A series of Cyprus' initiatives on the circular economy were presented at the Environmental Council in Luxembourg by the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Maria Panayiotou.
"Today’s Environmental Council will be discussing water, circular economy and climate action, which are very important in order to build a Europe that is fair, resilient and, of course, future ready," Panayiotou said in remarks on the sidelines of the 21 October session.
"We will present our certification schemes on circular plastics, zero waste guidelines for buildings and events, and, of course, our certification for carbon sequestration by trees, for which we are very proud," the Minister said.
Regarding the agenda items, Panayiotou outlined the topics the Ministers will discuss such as water, circular economy, and climate action, which, as she stated, "are very important for building a Europe that is fair, resilient, and of course, future-ready."
On the first agenda item, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) and the European Council conclusions of October 23, 2025, "Cyprus supports an ambitious EU position, a position that combines ambition with fairness," underlined the minister.
Water resilience
Regarding water resilience and the European Water Resilience Strategy, Panayiotou noted that Cyprus looks forward to the adoption of the Council conclusions. "We are very pleased that a number of priorities that Cyprus has suggested have been adopted," she added.
Specifically, "we have suggested the recognition of the specificities of small island states, the supporting of sustainable desalination and water reuse. Of course, in order to transform this vision, this strategy, into a tangible outcome across Europe, it's important to have adequate financing," she stressed.
The 27 Ministers are expected to adopt the Council conclusions that will determine the EU's negotiating position for COP30, which will take place in Belém, Brazil, from 10 to 21 November.
Global climate action
Discussions will focus on strengthening global climate action and updating the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The Union is expected to urge major emitters to submit their NDCs swiftly and aims to finalize its own before the conference. The conclusions will also call for the recognition of the gap between emissions and action and clear steps for the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
The conclusions will also call for the recognition of the gap between emissions and action and clear steps for the implementation of the Paris Agreement, aiming for consensus on global adaptation indicators to monitor progress on climate resilience.
During the meeting, discussions will also take place on the European Ocean Pact, a new initiative designed to strengthen the EU's ocean policy across six pillars, including marine restoration, blue economy development, support for coastal communities, and maritime security.
(Source: CNA)
