Proposals and Topics
On this page, you will find a summary description of all the Conference proposals and the corresponding specific measures. These follow the order of the nine CoFE themes. To select a theme, please click on the right- side menu. It will first display the proposals for each theme, followed by a summary description of the corresponding measures.
1. Climate change and the environment
· Agriculture, food production, biodiversity and ecosystems, pollution(1)
· Agriculture, food production, biodiversity and ecosystems, pollution(2)
· Climate change, energy, transport(1)
· Climate change, energy, transport(2)
· Sustainable consumption, packaging and production
· Information, awareness, dialogue and life-style
Agriculture, food production, biodiversity and ecosystems, pollution: In order to have safe, sustainable, just, climate responsible and affordable production of food in Europe, which safeguards biodiversity, the Conference Plenary proposes to redirect subsidies and strengthen incentives towards organic farming and sustainable agriculture including through certification of carbon removals. It also calls for a significant reduction of the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, while still ensuring food security, as well as more research and innovation and better conditions for farmers.
To protect and restore biodiversity, the landscape and oceans, and eliminate pollution, the proposals say the EU needs to step up the protection of nature and biodiversity. There should be support to reforestation and binding national targets in Member States. Pollinators and other insects should be better protected and efforts to protect water sources and combat pollution in rivers and oceans must be stepped up. New constructions should foresee green spaces. The ban on single use plastics should be enforced and extended.
Climate change, energy, transport: To enhance European energy independence, provide Europeans with sufficient, affordable and sustainable energy and to tackle climate change, the proposals suggest reducing dependencies from oil and gas imports. To this end, the EU needs to speed up the green transition, in particular through more investments in renewable energy, improve energy efficiency, more affordable public transport, improve infrastructure for cycling and promote (shared) use of electric vehicles. The EU should invest in high-speed and night trains to provide a credible alternative and facilitate the possibility to replace and discourage short distance flights. The EU must allocate adequate funding for the green and just transition and protection of workers and jobs and set-up an investment package for climate-friendly technologies to be financed through carbon border adjustment levies.
Sustainable consumption, packaging and production: To become more circular, more autonomous, and less dependent, the EU must promote sustainable products to ensure all products placed on the EU market comply with high EU environmental standards. This should be done by establishing a transparent labelling system for all products sold in the EU regarding their environmental footprint using a QR-code and eco-score, or the Digital Product Passport. To avoid more waste (including export of waste), prevention and reuse targets must be set and an EU-wide return-scheme for packaging installed. The Conference Plenary also calls for rapid implementation of an ambitious sustainable textile strategy and measures to tackle early or pre-mature (including planned) obsolescence and EU actions that enable and incentivize consumers to use products longer and promote a right to repair.
Information, awareness, dialogue and life-style: To foster knowledge, awareness, education, and dialogues on environment, climate change, energy use, and sustainability, the Plenary proposes to create an interactive fact-checked information platform with regularly updated scientific environmental information, support information campaigns on eco-awareness, including a long-term EU campaign for sustainable consumption and lifestyle. The role and action of the EU in the area of environment and education should be increased by extending the EU's competence in education on climate change and environment and by extending the use of qualified majority decision-making on topics identified as being of 'European interest', such as the environment. The Plenary also wants the EU to develop a common European charter targeting environmental issues and provide educational courses and teaching materials (including on food production and biodiversity protection) for all in order to increase climate and sustainability literacy. A plant-based diet should also be promoted.