"A transição verde e a competitividade não são antagónicas", afirma Jessika Roswall
Em entrevista à Euronews, Jessika Roswall, comissária responsável pelo Ambiente e pela Resiliência Hídrica, explica que é possível a Europa ter uma economia forte e competitiva e, ao mesmo tempo, proteger o acesso à água potável e eliminar os produtos químicos nocivos do ambiente.
LEIA MAIS : http://pt.euronews.com/2025/06/05/a-transicao-verde-e-a-competitividade-nao-sao-antagonicas-afirma-jessika-roswall
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00:10My guest this week is EU Commissioner for Water Resilience and the Environment, Jessica Roswell.
00:14She says it is possible for Europe to have a strong, competitive economy
00:19while also protecting access to clean drinking water
00:22and removing harmful chemicals from the environment.
00:25Commissioner Roswell, EU Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resilience.
00:31Thank you very much for joining us on the Europe Conversation.
00:34Thank you very much for having me.
00:35Now, you've announced this new EU strategy on water resilience.
00:38Obviously, there's a lot to it.
00:40But let's take on board, for example, the fact that there are major droughts all across the world.
00:46It's a big issue for security, for displacement.
00:49But actually, here in Europe, we're also seeing droughts in not just the south of Europe,
00:53but also the north of Europe.
00:54So it's coming much closer to home.
00:57What's the EU strategy on this?
00:58No, it's exactly what you say.
01:00We have taken water for granted for so long, and we cannot continue like that
01:05because extreme weather events have become the new normal in one way.
01:11And to be clear also that the water scarcity that Europe is facing, the Europe's land, is 30%.
01:17So we have both problems with too much water sometimes, too little water, but also polluted water.
01:23So we need to act.
01:25So what exactly is the plan?
01:26So it's built on a...
01:28It's horizontal because it's not one problem that can be solved.
01:32It's a lot of things.
01:33But first, we need to focus on repairing the broken water cycle.
01:37That is the issue with too much water and too little water.
01:41Okay, so anyway, you're also Commissioner for the Environment, and we've talked for a long time about this forever chemicals
01:48that basically are in everything that we consume, whether it's wine, it's in our clothes, it's in our cosmetics, our makeup, everything.
01:55And it's carcinogenic.
01:57And you in the past have said that you'd like to take it away from consumer goods at least.
02:03Can you tell us what do you mean by consumer goods?
02:05Because there are concerns that this is a very narrow interpretation.
02:09And before, the EU had said that it would actually end the use of PFAS.
02:14So back to water also, because as I said, in the strategy, we are working on the quantity of water,
02:20which is extremely important because that is the issue that we face all over Europe.
02:24Of course, some parts of Europe faces it more than others, but as you rightly said, we have droughts also in the north of Europe.
02:30The other part is the quality of water, where we see that water quality in Europe is polluted.
02:36And one thing that we talk a lot about is PFAS, rightly so.
02:40I also have concerns, and I do really understand people's worrying, but the water has also other pollutions.
02:46Just want to have that said.
02:47So what we have said, and I'm working together with my colleague Stefan Sessioni on also on chemicals as such,
02:54But we have said that we would like to try to seek clarity when it comes to PFAS.
03:00That has been asked both for you and me as consumer, but also from the industries to have some clarity on what is going to happen,
03:08to invest, to find solutions and substitutes.
03:10So we have said that we will try to seek a ban when it comes to consumer products, because there we do decisions all the time.
03:18But, you know, PFAS is like ten thousands of difference.
03:20Exactly, yeah.
03:21So it's not easy.
03:21But we have decisions that we take out, forbid, using PFAS in pizza boxes, in rain clothes, and also in fire phones quite recently.
03:32And for example cosmetics and things that we consumer use.
03:36But with that said, why don't we go further, as you say?
03:39Yes, the problem is that we need PFAS in a lot of different products.
03:45For example, medical products like inhalators, things that you use when you go to a surgery, or a lot of things that we are, there is no substitution.
03:55And where would you like to see this happen?
03:57Because it's an ongoing discussion.
03:58It takes a long time, because as I said, it's a huge substance, if you may say so.
04:05So that takes time.
04:06So that is what we are waiting for.
04:07We're working close with ECHA and see all the progress on that.
04:11So I would say the push is from both industry, of course from people that I understand.
04:16It's worried me also living in hotspots that we have a lot of PFAS.
04:20So that is the other leg, I would say, that we are working on both how to use it in a sustainable way, if you may say.
04:28But we need also at the same time work on how to clean up.
04:32Yeah.
04:32Would you be hopeful, though, that there will be much less use of PFAS?
04:35I mean, like, you take it away from as many products as possible.
04:38Is that the aim?
04:39That's the aim, absolutely.
04:40And also when it comes, when we need to use it, also that it's used in a very safe way.
04:45There's also concerns about the plan to overhaul reach, which is the EU's regulation when it comes to other harmful chemicals as well.
04:54I mean, a lot of the environmental groups will say that the EU is really trying to move away from the well-agreed science in order to support industry, to allow, I suppose, the use of many more chemicals.
05:08Can you tell us what your plan is for the overhaul of reach?
05:10When we see the chemical industry, which is an important industry for all other industries, the chemical industry, they sometimes say, and that is true because other industries need the products, and we need an industry here in Europe.
05:23That is important for all of us.
05:25And, of course, the chemical industry faces the challenges that all industries in Europe faces with high energy costs and regulation that is burdensome.
05:34So that is what we were looking for.
05:35Also, how can we also protect that we have this important industry?
