In a pivotal bilateral meeting today, Kostas Bakoyannis, Chair of the ENVE Commission, and Piotr Całbecki, Chair of the NAT Commission, reaffirmed their commitment to closer collaboration on critical cross-commission priorities, including water resilience, sustainable agriculture, health, climate preparedness, and the Green Deal.
As Europe faces increasing challenges from climate change, the two leaders underscored the need for a united approach. “We are not just responding to crises — we are planning for the future,” said Bakoyannis. “Water resilience, climate adaptation, and sustainability are shared responsibilities, and only by joining forces can we ensure meaningful impact for our villages, cities and regions.”
Piotr Całbecki emphasized the growing overlap in their commissions’ work. “Our citizens don’t experience climate change in silos, and neither should we approach our policies in isolation. Cooperation between ENVE and NAT is not optional — it’s essential,” he stated.
A key topic was the upcoming EU Water Resilience Strategy, expected in May. Both commissions are actively contributing to the initiative, with ENVE preparing a dedicated opinion and NAT offering close collaboration, building on its recent work on the EU Blue Deal.
“We must recognize water as a strategic priority — not only in rhetoric but in resources,” said Całbecki. “The CAP budget must continue supporting green-blue infrastructure and incentivize water-efficient farming.”
Kostas Bakoyannis added, “This is about building a resilient Europe from the ground up — from our farms and rural areas to our cities. We are looking at climate preparedness through the lens of communities.”
They also discussed the coordination of efforts on the Soil Monitoring Law and emerging policies such as nature credits, where both commissions have a stake. The Chairs supported mutual participation in working groups and emphasized sharing best practices through joint study visits and engagement with the Joint Research Centre.
Both leaders highlighted the importance of political and technical coordination: “We need clear channels of cooperation at all levels — rapporteurs, conferences, and working group meetings,” said Piotr Całbecki.
Looking ahead, the EPP-CoR group is gearing up for its external seminar in Valencia this April, which they see as a timely opportunity to elevate regional voices in shaping EU-wide strategies.
“With floods, droughts, and food insecurity rising, our work has never been more urgent,” Bakoyannis concluded. “This is just the beginning of a deeper, action-oriented partnership.”