Activities of Marco AFFRONTE related to 2017/2006(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the role of EU regions and cities in implementing the COP 21 Paris Agreement on climate change
Amendments (21)
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Recognises that action by local authorities is key for the ability of governments to implement their commitments in the framework of a global climate action;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Calls for enhancing both individual and coordinated action at EU, regional and local level on adapting to the impacts of climate change;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1c. Stresses that cities are driving urban policy-making, with the ability to connect initiatives with national action plans and focus on initiatives with the greatest impact. Calls for a deeper involving of local administrators in the EU's decision making-process;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 d (new)
Paragraph 1 d (new)
1d. Notes that city mayors are directly accountable to their constituents for their decisions, and they can act more effectively and quickly and often with immediate and impactful results;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 e (new)
Paragraph 1 e (new)
1e. Reminds that cities and regions are responsible for the implementation of more than 70% of EU legislation. Stresses the need to act on urban planning, mobility, public transport and infrastructure, energy performance of buildings, education campaigns, smart cities, smart grid and regional subsidies to implement the Climate Paris Agreement;
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Supports the need of a clear reference to the role of local and regional governments in the COP21 agreement in order to achieve a long-term answer to climate change. The EU has to work on the ground with cities and regions to make European regions and cities more well-connected and sustainable, to create energy efficient municipalities and to develop smarter urban transport networks;
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Calls for an adaptation roadmap monitoring regional and local climate action and incorporating the latest data on adaptation action in the EU, including for reporting towards the EU NDC;
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Is concerned that extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, floods and droughts, are expected to affect many parts of Europe more frequently, making people and ecosystems more vulnerable as long as no adaptation measures are taken; calls for an integrated EU support to improve solidarity and exchange of best practices among Member States and to ensure that regions most affected by climate change are able of taking the necessary measures to adapt;
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Stresses the need for regions to implement and regularly update regional programmes containing measures to facilitate adequate adaptation in order to fight climate change effects. All regions must cooperate in formulation plans for adaption to the impacts of climate change, and to develop integrated plans for coastal zone management and water resources;
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Recognises the need for adaptation measures to achieve coordination and coherence at all levels of planning and management. It is important to ensure joint approaches and full coherence between national adaptation strategies and local risk management plans;
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3c. Recognises that an efficient resource management is fundamental for mitigation and for adaptation purposes, in order to identify joint priorities. Calls for integrated local strategies to achieve a more efficient use of resources and for building resiliency and adapting to the impacts of climate change in the most affected areas;
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 d (new)
Paragraph 3 d (new)
3d. Notes that only fifteen EU Member States have adopted an action plan and an adaptation strategy, with few concrete measures on the ground. Stresses the need to monitor and evaluate all adaptation strategies and action plans on risk prevention, flood or water management;
Amendment 60 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 e (new)
Paragraph 3 e (new)
3e. Local and regional authorities should take integrated and long term actions on climate change mitigation and adaptation at local level;
Amendment 72 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Commission, the EIB and the Member States to focus on developing an appropriate administrative capacity of regions and cities in order to enable them to take full advantage of the public and private financing opportunities available at EU level; Stresses the need for an improved financial assistance to help local and regional authorities to implement coherent climate measures. Financial facilities like the global climate funds should be directly accessible to local authorities;
Amendment 79 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses the need to stimulate energy transition and local investment in climate mitigation and adaptation measures, by streamlining regulations, reducing bureaucracy, enabling innovative solutions, and encouraging partnerships with local communities and civil society, with a view to promoting climate action; calls for national initiatives aiming to raise citizen awareness on the effect of climate change;
Amendment 82 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Welcomes cities initiatives like smart cities and smart grid that seek to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to increase resource efficiency addressing climate change and achieving green growth, promoting areas linked by public transport systems. Considering that cities are the major contributors of greenhouse gas emissions, regions have to improve green cities arrangements aiming to an urban and national green growth. Solutions like smart grids offer the potential to deliver energy more efficiently to homes and buildings, improving energy efficiency and energy consumption;
Amendment 88 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Stresses the importance for cities to take a lead role in the fight against climate change, promoting the use of public transport and railroad transport. Taking note that traffic congestion is a large contributor of carbon emissions, EU has to work on the ground with cities and regions to make EU regions and cities more energy-efficient and well-connected, in order to develop smarter urban transport networks for a more climate resilient world;
Amendment 92 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 c (new)
Paragraph 6 c (new)
6c. Reiterates the importance for regions to apply at national level the European buildings directives;
Amendment 95 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 d (new)
Paragraph 6 d (new)
6d. Calls for a strengthening partnerships between EU and local and regional governments to reinforce procedures to accelerate local climate actions in the framework of the circular economy, in order to reduce waste, control climate change and use resources more efficiently;
Amendment 98 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 e (new)
Paragraph 6 e (new)
6e. Calls for national governments to help cities and regions to implement international commitments to support climate and energy initiatives at local and regional level;
Amendment 102 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s decision to draft a special report on cities and climate in 2023, and calls on the Commission to take an active part in its drawing-up and to champion a multi-level territorial vision of climate action. Believes that cities should provide input into the next 2018 global climate report. Cities and regions can influence policy making after the Paris Agreement implementing a strategic approach to act against global warming and support mitigation and adaptation actions in urban areas, where more than half of the world's population live.