H.E. Ramona Chiriac’s opening keynote speech at Business Review’s Environmental Sustainability Summit 2023

H.E. Ramona Chiriac is a career diplomat with nearly 20 years of experience in EU affairs, including at national level in Romania. As the head of the European Commission’s Representation in Bucharest, she acts as the official representative of the European Commission in Romania.

H.E. Ramona Chiriac was a keynote speaker at the Environmental Sustainability Summit 2023, opening Day 1 of the event, which took place on October 4th, at The Marmorosch Bucharest, Autograph Collection. The summit aims to bring together business leaders, policymakers, and experts to discuss and share ideas on how to achieve sustainable development goals and create a new normality through sustainable means.

Based on her extensive experience and expertise in EU affairs, H.E.Ramona Chiriac has provided valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities of achieving environmental sustainability in Romania and Europe as a whole. We are fully reproducing the keynote speech by H.E. Ramona Chiriac in the text below, or you can watch the recording in the following video:

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The Environmental & Sustainability Summit 2023: Challenges and opportunities for a better future

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H.E. Ramona Chiriac, Head of the European Commission’s Representation in Bucharest: Decarbonisation and economic growth go together

“Ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you for inviting me to address you today on these two issues – Environment and Sustainability – which are at the heart of the European Commission’s priorities. Environment and Sustainability are key elements of our Green Deal agenda- a key, and one of the most complex political priorities of the Von Der Leyen Commission. Its goal is to set the EU economy on track for achieving a net zero carbon economy by 2050, thus reflecting our joint commitment to achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement by tackling climate change and biodiversity loss. The Green Deal is Europe’s growth agenda, connecting closely the twin- clean and digital – transitions. It brings about opportunities for modernisation, economic growth and innovation, as well as for developing new skills for a future that is greener and more sustainable.

Throughout this mandate, the Commission has been working to this end, providing the necessary frame, incentives, and investments in all areas compounded by the Green Deal, notably climate- energy and environment. And, in spite of significant challenges- the pandemic, Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine and the ensuing energy crisis, supply chain issues and unfair competition, Europe has stayed the course and it delivered on its ambition. Today, following our successful joint response to the energy crisis, we are in a more comfortable position in terms of preparedness and energy choices available.

At EU level renewables made a significant leap forward and Russia is no longer our key supplier. (gas imports from Russia went down from 45% in 2021 to around 15% by June this year). The energy transition allows national economies to leap into the future and place themselves ahead of the curve in a global game for smarter and more competitive economies. Initiatives put forward by the Commission, such as the Net Zero Industry Act or the Critical Raw Materials Act – show that the Commission firmly believes that decarbonsiation goes hand in hand with economic development, with the reindustrialization of Europe, with new value chains and new skills championing clean energy technologies.

The 2023 European Year of Skills is key to this end, as the Commission and Member States have the opportunity to cooperate and promote investments in training and further skills development for the economy of the future. Also, RepowerEU brings about new avenues of economic development linked to the energy sector such as the production of hydrogen, of biomethane, or development of electricity storage. EU funding is available for action under all these strands also in Romania. This includes the RRP funds allocation of about 12 billion Euro to flow into green transition projects up to 2026.

1.4 bn Euro under Repower EU and significant other funds under cohesion policy, the Just Transition or the Modernization Fund.
In addition, the Commission will organise Clean Transition Dialogues with industry, with the core aim to support every sector in building its business model for the decarbonisation of industry. Because we believe that this transition is essential for our future competitiveness in Europe.

On the environment side, we have put forward several proposals aimed at preserving and protecting Europe’s seas, oceans, forests and the environment, which are a source of natural and economic wealth for Europe. They are important allies against climate change.

Moreover, action plans on circular economy, organic production or zero pollution represent the Union’s continued commitment towards nature restoration and the sustainable development goals.

On climate, we embedded climate neutrality by 2050 in legislation and agreed- with the Fit for 55 package- an important set of interim steps to be reached by 2030. As key legislation is now adopted, Member States must now implement it rapidly and comprehensively. Because, globally, greenhouse gas emissions are still increasing, getting back in 2022 to the rising pre-pandemic trend. And because experts’ reports show us that ongoing climate change is faster than our ability to adapt.
So decisive climate action is needed now, especially where emissions are still significant (buildings and transport) or where progress was slow or backtracking.

Ladies and gentlemen,

An industrial revolution is ongoing, whether we like it or not. And progress towards decarbonsiation and sustainability is part of it. Trends in Europe show continued declining greenhouse gas emissions. Preliminary data translates into a reduction of around 31% compared to 1990, while EU GDP has grown by 67 % over the same period. This confirms the Green Deal’s vision that decarbonisation and economic growth go together.

These are huge development opportunities, for which we are providing for the regulatory and investment framework at EU level. Member States need the strategic vision, political courage and political long-term commitment to take this path assertively.
The Commission will support the European Industry and businesses in this transition, just as it remains committed to honor its pledge of leaving no citizen and no region behind.

I could talk for several hours on this subject and still only scrape the surface of the Commission’s environment and sustainability agenda.

I know you will go deeper into several of these topical issues today, so I wish you a very successful event.

Thank you.”