"The green transition and competitiveness are not contradictory," says EU Environment commissioner

Jessika Roswall is convinced that h2o cannot beryllium taken for granted by Europeans. 

"We cannot proceed for illustration that because utmost upwind events person go nan caller normal successful 1 way," she said successful an question and reply pinch Euronews arsenic portion of a position of nan caller European Water Resilience strategy.

Europe is facing a problem of quantity: drought is simply a problem not only successful nan southbound of nan continent but besides successful nan north. On nan flipside, location person besides been terrible floods successful Valencia and southwest France.

"The h2o scarcity that Europe is facing, nan Europe's land, is 30%. So, we person some problems pinch excessively overmuch h2o sometimes, excessively small water, but besides polluted water, truthful we request to act."

The extremity for nan Commissioner is to person cleanable and affordable h2o for everybody including manufacture and farmers.

"We request to beryllium smarter connected utilizing water. How tin we beryllium much efficient? And past it's besides astir invention and really tin we usage nan techniques."

Clean up of everlastingly chemicals

The value of h2o is different awesome rumor facing nan Commission.

The beingness of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), besides known arsenic “forever chemicals,” person been accumulating crossed EU waters for decades, posing a superior consequence to quality wellness and nan environment. 

The European Commission says it's preparing to support a awesome clean-up inaugural group to statesman successful 2026. 

The Commission besides says it's moving towards an eventual prohibition connected nan usage of PFAS erstwhile it comes to user products including pizza boxes, cosmetics, rainfall apparel aliases firefighting foams.

But it becomes overmuch much difficult for aesculapian products for illustration inhalers, surgical instrumentality aliases items wherever location is nary suitable alternative.

"We request to talk some really industries that request it tin usage it safely, and really we tin protect it from leaking into quality aliases different harming people's health," Roswall said.

"We are moving connected both, really to usage it successful a sustainable measurement if you whitethorn opportunity but we request besides astatine nan aforesaid clip activity connected really to cleanable up."

The Commissioner firmly believes that nan "green modulation and competitiveness is not contradictory."  She thinks nan solution lies done dialogue, including industry, NGOs and personnel states.

An update successful REACH legislation

The PFAS actions are intended to complement ongoing efforts to reappraisal nan EU’s REACH framework, which oversees EU regularisation of chemicals.

The revised matter could travel by nan extremity of nan year, pursuing respective postponements. Roswall denies accusations from biology and user groups that nan Commission is prioritising nan demands of manufacture complete nan environment.

"When we spot nan chemic industry, which is an important manufacture for each different industries, that is existent because different industries request nan products and we request an manufacture present successful Europe, that is important for each of us." 

Tackling nan illness of biodiversity

Roswall said she believes it's imaginable to support nan situation and besides relieve nan load connected farmers erstwhile it comes to regulations. 

"If we don't person nature, we don't person farming—and of course, nan other is besides true. So, I would opportunity that we are moving toward nan aforesaid goal. When it comes to simplification, for me, it's really astir reporting. For example, I cognize we're focusing connected really we tin make it easier for farmers to study less."

When discussing nan needs of tackling nan illness of biodiversity, Roswall says she is pushing for a speech betwixt farmers and NGOs which she says is cardinal successful knowing each other's perspectives. 

She suggests quality credits - financial instruments that tin beryllium traded aliases utilized to offset biodiversity impacts - would boost backstage assemblage finance and biodiversity conservation. 

"I would still reason that this is thing that we request to do and we cognize that we want to do it, but we request to beryllium smarter erstwhile we do it," she said.