The metropolitan mayors of Visegrád Group countries believe their cities must play key roles in green rebuilding, they fully support the European Green Deal and urge the European Union to increase its 2030 targets for cutting emissions, the Mayor’s Office said.
In an open letter signed by the city leaders and addressed to the head and members of the European Council, they made further proposals asking the council to help the cities take firm action to protect the climate, the statement said.
The letter published ahead of the European Council meeting of June 18-19 states that recovery measures in the wake of the novel coronavirus epidemic must not neglect the climate crisis which poses an even greater challenge than the pandemic. The European Green Deal must form an integral part of the EU recovery strategy, the mayors added.
Member states should increase their emission reduction ambitions and raise the EU 2030 target from 40 percent to 55 percent, they highlighted.
The mayors proposed that the EU should create legal agreements to provide direct support for the cities’ emission reduction projects. The mayors believe the EU’s new recovery measures should include a European Recovery Fund which provides support to cities and their residents directly or through commercial banks.
Featured photo illustration from Gergely Karácsony’s Facebook profile.