making the European Green Deal work for international partnerships

The European Commission’s Green Deal can help solving the international climate and biodiversity emergencies by shaping stronger and more sustainable partnerships with tropical forested countries. But this will only succeed, if it reconciles environmental sustainability, climate resilience and inclusive development. 

In this briefing, 14 NGOs and networks, including IFAW, highlight how International Partnerships Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen can use the European Green Deal to help fight climate change and support greener development policies that leaves no one behind.

This set of recommendations responds to the European Commission’s Communication (11 December 2019) and sets out guiding principles and policy recommendations for Commissioner Urpilainen, to ensure the European Green Deal delivers for people in the EU’s partner countries, the climate and biodiversity.

Recommendations cover EU actions on the Paris Climate Agreement and the Convention on Biodiversity, the Renewed Partnership and the Comprehensive Strategy with Africa, funding the transition and programming the Neighbourhood, Development & International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI).

The paper sets out principles to guide action to ensure the European Green Deal delivers for people in the EU's partner countries, the climate and biodiversity: policy coherence for sustainable development, climate and environment mainstreaming, a human-rights based approach, gender equality, and inclusiveness and participation.