Latest news with #JessikaRoswall
Business of Fashion
21 hours ago
- Business
- Business of Fashion
This Week: Reviving the Sustainable Fashion Movement in Copenhagen
What's Happening: On June 3 in Copenhagen, the Global Fashion Summit kicks off three days of speeches and debate on mitigating fashion's impact on people and the planet. On the Defensive: This year's theme is 'Barriers and Bridges,' an acknowledgment that environmental and human rights efforts are on the back foot right now (past themes tended to take an 'onward and upward' tack; last year's was 'Unlocking the Next Level'). The second Trump administration has been a disaster for sustainability advocates, targeting environmental regulations, renewable energy and ESG investing. Aid cuts have kneecapped on-the-ground nonprofit work that both supported fashion's climate and labour initiatives and created a degree of accountability. Tariffs also are expected to squeeze both brands and manufacturers, diminishing funds for worthy environmental and social projects. Careful What You Say: In Copenhagen, relatively few representatives of big brands will take the stage, part of a wider pattern where the industry is choosing not to speak up for fear of becoming Trump's next target, even for causes they continue to support financially. ADVERTISEMENT One speaker to watch is Jessika Roswall, an EU commissioner whose purview includes circularity, who will address 'advancing the European Green Deal while simultaneously strengthening the EU economy.' Earlier this year, that framing led the EU to push to water down regulations that would impose strict reporting and monitoring requirements on fashion supply chains. But even in their current state, the rules are among the most aggressive attempts by a major economy to address fashion's toll on the planet. Bangladeshi labour rights advocate Kalpona Akter will also be headlining. Akter has been pushing the industry to change for decades, but she's speaking at a particularly precarious moment, with economic and political instability threatening the fragile gains that have been made. High-profile scandals, like the ongoing ruckus over luxury brand's links to sweatshops in Italy, highlight just have far the industry still has to go. Laying Low: The sustainable fashion movement is licking its wounds after a decade of big promises and underwhelming followthrough from the industry and governments. To re-secure buy-in from big brands and politicians, advocates need to win the argument that there is a business case for sustainability. The industry must also find a message that resonates with consumers who have learned to tune out talk of emissions and waste. Perhaps the 16th Copenhagen Fashion Summit will be where this new narrative begins to emerge. The Week Ahead wants to hear from you! Send tips, suggestions, complaints and compliments to
Euronews
3 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
EU Commissioner Roswall expresses solidarity with LGBTQ+ community
EU Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resilience, Jessika Roswall, says "anyone who wants to join in solidarity with the LGBTQ community in Hungary should do so." She was responding to the Hungarian government's decision to ban Gay Pride parades, a decision that has been heavily condemned by a majority of EU member states including France, Germany and Spain. "The European Union is built on values, which, of course, we all stand behind, and this is the pressure we are in this union of – one of the key things is built of this precious value of people's freedom and loving whoever they want to, or rule of law and all these things. So I stand, of course, behind that and I myself have been to many prides, only in Stockholm though," she told Euronews. Meanwhile, a Commission source told Euronews that it's unlikely EU Commissioners will stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community as it could be seen to "provoke" Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and open the door to him accusing the EU of interfering in Hungarian affairs. "I think it would play into Orbán's hands were senior people from Brussels to turn up," the source said. However, law experts and some member states argue the European Commission is obliged to protect the rights and freedoms of EU citizens under Article 2 of the EU Treaty. A collaboration of 17 member states led by the Netherlands signed a declaration condemning the Hungarian decision. We are "concerned by the implications of these measures on freedom of expression, the right to peaceful assembly, and the right to privacy," part of their statement read. The EU Commissioner of Justice and Rule of Law, Michael Mcgrath, has called freedom of assembly a fundamental right that must be protected. He insisted that Pride parades do not constitute a threat to children, as the Hungarian parliament argued. Meanwhile, Roswall says she does not want to make decisions for others but says that the issue is at the centre of her beliefs and the European Union. "I don't tell people what to do, but that's what I truly believe in, and that is also the core of the European Union." The Budapest Pride parade is set to take place on 28 June in defiance of the new law, and while several MEPs have indicated their intention to attend, no Commissioners have.
Russia Today
4 days ago
- Business
- Russia Today
EU to call on members to reduce water consumption
The European Commission is reportedly planning to call on EU member states to cut water use by at least 10 percent by 2030, according to a draft plan seen by the Financial Times. The legislation would mark the Commission's first water-usage reduction directive in the history of the EU. The proposal comes amid rising concerns about droughts and groundwater depletion following increasingly frequent wildfires and catastrophic flooding which have cost the EU billions and has reduced water reserves to previously unseen levels. 'We need to think about how we need to use water more efficiently,' EU Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall told the outlet, stressing that 'when we have a shower, we need to think about it.' A ban on refilling swimming pools is already in place across southern Europe. Haris Sachinis, CEO of Greek water company Eydap, has warned that Athens could completely run out of water within two years if dry conditions persist. Cypriot Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou has warned that 2025 could be the island's third consecutive drought year and among the eight worst for water reserves in half a century. Sweden has also imposed bans on watering gardens with a hose in some areas while In France and Spain, disputes over dams and water rights have fueled tensions between farmers and environmentalists. Last year, the EU's environmental policies, including limits on pesticide use and water usage reductions, led to widespread protests from farmers and agricultural groups across the bloc, including in France, Spain, Germany, and Poland. The EC's draft plan calls for greater investment in the bloc's leaking infrastructure. The EurEau industry group has estimated that some 25% of EU water is lost through pipe leaks, with some countries such as Bulgaria losing up to 60%. The Commission has estimated that €23 billion ($26 billion) is needed annually for upgrades. The European Investment Bank also plans to offer €15 billion ($17 billion) in loans and guarantees between 2025 and 2027 to support the effort. Additionally, researchers found that only 2.4% of water is currently reused in the EU, a figure Brussels wants to raise. Although the savings target is not binding, the Commission is encouraging national targets and better data collection. A recent climate assessment found that only a 'limited number' of countries have adopted water resilience measures. The proposal follows a 2023 warning about rising competition for water and potential cross-border conflicts. The European Central Bank has separately warned that water scarcity poses a financial threat, with surface water shortages potentially affecting nearly 15% of eurozone GDP.
