Serge Wilmes at the informal meeting of EU environment ministers in Lefkosia
The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity, Serge Wilmes, took part in the informal meeting of European Union (EU) environment ministers, held on 5 and 6 February 2026 in Lefkosia, under the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Discussions focused on strengthening Europe's climate resilience, with particular emphasis on the sustainable management and resilience of water resources, as well as the integration of these issues into key sectors such as agriculture, tourism and energy, notably in the context of the future European plan for adaptation to climate change.
Science at the heart of climate action
During the discussions, Minister Serge Wilmes emphasised the central role of science in guiding climate and environmental policies, by making it possible to set clear, shared objectives, define relevant indicators and measure the progress made, particularly in terms of adaptation to climate change. He pointed out that private funding plays an important role in developing integrated resilience projects on a larger scale. In this context, the future «Climate Nexus» investment programme will make it possible to attract private capital and support projects with multiple advantages.
«To build a resilient Europe, we need sectoral coordination, common scientific foundations, consistent implementation of European frameworks and solid integrated financing».», said Minister Serge Wilmes.
Circular economy and climate finance
The ministers also discussed the European Commission's recent circular economy initiatives. On this occasion, Minister Serge Wilmes reiterated Luxembourg's support for the ambition to create a competitive single European market for recycled raw materials, particularly in the plastics sector, while stressing the importance of guaranteeing fair conditions of competition and high quality standards.
Luxembourg International Climate Finance Days in June
On the sidelines of the meeting, the Minister announced the first Luxembourg International Climate Finance Days (Luxembourg ICF Days), to be held in Luxembourg City from 3 to 5 June 2026. Given the growing gap between climate ambitions and implementation, and against a backdrop of increasing financial constraints, this high-level event will bring together government representatives, international institutions and private sector players. The Luxembourg ICF Days aim to identify concrete solutions for strengthening climate finance and mobilising investment, particularly with a view to achieving the new collective quantified target of $300 billion a year for developing countries by 2035.
Organised ahead of the meetings of the UNFCCC's subsidiary bodies in Bonn, and providing a link between COP30 in Belém and COP31 in Antalya, the event will focus on moving from targets to implementation, strengthening cooperation and aligning financial flows with global climate objectives.