Press release | “It wouldn’t take a lot to kill the European Green Deal”, warns EP Green leader at Friends of Europe’s summit

Brussels, 28 June – Philippe Lamberts MEP, Co-President of the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, has expressed concern that the European Green Deal could be killed “in its tracks” at Friends of Europe’s Climate & Energy Summit yesterday.

Reacting to the recent rejection of the Nature Restoration Law in the European Parliament’s Environment Committee, Lamberts called the centre-right European People’s Party’s stance an “utter […] dereliction of duty” and raised the alarm about the lack of “buy-in in the member states”.

Speaking at the same session, Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, warned certain sectors, such as “fossil fuel industries”, will either have to “disappear” or completely change their business models.

Highlighting the need for a “just transition”, Schmit argued: “Who are the big emitters? Those who have the big revenues; those who fly in their private jets; those who fly around the world permanently. These are the big emitters. Do they pay their share? Not really. […] That’s why we will not manage this transformation just [by] relying on the markets.”

The summit also saw participation from several private sector representatives, including Claire Waysand, Executive Vice President of ENGIE, who reflected on recent supply-side shocks: “We were used to living with relatively low prices of energy. [That’s] not the case anymore.”

Making a plea for increased investment in renewable energy, Waysand called for “three to four times more in terms of wind by 2035 [and] six times more in terms of photovoltaic”.

Hosted at Brussels’ Townhall Europe venue, speakers largely agreed that delivery of the European Green Deal will require a re-imagination of the economy across every sector.

Access the full discussion here.

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Friends of Europe is an independent think tank with a difference. We connect people, stimulate debate and trigger change to create a more inclusive, sustainable and forward-thinking Europe. Learn more about us here.

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The Climate and Energy Summit is one of Friends of Europe’s flagship annual events, which attracts several hundred senior participants, including policymakers, industry leaders, civil society representatives and members of the international press from Europe and beyond. Learn more here.

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By fostering meaningful interaction between civil society, industry and government, we will help the EU advance towards its 2030 and 2050 climate targets. Learn more here.

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