Carmel Cacopardo, Deputy Chairperson

The EU Green Deal is based on the fundamental premise that climate change action can only be successful if it is socially just. The EU Green Deal is one of the most consequential decisions of the European Union. Its objective is climate neutrality in order to attain the Paris 2015 Climate Summit targets. This is linked with sustainable economic growth, an improvement in the quality of life of EU citizens and coupled with a protection of the natural environment. 

A study published this month by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), the science and knowledge service of the European Commission, indicates, that as of mid-2024, of the 154 targets established in the 44 EU policy documents on the EU Green Deal, only 32 were on track. Another 64, although they were in hand, needed acceleration. The other targets still required action. The JRC study is entitled: Delivering the EU Green Deal. Progress towards targets.

These targets are spread over seven thematic areas, namely: climate ambition; clean, affordable and secure energy; the circular economy; sustainable and smart mobility; Farm to Fork, greening the Common Agricultural Policy; preserving and protecting biodiversity; towards a zero-pollution ambition.

This is clearly a most ambitious agenda which has a direct impact on the life of each and every one of us. In practice it is a template for a sustainable green transition to the future. A potential gift to future generations.

The required behavioural changes are substantial. They have the specific aim of putting flesh on the bare bones of the 2015 Paris Climate Summit conclusions, specifically to ensure that the rise in the mean global temperature above the pre-industrial temperature does not exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius. This temperature has unfortunately already been exceeded. It is therefore a race against time to minimise the impacts on all of us. As we are aware, nature acts indiscriminately. We witness this continuously as we observe the impacts of extreme climate changes all over the world: drought, floods, temperature extremes, melting ice-caps and sea-level rise.

Notwithstanding the continuously deteriorating situation as manifested in climate extremes which impact everybody there is still considerable resistance to the behavioural changes required. The short-term view still prevails, as if tomorrow never comes.

Around a year ago, the Dutch farmers’ revolt shook the Netherlands’ body politic to its foundations. This revolt had its origin in the difficulties encountered in implementing the EU Nitrates Directive in the Netherlands. In the meantime, this revolt has spread to other regions, motivated by the industrial agricultural lobby’s determination to sabotage the EU Green Deal.

In Germany the centre-right CDU-CSU, when launching their joint EU Parliament electoral manifesto pledged to reverse the controversial phase-out of the internal combustion engine. This was a definite commitment to water-down the EU Green Deal. The CDU-CSU leading candidate was the same person piloting the EU Green Deal, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.

In June 2023, a draft Directive on the restoration of nature barely survived an onslaught coordinated by the European People’s Party and its right-wing allies in the European Parliament. Corporate Europe Observatory, the European lobbying monitor had then reported that right wing political parties were determined to kill off the EU Green Deal in a bid to gain the support of business and farmers.

When the European Environment Agency (EEA) published its first ever European climate risk assessment, this time last year, it had concluded that Europe was unprepared for what lies in store. How can it ever be prepared if those who propose concrete action simultaneously seek to undermine it?

Currently a debate is developing in Brussels and Strasbourg on the need to address red-tape and bureaucracy which stifles competitiveness in the EU. We are being told that we urgently need a Competition Compass. The argument, which we have heard many a time, is, that we cannot address environmental damage if our competitors are not bothered as this would damage our competitiveness!

The first von der Leyen Commission was supported by a political coalition in the EU Parliament which made the EU Green Deal possible. Today, after the last EU Parliamentary elections in June 2024 a different coalition is emerging, supported by the far-right parties in the European Parliament. The central facets of the EU Green Deal will be undermined, under the guise of addressing red-tape.

It is an agenda of deregulation which will not make this world a better place to live. Islands such as Malta and Gozo will be among the first to shoulder the impacts. I do not know whether there will still be time to pick up the pieces and rebuilt afresh, maybe, sometime in the near future.

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday: 23 February 2025