A mid-term evaluation of the implementation of the EU Zero Pollution Action Plan (review of the EU’s Zero Pollution Action Plan) has warned that the delayed implementation of pollution control measures is negatively impacting the EU’s public health, environmental sustainability and global competitiveness.
The report was released as part of the eighth meeting of the Zero Pollution Stakeholders Platform and highlights the link between the environmental, economic and health sectors.
The reductions in air, water, soil and noise pollution all result in improved health outcomes the report says. It also notes that sustainable management and preservation of natural resources leads to improved ecosystems. Furthermore, creating cleaner and less wasteful production and consumption methods will lead to more competitive industries. All in all, the Commission argues that these elements lead to positive transformations and improve quality of life.
“Europe has some of the world’s most ambitious laws to tackle pollution and they are already delivering real benefits for people’s health and our economy. But we need to act decisively for all Europeans.”- Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and Competitive Circular Economy
Policy framework in place, but execution lags
The initiative was launched in 2021 as one of the main pillars of the European Green Deal’s vision for a “toxic-free environment.” The Action Plan aims to reduce emissions of harmful pollutants to levels “no longer considered harmful” by 2050.
Since its launch, the European Commission has amended some directives that target specific environmental issues. These include directives related to water, biodiversity, chemicals, air, climate and industrial pollution. The commission has also launched new initiatives such as the EU Water Resilience Strategy, the Ocean Pact and sectoral roadmaps for agriculture, food and chemicals.
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Although there are legislative directives in place for most areas covered, their implementation and enforcement by member states do not appear to be going according to plan.
The assessment report identifies stagnating or deteriorating environmental parameters that have been adversely affected by poor implementation. However, the report also admits that there is a lack of coordinated efforts between various sectors. The assessment clarifies which parts of the strategy have been effective and which need additional effort from member states.
New and persistent threats
The report highlights “forever chemicals” (PFASs) as an emerging environmental and economic issue. These substances remain in the environment indefinitely and are highly toxic to living organisms. The commission has already conducted an assessment on the cost of PFASs in Europe.
The document also highlights noise pollution as a persistent problem. The EU is not on track to meet its 2030 target of reducing by 30 per cent the number of people affected by chronic noise generated by transport.
Although legislative directives targeting these problems exist, implementation for both has been slow compared to other areas.
Future prospect
The commission has reiterated its intention to deliver full implementation by 2030. If failed to act promptly, then there could be consequences regarding economic resilience. Given the draft report was presented on Nov 14th during COP28 first day, it is expected that the Commission will continue assessing the gaps where the implementation is lacking and might be exploring the possibilities of revising the legislation.
There might be new proposed legislation that will help fill the gap that is observed as lacking in the current plans. Many agencies have welcomed this revision of the plan and will likely provide positive feedback towards increasing its comprehensiveness.