05:40So that, in one thing, is also to look in the challenges that the industry has.
05:46Of course, we're also looking into the reach is one thing that is put forward.
05:51And that is a good legislation, 20 years old.
05:54Actually, a Swedish commissioner, Margot Vassum, who put it in place.
05:58But is the priority public safety over sort of industry, you know, because this is a real concern that a lot of the environmental groups will have.
06:06And also, it comes within the context of, you know, competitiveness and moving away from the green deal.
06:13We see there's a shift politically.
06:15No, but I don't see it.
06:16So both, from my perspective, is the green transition is and the competitiveness is not contradictory.
06:22It's like the two sides of the same coin.
06:25So for me, that is not the issue.
06:26And I cannot say that we are protecting something more than we need to, of course, be very mindful when it comes to people's health and the environment.
06:33And that nobody opposes that, not the industry.
06:36I mean, nobody, me and you, as human beings.
06:40So that, I think, I feel very safe on.
06:42And also, it's about security when it comes to investment in nature.
06:46Back to water, maybe, because water is an asset, a resource that we need when it comes to food production.
06:53That is about preparedness and security.
06:55But it's also for having the energy production.
06:58It's about transport.
07:00So, I mean, for me, focus in investing in water is investing in nature.
07:05So I don't see the contradiction.
07:07It's just that, you mean, you're from the European People's Party, the same party as President of the European Commission, as Manfred Weber, and so on.
07:13Voting down the nature restoration law, watering down legislation on pesticides.
07:19These are all the things that we've seen over the past couple of years that people would say, right, is the Commission prioritizing health and safety of our land?
07:28You know, when we're going through a biodiversity crisis, or is it industry and farmers?
07:33Yeah, but I don't see the contradiction.
07:34That's what has happened.
07:35I mean, they literally did vote against the nature restoration law and have watered down legislation on pesticides.
07:42What I'm focusing on, and my mission letter, and the guidance from the president, is that we need to focus on these things.
07:48And when it comes to investment in nature, it's crucial both for a security, as I said, but also for industry and focusing on that.
07:55And the nature restoration is now coming into force.
07:58I have a good dialogue with a lot of members on how to reach the coast.
08:01Were you for keeping it, or did you want to do it?
08:03I was in another position at that time.
08:05I mean, personally, I guess.
08:06Yeah, but that and the argument, I was in the Swedish government, and Sweden voted no, yes.
08:10You voted against?
08:12Sweden, exactly.
08:13Do you know, a lot of scientists, global warming scientists would say that we're actually hitting a new wave of opposition to dealing with climate change.
08:21I mean, you hear a lot of people complaining about net zero, and we talk mainly about industry.
08:27We have the European Parliament move very much to the right, where a lot of those parties vote against strong legislation protecting the environment.
08:35We also have, I suppose, in the United States, Donald Trump.
08:39First thing he did was pull out of the Paris climate accord.
08:43Yes, and that makes it even more important for Europe to stay in the front and stay in the lead.
08:47And that's where I think that we should be, and that is what I'm working for.
08:50And I think that I have, I know that I have strong support also for this, both from industries and from the political groups.
08:58But with that said, we also need to focus on simplification, on how to reach those goals in a more efficient way.
09:05Tell us what that would look like to you, because obviously, like I said, there's a biodiversity crisis that is obviously no small part to pollution, chemicals and so on.
09:16But all we hear about is really, you know, dealing, helping farmers and industry and competitiveness.
09:22So how do they meet?
09:23They, absolutely.
09:24I met with a lot of farmers last week, and we discussed, because if we don't have nature, we don't have farming.
09:30And the opposite is, of course, also.
09:32So I would say that we need, we work on the same goal.
09:36For when it comes to simplification, for me, it's very, it's about reporting, for example.
09:41And I know that we are focusing on how can we make it easier for a farmer to report less.
09:47How is that?
09:48Because we can use the same data, for example, something that has been reported to a member state, that we can use the same data.
09:54That is one thing, and maybe less data points to measure.
09:58There are concrete things that we actually do at the moment to keep the high environmental standards and goals, but at the same time less the burden.
10:08The other thing, of course, is also to keep the level playing field within the European Union to also protect our industries and farmers from that.
10:19We have so high environmental and climate standards that is also an important thing.
10:23So it's a lot of things that we are doing.
10:25But I think that we need also to be more streamlined and easier when it comes to reporting.
10:30I think that is key.
10:31Do you think that's going to be possible now?
10:33Are you confident that we will be able to tackle the collapse in biodiversity and a proper overhaul of reach, which protects public safety and science and the planet,
10:43and at the same time satisfy the farmers and the industry and the economy of Europe?
10:49You think maybe I will sound naive, but I do believe in dialogue.
10:52And when I meet farmers or industries or NGOs, I emphasize on dialogue, because I think that is the key.
10:59We need to understand each other's different perspective.
11:02And also I meet a lot of industries that also talk about the dependence that they have on nature.
11:08I have this figure from ECB that 74 percent of the industry that have corporates alone within the eurozone are dependent on at least one ecosystem.
11:18So that means that industry also needs to invest in nature, because water is the obvious nature resource, if you may say so.
11:26And that is biodiversity also.
11:28So that is also why I'm working on nature credit that could be in an added value when it comes to put money when it comes to nature, put nature on the balance sheet, so to say.
11:39So I would still argue that this is something that we need to do, and we know that we want to do it, but we need to be smarter when we do it.
11:47OK, Commissioner Jessica Roswell, EU Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resilience.
11:51Thank you very much for joining us on the Europe Conversation.
