Ahead of the European Council meeting of 18-19 June, the mayors of Budapest, Bratislava, Prague, Warsaw, the capitals of the V4 countries sent an open letter to the President and all members of the European Council. The mayors – representing more than 5 million people and around 20 percent of the Visegrad Group’s economic output - fully endorsed the European Green Deal, urged the EU to increase its current emissions reduction targets by 2030, and proposed additional measures to the Council to support cities in robust climate action.
Key messages from the letter:
Post-pandemic recovery measures must not lose sight of the escalating climate crisis, a challenge even greater than the coronavirus. The European Green Deal must be an integral part of the EU’s recovery strategy.
Member States should raise their emission reduction ambitions and increase the EU’s 2030 target from 40% to 55%.
The EU should establish legal arrengements (EU-city contracts) to provide direct funds for city-level emission reduction projects.
The EU’s new recovery measures should include a specific European Building Renovation Fund, providing grants combined with loans to cities and citizens directly or via commercial banks.
The V4 mayors open letter
