Minister for Climate, Energy, and Utilities Lars Aagaard, Minister for the Environment Magnus Heunicke, and Minister for Green Transition Jeppe Bruus have just concluded the informal ministerial meeting for the EU’s environment and climate ministers. In addition to the ministers, EU Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall and Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra also participated. This was the second informal ministerial meeting hosted by the Danish Presidency.
Minister for Green Transition Jeppe Bruus used the occasion to demonstrate how the historic green tripartite agreement is becoming a reality in the nature area of Store Vildmose. The agreement was made possible only by bringing farmers and green NGOs to the same negotiating table.
The meeting also served as a platform for a strategic discussion on the future direction of the EU’s environmental policy toward 2030 and for aligning on a joint effort to secure an effective legally binding instrument on plastics pollution ahead of the upcoming UN negotiations, where Minister for Environment Magnus Heunicke will represent the Presidency of the Council of the EU in August.
On day one, minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities Lars Aagaard hosted an important discussion on EU’s negotiation priorities for COP30 – the climate summit in Brazil later this year. As presidency, Denmark will negotiate with the rest of the world on behalf of the EU. On day two, the climate ministers discussed EU’s climate policy after 2030 and the road to climate neutrality. The goal is for them to reach an agreement on a 2040-target when they gather in September.
Minister for Environment Magnus Heunicke says:
“The world we live in is under geopolitical pressure, and that demands a united Europe. Now is the time for the EU to demonstrate its value — both in terms of security and accelerating the ambitious green transition. Denmark will be at the negotiating table as Presidency of the EU Council when we seek to secure an international UN agreement on plastics pollution in August. That’s why it was crucial that I had the opportunity to discuss with my European colleagues how we can ensure an agreement that truly makes a difference in the tough negotiations ahead.”
Minister for Climate, Energy, and Utilities Lars Aagaard says:
”A climate neutral EU is a stronger, more competitive and secure EU. We are not there yet and in order to get there, we have to start now. It is of extreme importance that we unite EU around new climate targets so that we can set the course and ensure the necessary developments. It will be one of the greatest tasks for us as presidency. We have a very tight window to wrap up the negotiations, so it’s crucial that I uncover the knots.”
Minister for Green Transition Jeppe Bruus says:
“The EU - like Denmark - has big goals for the green transition, environment and biodiversity. In Denmark, we would like to show that it is possible to create a strong collaboration between representatives of both nature and agriculture, which unites green goals with development in the food sector. For us, it is crucial that we both achieve the goals of the green transition and that we also have a strong agriculture.
In Denmark, we have created a historic agreement that will draw a completely new green map of Denmark. We are converting large parts of our agricultural areas to nature. I am pleased with the great interest from our European colleagues, who were able to experience how the local transition functions in practice, and that our solutions actually work.”
Facts and figures:
- Denmark assumed the EU Council Presidency on July 1, 2025, and will continue to hold it for the rest of 2025.
- Council meetings for the EU’s environment and climate ministers are scheduled for October 21 and December 16, 2025. At these meetings, the Danish Environment Minister, Climate Minister, and Minister for Green Transition will chair and set the agenda. The Danish EU Presidency has also planned an additional Council meeting on September 18.
- The informal meeting of the EU’s environment and climate ministers was held in Aalborg on July 10–11, 2025. It was the second informal ministerial meeting hosted by the Danish Presidency.
- The agenda included:
- A discussion on the road to COP30 in Brazil
- A strategic discussion on the state of Europe’s environment and the direction of EU environmental policy toward 2030
- A visit to Store Vildmose to see the green tripartite agreement in action
- A discussion on the EU’s climate policy beyond 2030 to secure climate neutrality by 2050
- Preparations for a strong and united EU position in the upcoming UN negotiations on a legally binding instrument on plastics pollution