Von der Leyen secures second term, diluted European Green Deal lives on

18 July 2024
by WWF -- last modified 18 July 2024

The European Parliament has confirmed Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as the EU Commission President, but weakens ambition on green and just transition.

In securing an absolute majority, von der Leyen confirmed to stay the course on the goals set out in the European Green Deal. However, her flagship initiative has also been downgraded, catering more to (agro-)industrial demands; her programme now starts by copy-pasting industry demands that are often at odds with environmental standards that protect people's health and safety. The importance of nature is mentioned in passing only and ambition for a fully renewable energy system is missing.

"The signs of environmental collapse are all around us: extreme weather events, loss of biodiversity, and deteriorating ecosystems. These are not abstract future scenarios; they are happening now. The dialogue between stakeholders emphasised by President von der Leyen should result in swift and meaningful action, otherwise this will only perpetuate the status quo, further increasing the costs of inaction on climate and nature", said Ester Asin, Director of WWF European Policy Office.

"Our economy and industries need to fundamentally transform, but the excessive focus on simplifying existing legislation can open the door for climate denialists and anti-environmentalists to scrap essential environmental standards that protect citizens," warns Asin.

Looking into the details of the political guidelines, WWF welcomes President von der Leyen's commitment to strengthen enforcement and implementation. For decades, Member States' implementation of EU environmental laws has been lacking. After the adoption of many key initiatives on nature restoration, deforestation and climate, among others, national governments now need to deliver by implementing these into national legislation. The Commission's new programme also lists a few initiatives which WWF called for, but often fall short of ambition or substance. These include:

• Recognising the impacts of climate change, proposing a Climate Adaptation Plan and European Water Resilience Strategy.
• Presenting a Vision for Agriculture and Food, which should encourage and support farmers working with nature.
• A European Oceans Pact and Fisheries and Ocean Commissioner, to ensure good governance and sustainability of our oceans.
• Enshrining a 90% emission-reduction target for 2040 in the European Climate Law, but ignoring the possibility of reaching climate neutrality by 2040.
• Turbo charging green investments, combining both public investment and private capital.
• Greater attention to a just transition for all, and significantly increasing funding for a just transition across the next long-term budget.
• Protecting democracy, and a commitment to step up the EU's engagement with civil society organisations, ensuring these are better protected in their work.

"It is evident that a majority of Members of the European Parliament support the green and just transition, and this could have been stronger in the President's programme. The Parliament must now use the hearings of Commissioners to strengthen and clarify the often vague commitments set out by President von der Leyen," concluded Ester Asin.

WWF urges the European Parliament to meticulously evaluate the tasks and profiles of the incoming Commissioners after their publication in September. Any candidate or portfolio not meeting the required standards for sustainable development and environmental protection should be rejected.

WWF is an independent conservation organisation, with over 30 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

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