Commission seeks mandate from member states to negotiate a 'Global Pact for the #Environment'

The European Commission has asked Council for a mandate to negotiate an international Global Pact for the Environment on behalf of the European Union. The request, in the form of a Recommendation comes after the initiative was presented by the French President, Emmanuel Macron, in September 2017 in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The Pact would consolidate in a single international text the fundamental principles of international environmental law, such as the right to an ecologically healthy environment or the duty to take care of the environment. Today's recommendation to the Council aims at ensuring that all member states of the European Union act together, making sure that European environmental policies and laws are respected.

Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Commissioner Karmenu Vella said: "When it comes to the environment, we're all in it together. The upcoming UN negotiations on a Global Pact for the Environment present a fresh opportunity to consolidate key environmental principles in one international text.  Today's action will allow European collective leadership in the process."

The European Union has some of the most advanced and comprehensive environmental policies in the world, and is committed to promoting sustainable development worldwide. As a strong global actor, it has been leading the way in numerous UN processes and negotiations, such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate action.

For more information, click here.

Share this article: