Meeting of the Environment Ministers of the Four Motors for Europe in Brussels

The meeting was attended by Minister Anna Barnadas i Lopéz from Catalonia, Minister Giorgio Maione from Lombardy and Minister Thekla Walker from Baden-Württemberg. From Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes the representatives of the delegation of the region were present at the meeting.

Since the environment ministers had not yet met in this constellation, the meeting served as a first opportunity to get to know each other and to identify their respective priorities.

The topic of hydrogen is to be particularly emphasized, since it is regarded as very important in all regions. Lombardy intends not only to build up the necessary infrastructure but also to produce hydrogen itself from renewable energies. Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is already active in a working group on the use of hydrogen in heavy-duty transport through the EU-Strategy for the Alpine Regions (EUSALP). Baden-Württemberg has drawn up a “Hydrogen Roadmap” and has just recently released a first progress report.

Another important topic mentioned was the water crisis, which increasingly affects the whole of Europe. Water shortage, droughts but also heavy rainfall events are a big problem in all four Motors regions and an exchange on possible solutions and monitoring would be desirable.

At the end of the one-hour discussion, Minister Walker cordially invited the attendees to participate in the events within the framework of the Baden-Württemberg presidency and held out the prospect of Baden-Württemberg's possible involvement in the POLLUTEC trade fair in Lyon.