Today, July 5, 2022, under the chairmanship of the Deputy Prime Minister for Climate Policies and Minister of Environment and Water Borislav Sandov, the Consultative Council for the European Green Deal renewed its work. The Council is the body that is expected to set the framework for future reforms and investments for decarbonization and modernization of the Bulgarian economy.

“The damage that climate change is already doing will cost us more and more. Valuable decades were lost in postponing the urgent, and many nations found themselves hostage to old understandings, technologies, and development models. The desire to follow the path of least resistance, it turns out, leads to regress, not progress. However, challenges are also opportunities. Climate change may prove to be the greatest economic opportunity of this century. And if it is true that intelligence is measured by our ability to deal with challenges and take advantage of opportunities, then it is our common duty to approach both the problem and the opportunities arising from it sensibly,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.

Since its establishment more than two years ago, the Council has held two meetings without succeeding to establish a workable mechanism for dialogue with stakeholders. The new government has introduced changes to the working mechanism to ensure wider participation in proposing solutions on the way to decarbonisation. For this purpose, departmental committees have been formed, which will focus the work on specific topics: energy transition, sustainable mobility, energy efficiency and overcoming energy poverty, taxonomy and sustainable finance, the circular economy, adaptation to climate change, as well as communication related to the processes of green transformation.

The EU budget foresees over 15 billion BGN for Bulgaria, whereby our country must carry out reforms and invest in solutions contributing to the energy independence and climate neutrality of our economy. The process will be complex and to be successful it needs to be managed transparently with the participation of all interested parties.

“In forming this Council, we tried to set the framework in such a way as to include all interested parties in making the important decisions on the way to decarbonization of our economy. We strive to work in a transparent and open manner. Let’s build trust with each other and show together that this is the right way, regardless of who is leading the government. The green transformation will happen with or without us. But the quick reaction, the right moves and the support by society is the combination that will help us be  winners from the irreversible changes that the world is facing at the moment,” highlighted Vice Prime Minister Sandov.

At the meeting, the Council adopted an annual program and chose July 8, 2022 for the launch of the Energy Transition Commission (ETC). The Commission for Sustainable Mobility (CSM) will hold its first meeting next week. Applications for membership can be submitted until Thursday, July 7, and organizations, institutions and business representatives with proven expertise and experience in the specified fields can participate in the work of the commissions. After the first meetings of these two committees, the Consultative Council for the Green Pact will launch an invitation for inclusion in the other departmental committees.

In this process, Bulgaria must develop capacity and a mechanism for active dialogue within the framework of the reforms for the Recovery and Resilience Plan, the decarbonization policies and the goals within the framework of the European Green Pact.

More information about the Council can be found here: http://saveti.government.bg/web/cc_2002/1