EU Action Plan aims Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil
On 12 May 2021, the European Commission adopted the EU Action Plan: Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil which should help to fill up the goals of the Europe Green Deal and which translates the EU's ambition into action − significantly reduce pollution by 2050 and create a healthy planet for healthy people.
The newly adopted action plan ties together all relevant EU policies in this field, presents the necessary steps to achieve these goals and emphasizes the use of digital technologies in their fulfillment. The Action Plan sets key 2030 targets, initiatives and actions to reduce pollution, in instance reviewing the standards for the quality of water and air, reviewing the majority of EU waste laws, reducing the EU's external pollution footprint. Regarding the key 2030 targets to reduce pollution they consist in following:
- improving air quality to reduce the number of premature deaths caused by air pollution by 55%
- improving water quality by reducing waste, plastic litter at sea (by 50%) and microplastics released into the environment (by 30%)
- improving soil quality by reducing nutrient losses and chemical pesticides' use by 50%
- reducing by 25% the EU ecosystems where air pollution threatens biodiversity
- reducing the share of people chronically disturbed by transport noise by 30%
- significantly reducing waste generation and by 50% residual municipal waste
On 3 May−13 June 2021 will take place EU Green Week, which will give among others opportunity to discuss zero pollution from its many angles.
More information in EC´s press release, which is a source of the mentioned information, or in the Action plan.