CIEL statement on the toxic dimensions of the European Green Deal

A statement by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) evaluating the chemical and waste-related commitments of the European Commission's European Green Deal, calling for a human rights-based approach to avoid exporting environmental impacts.

• The European Green Deal includes several specific policy timelines for environmental health: a "Circular Economy Action Plan" focusing on sustainable products and plastics by March 2020, a "chemicals strategy for sustainability" by June 2020, and a "Farm to Fork" strategy by 2021 aimed at reducing the use and risk of antibiotics, fertilizers, and chemical pesticides. Additionally, the Commission aims for all packaging to be recyclable or reusable by 2030.
• CIEL argues that for the EU to be a "Global Leader" in environmental measures, it must adopt a gender-responsive and human rights-based approach to production and consumption patterns. CIEL warns that the EU must not substitute one form of pollution for another—such as increasing plastic waste incineration or accepting toxic recycling—nor should it export its environmental and human impacts to other countries.
• CIEL notes that while the European Green Deal's climate chapter is comprehensive, its timeline and ambition for mitigation action are insufficient to meet Paris objectives or serve as an inspiration for other nations ahead of COP26 in Glasgow.

APA

Azoulay, D. (2019). CIEL statement on the toxic dimensions of the European Green Deal. Center for International Environmental Law. https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-statement-on-the-toxic-dimensions-of-the-european-green-deal/

Chicago

Azoulay, David. CIEL statement on the toxic dimensions of the European Green Deal. Center for International Environmental Law, 2019. https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-statement-on-the-toxic-dimensions-of-the-european-green-deal/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Azoulay |first1=David |title=CIEL statement on the toxic dimensions of the European Green Deal |publisher=Center for International Environmental Law |date=12 December 2019 |url=https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-statement-on-the-toxic-dimensions-of-the-european-green-deal/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{azoulay2019ciel, author = {Azoulay, David}, title = {{CIEL statement on the toxic dimensions of the European Green Deal}}, publisher = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2019}, month = dec, url = {https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-statement-on-the-toxic-dimensions-of-the-european-green-deal/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }