The scientific opinion paper "For a green and just transition in Europe" contains recommendations for the EU's future environmental and climate policy. It is closely linked to the 8th EU Environment Action Programme, which sets comprehensive targets for 2030. UBA and BfN advocate immediate and simultaneous action in the areas of climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity conservation, promotion of the circular economy and sustainable agriculture, and pollution prevention. To this end, future environmental and climate policy should be guided by a systematic and integrated approach.

With regard to the EU's biodiversity policy, the publication emphasises that biodiversity and intact ecosystems are not only worth protecting for their own sake, but are also essential for human well-being. Among other things, they provide vital contributions to food security, climate protection and adaptation to climate change. In order to counteract the rapid loss of biodiversity in the EU, the consistent implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 is therefore urgently required. 

This includes the ambitious and timely implementation of the new EU Nature Restoration Law, which was adopted by the European Council on June 17 and represents a fundamental milestone for nature conservation policy in Europe. The paper emphasises the urgent need for action to effectively implement the EU's biodiversity policy, integrate biodiversity objectives into other policy areas and step up efforts for ecosystem restoration. 

In addition to policy recommendations, the paper also presents principles and key mechanisms for an effective environmental and sustainability policy. For example, the social dimension of environmental and climate policy must be given greater prominence - not least in order to promote social acceptance of the necessary change.

The elections to the new European Parliament in June 2024 and the appointment of the new European Commission in autumn 2024 offer a very good opportunity to provide targeted impetus for the discussion on the EU's climate and environmental policy in the coming years. The paper is therefore aimed at both the members of the new European Parliament and the members of the new European Commission. Moreover, it is also aimed at other interested actors who wish to advance the discussion on a future-oriented EU climate and environmental policy.