Euronews
5 days ago
- Business
- Euronews
Circular Economy Act: what are the European Commission's tools to get the economics right?
'We have a lot of policy already, what we need is to get the economics right', European Commissioner for the Environment Jessika Roswall told Euronews. Roswall is the architect of the EU Commission's future Circular Economy Act, which is to succeed the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) adopted five years ago. The initiative should include updating existing rules to foster 'circular competitiveness' and boost the EU's recycling rate. In 2022, only 12% of products consumed came from recycling. The plan could include a revision of the WEEE (Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Directive, which governs the rules and targets for the collection and treatment of e-waste, from small batteries to photovoltaic panels. In almost 20 years, the WEEE Directive has led to a tenfold increase in the amount of e-waste recovered and properly treated in the EU, but not all member states have achieved the targets set. Quantities of WEEE are still not collected, improperly treated or illegally exported. The EU wants to increase the proportion of recovered materials in order to reduce the proportion of virgin materials imported for new electrical and electronic equipment. The Circular Economy Act should focus on the recovery of critical raw materials. This strategy is presented as a means of strengthening the EU's economic security against a backdrop of international trade tensions. 'The circularity numbers are too low. This geopolitical situation must be the time when we actually go circular', Commissoner Roswall told Euronews. In 2024, the EU adopted the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRM Act), which is intended to strengthen the EU's security of supply of a series of metals and other components essential to the green and digital transitions. The European Union has drawn up a regularly updated list of materials considered 'critical', such as rare-earth metals, copper or cobalt, and another of materials considered 'strategic', such as bismuth and magnesium metal. The EU's objective is to achieve a recycling rate of 25% of CRMs, compared with around 1% today. This requires investment in the necessary infrastructure as part of the Clean Industrial Deal presented last year. The circular economy should also apply to other sectors of the economy, such as construction, textiles and the automotive industry. The Act in preparation is set to provide for the revision of the Waste Framework Directive and promote the creation of a 'common market for waste'. Despite efforts at harmonisation, the existing fragmentation between national requirements, as in the case of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems, raises problems of competition and costs. An intra-EU waste market is wanted by Brussels, which conversely recently tightened the rules against the export of waste outside the EU. 'We need to change our mindset and see waste as an asset', Roswall added, specifying that she also considered water as waste. The EU recently strengthened its legislation on urban wastewater. It plans to maximise the reuse of water for irrigation in the continent's largest treatment stations. Alongside recycling, the EU is also encouraging the extension of product lifetimes. The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) entered into force in 2024, and is aimed at creating economic opportunities in remanufacturing, recycling or repair. The European Commission has put forward the concept of a 'right to repair', in the form of incentives to make repairing products easier and more attractive, in order to reduce waste. A directive aimed at 'Empowering consumers for the green transition' was also adopted to offer consumers better information on the products durability. According to a 2020 survey, 77% of Europeans said they would rather repair their goods, but had to buy new ones because of the lack of repair services.
Russia Today
5 days ago
- Business
- Russia Today
EU to order members to reduce water consumption
The European Commission is reportedly planning to call on EU member states to cut water use by at least 10 percent by 2030, according to a draft plan seen by the Financial Times. The legislation would mark the Commission's first water-usage reduction directive in the history of the EU. The proposal comes amid rising concerns about droughts and groundwater depletion following increasingly frequent wildfires and catastrophic flooding which have cost the EU billions and has reduced water reserves to previously unseen levels. 'We need to think about how we need to use water more efficiently,' EU Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall told the outlet, stressing that 'when we have a shower, we need to think about it.' A ban on refilling swimming pools is already in place across southern Europe. Haris Sachinis, CEO of Greek water company Eydap, has warned that Athens could completely run out of water within two years if dry conditions persist. Cypriot Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou has warned that 2025 could be the island's third consecutive drought year and among the eight worst for water reserves in half a century. Sweden has also imposed bans on watering gardens with a hose in some areas while In France and Spain, disputes over dams and water rights have fueled tensions between farmers and environmentalists. Last year, the EU's environmental policies, including limits on pesticide use and water usage reductions, led to widespread protests from farmers and agricultural groups across the bloc, including in France, Spain, Germany, and Poland. The EC's draft plan calls for greater investment in the bloc's leaking infrastructure. The EurEau industry group has estimated that some 25% of EU water is lost through pipe leaks, with some countries such as Bulgaria losing up to 60%. The Commission has estimated that €23 billion ($26 billion) is needed annually for upgrades. The European Investment Bank also plans to offer €15 billion ($17 billion) in loans and guarantees between 2025 and 2027 to support the effort. Additionally, researchers found that only 2.4% of water is currently reused in the EU, a figure Brussels wants to raise. Although the savings target is not binding, the Commission is encouraging national targets and better data collection. A recent climate assessment found that only a 'limited number' of countries have adopted water resilience measures. The proposal follows a 2023 warning about rising competition for water and potential cross-border conflicts. The European Central Bank has separately warned that water scarcity poses a financial threat, with surface water shortages potentially affecting nearly 15% of eurozone GDP.
