Virginijus Sinkevičius, EU Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries

Dr Renard Siew, Climate Change Activist and ideaXme Climate Change Ambassador interviews Virginijus Sinkevičius, EU Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries.

Amongst the many subjects discussed, they talk of COP26, climate change activism, key objectives for 2022 and the Commissioner's new legislation relating to deforestation.

Virginijus Sinkevičius biography:

Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries 2019-present

Minister of Economy and Innovation 2017-2019

Member of the Parliament 2016-2019

Chair of the Committee on Economics of the Parliament 2016-2017

Deputy Leader of the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union 2016-present

Team Leader of the Group for Regulatory Affairs, Invest Lithuania 2016

Project Coordinator, Lithuanian Airports 2015-2016

International Group Project Manager, AB Lietuvos Paštas 2014

Assistant Project Manager, Centre for European Policy Analysis (CEPÁ), Washington (USA) 2013-2014

Author and Editor of news portal The Lithuanian Tribune 2011-2015

Master of Arts in European Studies, Maastricht University (Netherlands) 2012-2013

Bachelor of Economic and Social Studies, Aberystwyth University (United Kingdom) 2009-2012

Responsibilities of the Commissioner: Ensuring the environment, oceans and fisheries remain at the core of the European Green Deal. Presenting a new Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: from Natura2000, deforestation, species and habitats, to sustainable seas and oceans. Delivering on the Commission’s zero-pollution ambition, including air and water quality and hazardous chemicals. Leading on a Circular Economy Action Plan to promote the use of sustainable resources Promoting plastic-free oceans and proper implementation of legislation on plastics, particularly microplastics. Ensuring full implementation of the reformed Common Fisheries Policy. Effective control and enforcement and respecting the maximum sustainable yield objective. Evaluating the Common Fisheries Policy by 2022, including the social dimension, climate adaptation and clean oceans. Contributing to the ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy on sustainable food, maximizing the potential of sustainable seafood and the aquaculture sector. Promoting international ocean governance, playing a lead role in international discussions. Ensuring Europe leads the way to an ambitious agreement at the 2020 Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. Taking a zero-tolerance approach to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. Contributing to WTO discussions on a global agreement to ban fisheries subsidies that cause overfishing, illegal fishing and overcapacity.

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