climate so that the EU does not lose its global competitiveness, although she acknowledged that the current international context is “difficult” for environmental protection and the fight against climate change.
At this briefing organised by New Economy Forum in the EU capital, Roswall emphasised that she has attended G-7 and G-20 meetings, as well as other international gatherings, such as the negotiations for a treaty to reduce plastic pollution, and has observed that “it is becoming difficult” to demonstrate ambition on environmental issues.
“Multilateralism has had its ups and downs over the years. This makes me even more convinced that the European Union must remain at the forefront and be highly committed. And that is what we are doing, even though it is difficult”, she added.
Roswall indicated that the environment “is sometimes seen as a cost”, an idea she rejected because, for example, 5 of the 10 long-term global risks are environmental (including extreme weather events, biodiversity loss, and pollution), according to a report presented at the last Davos Forum. “We all understand that we have to invest in nature and the climate because, otherwise, we will not be competitive”, she stated.
In this regard, she commented that she is working with industrial sectors to find “innovative solutions” that take into account environmental protection and the fight against global warming.
