An overwhelming majority of MEPs confirmed, on Wednesday 15 January in Strasbourg, that they endorse the European Green Deal as a green, inclusive and sustainable growth strategy that can enable Europe to be the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 while remaining competitive. This will be achieved by integrating climate and environmental objectives into all EU sectoral policies, promoting an agenda of profound transformation of the European economy and society. However, MEPs felt that, in order to reach its full potential, this Green Deal needs to be more ambitious.
"The holistic vision is the real added value of the European Green Deal and should be strengthened", says Parliament in a resolution adopted by 482 votes (136 against, 95 abstentions). This is the result of a compromise between four political groups - EPP, S&D, Renew Europe and Greens/EFA. It validates this vast programme for the climatic and ecological transition of the European continent, presented by the Commission on 11 December, and on which MEPs had already reacted heatedly (see EUROPE 12388/1).
"Parliament welcomes the fact that there will be consistency between all European Union policies and the objectives of the Green Deal. Agriculture, trade and economic governance and other policy areas must now be seen and analysed in the context of the Green Deal", Pascal Canfin (Renew Europe, France) said in a statement.
The GUE/NGL group could not support this compromise, believing that the resolution lacks ambition on the social front and "does not challenge any of the Commission's favourite dogmas: free market, free trade, endless growth and austerity", according to Manon Aubry (France), co-chair of the group, who had submitted a counter-proposal to Ursula von der Leyen in December (see EUROPE 12388/2). All the amendments by the ECR Group aimed at preventing the future climate law from raising the EU's 2030 climate target were rejected.
Raising the 2030 target in the climate law. Parliament calls for this law, which is due to be proposed on 26 February to enshrine the EU's binding climate-neutrality target by 2050 in EU law, to bring the EU's 2030 target to a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990 (and not at least 50% and then 55% as proposed by the Commission). This target should be adopted "well in advance" of COP26 in Glasgow in November, say MEPs. They also call for an intermediate target for 2040 to ensure that the EU is on track to achieve zero net emissions by 2050. Greenpeace sees this as proof as "last year, the Parliament declared a climate emergency – now it wants to see real progress, as do millions of people across the EU", unlike the Member States.
Wanting the EU to take the lead at the COP26, Parliament wants the EU to adopt its new target (NDC) as soon as possible in 2020 to encourage other parties to the Paris Accord, especially large emitters, to do the same.
‘No' to the integration of road transport into the EU ETS. The Parliament takes note of the Commission's intention to consider extending the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) to emissions from road transport. However, it opposes their direct integration into the EU ETS and the establishment of any kind of parallel regimes. It strongly emphasises that no pricing system should replace or weaken existing or future CO2 emission standards for cars and trucks or impose an additional burden directly on consumers. This is an S&D and Greens/EFA amendment that was voted.
Following the presentation of the first proposals on the financing of the Green Pact (see EUROPE 12403/1, 12403/2), the Parliament stresses that the mobilisation of the required public and private investments is a precondition for the success of the Green Deal.
An S&D and Greens/EFA amendment was included, calling for the EIB's investment policy to target projects under the Green Deal for Europe as a priority, taking into account the additionality of the financing that the EIB can provide in combination with other sources. The European Parliament stresses in this respect that coordination with other financing instruments is crucial, as the EIB alone cannot finance all Green Deal initiatives.
Taking up an amendment by the ECR Group, the Parliament reaffirms that regions dependent on coal and carbon-intensive activities must be given adequate financial support during the energy transition. It welcomes the EIB's decision to grant loans of up to 75% of the value of projects related to a just transition to the poorest Member States.
The amendment by several MEPs from various political groups stressing that "nuclear energy can play a role in achieving climate neutrality" was rejected.
Call for an ambitious new action plan for the circular economy. The Parliament calls for a European resource efficiency target to be set. It also invites the Commission to propose targets for waste reduction, separate collection, reuse and recycling in priority sectors (commercial waste, textiles, plastics, electronics, construction and food).
The Parliament calls for the EU to take the lead in international negotiations on biodiversity conservation and expects the EU 2030 strategy to be ambitious and legally binding. It should include an objective of eliminating hazardous chemicals, linked to the strategy for a non-toxic environment.
It should close all regulatory gaps in EU chemicals legislation and help to rapidly replace all substances of high concern and other dangerous substances, according to the resolution. The European Parliament expects an ambitious proposal on endocrine disrupters by June. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)