Environment ministers in Budapest: What’s on the agenda

COP29, the circular economy’s potential to boost competitiveness and water scarcity will be high on the agenda at an informal meeting of EU environment ministers in Budapest, organised by the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU between 11 and 12 July.

The meeting occurs amid disquiet over Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s recent solo visits to Moscow and Beijing in the opening days of Hungary’s presidency and it’s not known how many ministers have confirmed their attendance.

However, a similar informal meeting focused on industry on 9 July was attended by fewer senior ministers than normal, amidst talk of an unofficial boycott of the Hungarian Presidency.

Hungary’s EU Affairs Minister János Bóka told reporters in Brussels that “we have received no indication from any member states that political considerations would influence the level of their representation at informal meetings.”

Despite the wider political tension, Hungary has prepared an agenda focused on several key environmental files:

COP29 in Azerbaijan

Attending environment ministers will discuss the EU’s position before the 29th session of the ‘Conference of the Parties’ (COP) global climate negotiations. This year’s gathering, COP29, will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, between 11 and 22 November 2024.

Discussions in Budapest will likely cover climate finance – a key focus of COP29.

COP29 delegates will be charged with devising a new goal to replace the current annual target of $100 billion in finance for developing countries. Delegates should also continue to work on establishing international carbon markets.

Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister and COP29 lead Negotiator Yalchin Rafiyev will join EU ministers in Budapest.

Competitiveness of the circular economy

During lunch, ministers will discuss the circular economy and its opportunities to boost Europe’s economic competitiveness.

Competitiveness is a central theme of the Hungarian Presidency and ministers already had a meeting exclusively dedicated to the topic on 8 and 9 July.

Although a Green Deal topic, the circular economy has survived the backlash against environmental topics, as it is also related to industrial growth and strategic autonomy – two themes which dominated the European Parliament election campaigns.

For example, the EU heavily depends on imported critical raw materials such as lithium, which will be a key material in Europe’s future decarbonised energy systems.

New circular value chains, which incorporate the recycling of such materials, can help Europe increase its independence while also maintaining more economic activity within the continent.

Water management in times of drought

Southern Europe is currently severely affected by drought, which could worsen in the coming summer months. More broadly, Europe is expected to experience greater droughts due to climate change.

Effective water management measures and support between countries may prove decisive in ensuring continued access to water for citizens and ministers will discuss how to deliver resilient water management across different sectors.

Additional reporting by Thomas Moller-Nielsen

[Edited by Donagh Cagney/Alice Taylor]

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