The EU Environment Council, attended by the State Secretary at the Slovenian Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Metka Gorišek, reached an agreement on the EU Climate Act, which sets out the long-term goal of EU's carbon neutrality until 2050 at the EU level.

The Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Andrej Vizjak, attended the informal videoconference of the EU environment ministers, the first under the German presidency, held yesterday and today. On the first day of the meeting the ministers continued the discussion on the green recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic and held an interactive discussion on the role of digitalisation in environmental protection and climate change, in which Mr Vizjak chaired one of the panels.

On the basis of the Intervention Act on removing barriers for the implementation of important investments to restart the economy after the COVID-19 epidemic, the Government has determined the list of important investments (the Intervention Act) that can be further expanded.

On 22 April the world marked the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Earth Day draws our attention to the vulnerability and uniqueness of the planet on which we live. The Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning contributes to the protection of the environment through active engagement and multiple projects. Let us take this moment to reassess our habits and create new ones that are better for our planet.

Slovenia joined the joint initiative of 16 EU Member States for greening the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic. The European Green Deal (Green Deal) is central to the European economic recovery.

World Water Day, celebrated on 22 March each year, stresses the importance of water and the awareness that 2.2 billion people do not have access to drinking water. In the current context of the coronavirus epidemic, the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning has informed public service providers that they should fully comply with all preventive health protocols in order to ensure the smooth running of the public drinking water supply service and the discharge and treatment of municipal wastewater. The National Institute of Public Health has declared that tap water is safe for consumption. Drinking water from the tap is also healthier and more environmentally friendly than water from a plastic bottle.

At the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning (MOP), departing Minister Simon Zajc handed over operations to the new Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning Andrej Vizjak.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy, the Managing Authority for the ERDF, the ESF and the Cohesion Fund, has issued a grant decision for the project ‘’Wastewater collection and treatment in the Meža river basin in Municipality Črna na Koroškem’’. Total project budget stands at EUR 3.8 million; the project will receive EUR 1.6 million funding from the ERDF.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy, the Managing Authority for ERDF, ESF and Cohesion Fund, has issued grant decisions for two projects promoting conservation of natural and cultural heritage in the Drava River basin, which fall in the scope of the Natura 2000 Management Programme. Both project budgets amount to over EUR 8.2 million; the projects will receive a contribution of EUR 6.5 million from ERDF (European Regional Development Fund).