A drastic change of course is necessary if the European Union wants to be climate neutral in thirty years. Significant measures are required in agriculture, industry, and the transport and energy sectors. Moreover, CO2 air pollution must be reduced even more than currently agreed upon in the UN Climate Agreement.
This transition will cost at least 1,000 billion euros, which must be mobilized by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and private investments. The transition must not be at the expense of vulnerable countries and citizens. Therefore, 100 billion euros in subsidies will be provided over the next six years.
This is the core of the European Commission's ‘Green Deal’ presented in Brussels by President Ursula von der Leyen and Vice President Frans Timmermans. But it is already clear there is far from any consensus. In fact, a large part of the European economy and industry is being confronted with numerous new environmental regulations.
European leaders will already discuss the proposals today at their summit in Brussels. And Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic are already refusing to commit to climate neutrality by 2050. This is mainly due to the coal industry in those countries. The EU actually wants to close all coal mines as soon as possible. The international environmental movement has said in an initial response that it does not find the Green Deal ‘green enough.’
In the spring, the European Commission wants to submit the first legislative proposals. ‘Within the first hundred days,’ Frans Timmermans said earlier. The plans range from reforestation and large-scale sustainability improvements for homes, clean steel production, and a ban on chemical pesticides in agriculture.
For citizens and businesses, the proposals will have major consequences. Timmermans and his chief of staff, former PvdA leader Diederik Samson, advocate for a European toll system and stricter regulations on exhaust emissions. If road pricing remains unfeasible in Dutch politics, some might think, we’ll just implement it via Brussels…
The air and shipping sectors, like other transport sectors, must begin paying taxes on fossil fuels. The Commission wants to shift three-quarters of road transport onto rail and waterways. It also proposes ‘green ports’ where ‘dirty’ ships are not welcome.
There must also be an import levy on products from polluting companies in countries outside the EU. In future free trade agreements, Brussels wants to include provisions on environment and climate, similar to those currently concerning human rights. Timmermans also wants to take measures to protect the ecosystem and biodiversity within the EU.