Ursula von der Leyen’s re-election as European Commission president has ignited concerns among environmental groups regarding a potential shift in focus away from nature towards industrial competitiveness. Despite her unwavering commitment to the European Green Deal and her pledge to achieve a 90% emissions cut target by 2040, environmental groups have expressed varying degrees of apprehension over the proposed Clean Industrial Deal, a key policy initiative for her second term.
The Clean Industrial Deal, set to be unveiled within 100 days of von der Leyen assuming office in the autumn, promises to be a cornerstone of her mandate, mirroring the prominence of the European Green Deal in her first term. While environmental organizations acknowledge the clear mandate for tackling climate, biodiversity, and pollution crises, they warn against prioritizing climate action at the expense of necessary measures to address the interconnected nature of these environmental challenges.
The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) highlights the lack of concrete commitments to biodiversity protection in von der Leyen’s manifesto, focusing primarily on incentives for farmers. The EEB expresses disappointment at the absence of any mention of the need to revisit pesticide regulations or overhaul the current Common Agricultural Policy, which they consider critical for safeguarding biodiversity.
BirdLife Europe, echoing the concerns of the EEB, views the manifesto’s promises as vague and susceptible to exploitation by those seeking to profit from the environmental crisis rather than solve it. Their concern stems from von der Leyen’s emphasis on EU competitiveness and her plans for ‘simplification,’ which they fear could undermine the Green Deal’s effectiveness.
Climate Action Network Europe, while acknowledging the headline commitment to climate action, remains cautiously optimistic, emphasizing the need for bolder measures to achieve ambitious climate targets. They advocate for supporting the EU’s scientific advisory board’s recommendation of a 95% emissions reduction, a proposition that would likely face resistance from the European People’s Party (EPP).
Marine protection groups welcome von der Leyen’s pledge to launch a European Oceans Pact aimed at bolstering the ‘blue’ economy and ensuring sustainable ocean management. However, they stress the importance of expanding the portfolio of the new Fisheries and Oceans Commissioner beyond a fisheries-centric focus to prioritize the implementation of the Pact and safeguard marine ecosystems.
The NGO umbrella group Transport & Environment urges von der Leyen to resist calls to reverse the de facto ban on new petrol and diesel car sales from 2035, despite pressure from her political family to promote synthetic ‘low-carbon’ fuels. They argue that focusing on niche e-fuels distracts from the crucial task of building robust, clean, and competitive electric vehicle supply chains.
Greenpeace EU, while acknowledging that the situation could have been worse, perceives the imprint of ‘big business interests’ in von der Leyen’s manifesto. They criticize the lack of concrete measures and new initiatives in her second-term agenda, which they consider less coherent than her first term.
Despite the concerns raised by environmental groups, von der Leyen’s re-election, secured with the support of Green MEPs, represents a continued commitment to the Green Deal. However, the lack of concrete measures and the emphasis on industrial competitiveness raise questions about the future direction of the Green Deal’s implementation and its effectiveness in tackling the interconnected environmental challenges facing the European Union.
