Announced since July as the trademark of the von der Leyen Commission, the European Green Deal - a broad programme of legislative and non-legislative measures to transform the European economy and society for economic growth that respects the climate, the environment, biodiversity and social justice - was officially unveiled in its broad outlines on Wednesday 11 December by Ursula von der Leyen to the MEPS.
Much had already been written about the draft project of a vast plan for the climate and ecological transition of the European continent, which had been "leaked" to the press at the end of November (see EUROPE 12380/4).
The roadmap set out in the Communication, adopted by the College after the necessary political decisions had been taken, lays the foundations for a climate-neutral European Union economy by 2050, geared towards green and sustainable growth, based on the three pillars of sustainable development as understood by the UN: the environmental pillar, the economic pillar and the social pillar. The Green Deal is very broad: it covers all sectors of the economy - industry, buildings, transport, energy, trade and agriculture, in particular.
A sustainable industry, a comprehensive building renovation plan, sustainable mobility, biodiversity conservation, sustainable food from farm to fork, elimination of water, air and soil pollution are the main areas of intervention planned, building on innovation and the massive investments required by the transition.
Once the Commission's Communication was adopted, the European Parliament wanted to be the first. Mrs von der Leyen understood this well, she who had assured MEPs in July that she would make climate the priority of her political programme, she recalled.
She presented the Green Deal as the "beginning of a common path" and a response to the pressing demand of European citizens for ambitious action to respond to the climate and environmental emergency. It was Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President of the Green Deal and in charge of climate policy, who debated with the MEPs.
"The Green Deal is a vision to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, but it contains a very specific roadmap and 50 actions to reconcile the economy with our planet, the way we produce and consume, while making it work for our people".
A new growth strategy. On the one hand, it is a question of reducing emissions - of greenhouse gases or only polluting ones - but also of "creating jobs, coming up with models based on fossil fuels and pollution", models that Mrs von der Leyen has stressed are "outdated".
"It is a new growth strategy, for growth that will pay off more than it scraps", that will make Europe a front-runner in green technologies and green investments, but will also "leave no-one behind", said Mrs von der Leyen, using the slogan and terminology of the universal sustainable development goals for 2030 and its 17 MDGs. She indicated that the Commission would exercise the utmost "caution" at each step, by carrying out careful evaluations.
The Green Deal will be presented to European leaders. Mrs von der Leyen will present this Green Deal to the European Council on Thursday 12 December, in the hope that it will help the leaders of the Twenty-Eight to agree on the objective of achieving a climate-neutral EU by 2050 (see further news and EUROPE 12387/6).
She stressed the importance of the Just Transition Mechanism to support regions heavily dependent on very carbon-intensive activities and populations for whom the transition would be most painful. This mechanism goes well beyond the Just Transition Fund alone (technical assistance is also planned) and will be able to mobilise up to €100 billion of investments with the multiplier effect of InvestEU and EIB funds (see other news). It is in January that things will be clarified, in a Commission proposal, both for the Just Transition Mechanism and for the investment plan for a sustainable Europe.
The Climate Law, a key measure in March. The climate law, which will be introduced by March 2020, is the flagship measure of this Green Deal. It will make it possible to enshrine in a legal text the objective of climate neutrality by 2050.
The Commission plans to raise the EU's 2030 target to an emission reduction of at least 50% or even 55% below 1990 levels (currently at least 40%) after a thorough review of legislation (ETS, effort sharing, the LULUCF, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Directives, energy taxation) in summer 2020.
In 2021, the Commission will present a package of proposals with amendments to existing legislation, if necessary. The modification of the EU's 2030 target will be achieved through an amendment to the Climate Law. Ursula von der Leyen assured that this adjustment of the EU's ambition 2030 would be made in time for the COP26 (Glasgow, December 2020), where all parties to the Paris Agreement must update or strengthen their NDC (nationally determined contribution).
A border adjustment mechanism is envisaged, but the Commission intends to reflect on it for a year and a half. The objective would be to create conditions of fair competition within the framework of the Paris Agreement so that the European economy does not have to suffer unfair competition from countries that do not respect this universal agreement. It could contain a tax or be a more global mechanism, to be applied if necessary (see other news).
Biodiversity, circular economy, sustainable food. To reflect the EU's climate and environmental ambition, the Commission will also present, next spring, the EU's 2030 biodiversity strategy, including the preservation and restoration of ecosystems, the new industrial strategy and action plan for the circular economy, the strategy for sustainable food from farm to fork and proposals for a pollution-free Europe (see EUROPE 12380/4). It is also next March that the EU intends to launch its Climate Pact to mobilise all European society willing to take climate initiatives.
On Tuesday, the European Parliament showed the range of political sensitivities in the reception given to the European Green Deal: full support from Renew Europe; concerns for the competitiveness of European industry and the cost of transition (EPP); constructive criticism from the S&D group as well as from the Greens/EFA and GUE/NGL, who want more coherence in European policies, ambition and binding measures; scepticism from Conservatives and ID (see other news). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)