Commission and Iran agree to strengthen technical cooperation on environment and climate action

Today the Commission signed a Framework for technical cooperation on environment with Vice President of Iran and Head of the Department of Environment, Masoumeh Ebtekar. The framework builds on the visit led by the EU High Representative and Vice-President of the Commission Federica Mogherini with Commissioners Vella and Arias Cañete in Iran last April, when a broad and comprehensive agenda for bilateral cooperation was agreed. Commissioner Vella said: “I am happy we have made this important first step for enhancing cooperation on environmental protection with Iran. We will focus our work on the three thematic areas, where exchanging our experience can really make a difference: Circular economy and waste management; reducing industrial emissions and improving air quality; and better water management.” Commissioner Arias Cañete added: “I welcome Iran’s commitment to the Paris Agreement and global climate action, and I look forward to strengthening our cooperation to effectively tackle climate change. Advancing our partnership will boost innovation, investments and job creation in both Europe and Iran“. The cooperation on environment between the Commission and the Department of Environment of Iran would contribute to reaching the shared objectives of protecting and conserving the environment, of the role of resource efficiency in achieving green growth, as well as to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which calls for action at global level. A series of meetings will take place in 2017 to prepare a working program. In the area of climate action, both parties have agreed to establish technical cooperation in view to implementing the Paris Agreement. It includes the preparation of mid-century strategies, as well as capacity building, facilitating enhanced and cooperative action on technology development and transfer, climate finance and monitoring reporting and verification systems for the new transparency regime. Both parties have also agreed to support the promotion of the role of cities in global climate action and further cooperation with partners of the Southern and Eastern European Neighbourhood and Central Asia.