Opening remarks for Mr Gianluca Esposito

Acknowledge the President of the Deputies, Ambassador Cujba; the GME Chair, Ambassador Diamantopoulou; the Chair of the PC-ENV, Mr Pepřík; Council of Europe authorities; ambassadors; members of the GME; and Permanent Representatives present.

Warmly welcome participants to this important occasion on behalf of the Secretary General.

Thank the Moldovan Presidency of the Committee of Ministers for its strong support for the Council of Europe’s environment-related activities.

Recall that at the Ministerial Session in May, Ministers adopted two landmark texts:

• the Council of Europe Strategy on the Environment, a forward-looking and holistic vision reaffirming the inseparable link between a healthy environment, human rights, the rule of law and democracy; and
• the Convention on the Protection of the Environment through Criminal Law, a global, legally binding instrument designed to help States prevent, prosecute and sanction the most serious environmental crimes.

Refer back to the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government in Reykjavík (2023), where European leaders committed to intensifying efforts against climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss — commitments that this Strategy and Convention help to realise.

Highlight the Organisation’s determination to put the Strategy into action and to strengthen international cooperation. In this respect, welcome the recent CM decision to establish the Steering Committee on Environment (CDENV), which will play a pivotal role in ensuring effective implementation of the Strategy and its Action Plan.

Underline that the Strategy stresses building stronger partnerships. Announce, in this context:

• the process of finalising a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations Environment Programme, to advance our shared objective of addressing the impact of the triple planetary crisis on human rights, democracy, and the rule of law; and
• the Council of Europe’s participation in COP30 in Belém, with a series of side events exploring the intersection of human rights, climate action and democratic governance.

Recall that, under Objective 2 of the Strategy, the GME will tomorrow hold a thematic debate on environment, disinformation and misinformation, with UN rapporteurs, experts, Parties to relevant international treaties and civil society representatives.

Recall that, under Objective 3, the Council of Europe will host the First European Forum of Environmental Human Rights Defenders on 3–4 June 2026 at Headquarters — a joint initiative with the UN and EU to foster multi-stakeholder dialogue and support a safe and enabling environment for environmental defenders.

Highlight that, under Objective 4, the opening for signature of the new Convention sends a powerful message: protecting the environment is a shared responsibility, requiring determination, legal certainty and collective will.

Congratulate the States that will sign today and encourage all others to do so as soon as possible, to help ensure this important Convention enters into force swiftly.

Recall that, under Objective 5, the Organisation recently held a Ministerial Conference marking the 25th anniversary of the Landscape Convention, resulting in the adoption of the Florence Declaration.

Underline that the Florence Declaration encapsulates the unique contribution the Council of Europe can make to international, national and societal efforts to secure a clean, healthy and sustainable environment for all — now and for future generations — in line with Objective 1 of the Strategy.

Highlight the strong link between social development, social rights and environmental protection, as recognised in the Doha Political Declaration adopted at the recent World Summit for Social Development.

Recall the Secretary General’s New Democratic Pact for Europe, which places social justice, public health, and environmental protection at the heart of democratic governance, reflecting the ambitions of the Strategy, notably Objective 2.

Conclude by stressing that, ultimately, our work on the environment is about human and social rights; about resilience, justice and the strength of our democracies — the very essence of what the Council of Europe stands for.

CoE Strategy on the Environment

• Objective 1 – Integrating human rights considerations in environment-related strategies, instruments, legislation, policies and actions, and vice versa.
• Objective 2 – Strengthening good democratic governance
• Objective 3 – Supporting and protecting environmental human rights defenders, environmental defenders and whistle-blowers
• Objective 4 – Preventing and prosecuting environment-related crimes
• Objective 5 – Protecting wildlife, ecosystems, habitats and landscapes