Editorial
Dear readers,
As the Christmas break is just around the corner, the European Parliament Intergroup on "Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Sustainable Development" is wrapping up its activities of 2016, and is already in preparation for further facilitating dialogue and exchange on relevant topics to be discussed in 2017. These include climate change, with the outcomes of the recent UNFCCC COP22 that took place in Marrakech, the last phases of the circular economy debate in the European Parliament, the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals at the European level, the LULUCF discussion in the Parliament, and many others.
Looking back to the last weeks of the year, the Intergroup’s Vice-Chairs Maurice Ponga and Alain Cadec co-hosted the event "What Future for Fisheries in the European Outermost Regions?" on the 10th of November, bringing together the working groups on “Island and Overseas Entities” and on “Fisheries, Aquaculture & Integrated Maritime Policy”. The conference welcomed representatives from the fisheries sector in the EU Outermost Regions, highlighting the challenges faced by these regions and enabling discussion in order to find solutions.
On the 22nd of November MEP Paul Rübig, Chair of the working group on "Research & Innovation" hosted a breakfast meeting in Strasbourg entitled "Innovating Europe's Energy Future: The Role of Gas”. The meeting gathered stakeholders and experts to discuss the need for innovative energy sources and particular the role of gas as a complement to renewable energy sources, underlining its benefits and challenges as the EU aims to achieve its 2030 climate and energy targets.
In light of the new EU Arctic Policy and the European Parliament’s on-going discussion, MEP Christel Schaldemose, Chair of the "Arctic" working group, hosted the event "The European Arctic Policy: International Cooperation towards Sustainable Development" on the 29th of November. This breakfast meeting welcomed representatives from European and non-European Arctic countries, to hear the perspectives on the various challenges faced in this region.
On the 1st of December, the day after the Commission released its Clean Energy for All proposals which includes the Revised Renewable Energy Directive, the Chair of the Intergroup MEP Pavel Poc alongside MEP Jytte Guteland co-hosted the event "Sustainable Forest Biomass in light of COP21 Paris", highlighting the role that forests and woody biomass play in achieving the EU policy framework on climate and energy.
You will find more information on these past events below.
We would also like to take this opportunity to wish you a happy holiday season and looking forward to seeing you in 2017!
The Secretariat
