This year's World Wetlands Day, celebrated annually on 2 February, is being celebrated under the slogan: “It’s Time for Wetland Restoration!”

The Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning was the first institution in Europe to carry out the demanding task of the environmental impact assessment for the Krško Nuclear Power Plant (NEK). The environmental consent for the extension of the life span of the NEK for an additional 20 years (until 2043) was issued on 13 January 2023 and is currently being served to all parties and accessory participants and to the participating countries.

At its correspondence meeting, the Government adopted the Decree about the animal welfare intervention of the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan 2023–2027 for Slovenia in the year 2023 and the Decree on Conditionality. It also gave its consent to the Business Plan of the Agency for Radwaste Management for 2023–2024 and concluded the Contract on the implementation of the compulsory State utility service for radioactive waste management.

At today's correspondence meeting, the Government adopted a new draft Transnational Provision of Services Act and issued an amendment to the Decree on the establishment of programmes of compulsory health insurance services.

Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity concludes with a final plenary session in Montreal.

Yesterday at COP27, Slovenia presented itself as a green, creative and smart country, active in the field of climate change and oriented towards a green transition, supported by advanced digital technologies. The government of Slovenia demonstrated excellent mutual cooperation of the Cabinet of the Prime Minister, MEST, MEDT, MFA with climate and economic diplomacy, Spirit Agency and STO.

State Secretary of the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Uroš Vajgl, and Mag. Tina Sršen, State Secretary at the Ministry of Infrastructure, addressed the participants in the presentation of the results of the Slovenian Household Energy Efficiency Survey (REUS GOS 2022).

The 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is taking place in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, from 6 to 18 November. The aim of the conference is to re-energise the global ambition to scale up climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts and to mobilise adequate financing for climate action.

Uroš Brežan, minister of the environment and spatial planning, today made a field visit to Vintgar Gorge together with the mayor of Gorje, and also met the mayors and other representatives of the municipalities of Bled, Bohinj, Jesenice, Kranjska Gora, Bovec and Kobarid, and those responsible for managing natural resources in Triglav National Park (TNP).

The Government adopted the Decree on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment. The Decree governs individual objectives and measures for certain plastic products and waste generated from these products.

Within the framework of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the meeting of Directors-General for the Environment is taking place in Prague, which is also attended by mag. Tanja Bolte, the Acting Director-General of the Environment Directorate. The event is intended to start an international discussion on the environment and be a platform for an exchange of views regarding the recent legislative initiative of the European Commission about nature restoration and harmonisation of plans.

At the initiative of the United Nations General Assembly, we are celebrating the third International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. On this day, we call for rational food management.

The Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Uroš Brežan, and the Minister of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Luka Mesec, participated in the ceremony to mark the opening of the new modern Pod Pekrsko gorco neighbourhood in Maribor. The aforementioned neighbourhood is one of 34 projects to be developed under the auspices of Housing Fund of the Republic of Slovenia, which is supported by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) and financed by the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB).

Slovenia is participating in the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Conference on an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.

The European Commission declared three violations to have been successfully resolved by Slovenia – the failure to fulfil obligations from the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) in connection with the Rules on the Protection of Buildings Against Lightning, the non-notification of regulations in connection with the establishment of assessment methods for harmful effects of environmental noise, and the non-notification of regulations concerning common noise assessment methods for the purposes of adapting to scientific and technical progress.

The Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning for the first time attended a meeting of the Environment Council. The ministers reached an agreement on the general approach for all legislative acts within the Fit for 55 Package, considered within the scope of the Environment Council (EU Emissions Trading System (ETS); burden sharing (ESR), CO2 standards for vehicles; use of land, modification of use of land and forestry (LULCF); Social Climate Fund).

We will be celebrating three very important nature-related events in the upcoming days – the European Natura 2000 Day (21 May), the International Day for Biological Diversity (22 May), and the European Day of Parks (24 May). Slovenia is one of the most biodiverse countries in Europe. This is also witnessed by the fact that our country has the largest share of Natura 2000 areas among all the EU member states, comprising approx. 37 per cent of the country’s area. We are making great efforts of preserving nature in Slovenia in our secured areas, which comprise 14 per cent of Slovenia’s area.

On Saturday, 14th May, we shall commemorate the International Migratory Bird Day. The day is meant to raise awareness on migratory birds and the need for an international collaboration for their preservation because this is our common natural heritage. This year’s International Migratory Bird Day is meant to emphasise the importance of raising awareness on light pollution. Light pollution has a significant impact on migratory birds who may lose track of their flight direction and incorrectly assess the time for their migration.

Food waste is not just morally and ethically problematic. In the EU we discard as much as 20% of all food that has been produced to feed people, and waste food is also the third largest cause of greenhouse gases.

World Earth Day, which is celebrated on 22 April, is taking place this year with an emphasis on investing in and enriching our planet. The Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning implements a range of measures to preserve the environment by investing in the planet and development opportunities. World Earth Day is intended to raise awareness and show how each of us can make an important contribution towards a more environmentally and climate friendly planet.