The European Climate Pact

The European Green Deal is an ambitious strategy for making the EU's economy sustainable; it outlines and bolsters major changes across all policy areas to make Europe climate neutral by 2050, ensuring the transition is just and inclusive. The climate crisis affects us all and the overarching environmental ambition of the European Green Deal will not be achieved by EU decision makers acting alone. Delivering on the European Green Deal is therefore a collective challenge and responsibility, which calls for collaboration between all levels of government, business, civil society organisations and citizens.

The EESC strongly supports the European Green Deal. The effective implementation of the European Green Deal depends on the active participation of all parts of society. The EESC seeks to strengthen the voice and engagement of civil society – enterprises, workers, researchers, consumers, communities and citizens and their organisations. As such, a shift to a participatory model at all levels of scale will further mobilise climate action.The European Climate Pact plays a vital role in reinforcing climate action from the ground up. As part of the European Green Deal, the Climate Pact is an EU-initiative inviting people, communities and organisations to contribute to shaping a greener and more sustainable Europe where no one is left behind. The Climate Pact focuses on empowering citizens to support the needed systemic changes – through exploration, experimentation and demonstration.

The Climate Pact will focus on spreading awareness, and supporting action, while building on and supporting existing initiatives. It offers an open and lively space that brings together everyone who is committed to participating in climate action and solutions – individual, collective, small and big. As the EESC called for in its recent opinions, the Climate Pact should support existing and new climate action via peer-learning, education, capacity-building, removing barriers and facilitating access to finance. By sharing ideas and inspiring each other, we can multiply our collective impact!

"The Climate Pact is an important opportunity to model an innovative participatory approach, which will mirror, support and inspire action already happening in civil society, within communities, cities and regions." Peter Schmidt, EESC NAT Section President and Co-Rapporteur of the European Climate Pact opinion.

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