According to a Eurobarometer survey, some 67 per cent of respondents expressed support for more EU environmental action.
Commenting on the poll, Italian EPP group member Giovanni La Via, who chairs Parliament's environment committee, said: "We share the concerns of our citizens, as seen in the Eurobarometer and are, for this reason, very committed to working on new policies and proposals to fight climate change and safeguard the environment."
Referring to the agreement concluded at the COP21 summit in Paris last year, La Via said: "The EU has had a crucial impact on this agreement and is now developing all the policies to effectively turn it into acts."
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The EU is able to act in most areas of environmental policy, such as air and water pollution, waste management and climate change. It is currently working on different measures to tackle climate change. Some are already being carried out, while others are still being worked on.
A parliamentary source outlined what Brussels is currently doing and will be doing to protect citizens' health, safeguard biodiversity and fight climate change.
The institutions, said the source, are currently implementing the Paris agreement, including a reform of the EU's emissions trading scheme; a target to reduce the EU's greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 per cent by 2030; and EU legislation promoting renewable energy.
Parliament and Council negotiators recently reached a deal on legislation to improve the quality of our air. These contain plans for more ambitious national caps on emissions of key pollutants by 2030, including nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulates and sulphur dioxide.
In the wake of the Volkswagen scandal, Parliament also set up an inquiry committee to investigate the scandals of falsified car emissions measurements, the source noted.
MEPs, said the parliamentary official, also recently adopted new rules on energy efficiency labelling for household appliances to make it easier for consumers to select what they want.
The source added, "Parliament is also keen to stimulate the move towards a circular economy, which is partly about making products last longer through recycling and re-use. In addition, MEPs are working on legislation for a better waste management.
"The use of plastic carrier bags in Europe will be drastically reduced under legislation approved by Parliament.
"There is also Natura 2000, the world's largest coordinated network of protected areas. It covers more than 18 per cent of the EU's land area and nearly 6% of its marine territory."