Let’s rebuild a fairer, greener and more sustainable trade policy

Greens/EFA proposals for the EU trade policy review

The EU Trade Policy Review is a unique opportunity to fundamentally rethink and reshape our rules to ensure EU trade is fairer, greener, more sustainable and better for people and planet. These are some of the Greens/EFA's highlights.

We can only win against Covid if we act together

An opinion by MEP Anna Cavazzini

With the advent of a new vaccine, hopes are now rising that there could be an end on the horizon. However, the vaccine itself has presented a number of logistical and diplomatic challenges, as many governments have begun playing the politics of division instead of pulling together to save lives.

CAP 2020

Where have we come from? Where are we now?

Confused about the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and everything that's going on around it? Check this article and get a green perspective.

Stop the import of GM crops destroying nature

After 50 resolutions, Commission must finally heed Parliament’s advice

MEPs Tilly Metz and Eleonora Evi argue that the EU must no longer be complicit in the destruction of primary forests, expansion of monocultures and use of toxic chemicals banned in the EU through the continued import of GM crops.

A bad day for human rights abusers

An opinion by MEP Heidi Hautala

The European Parliament has for several years called for a new tool to sanction human rights abusers worldwide. Finally on 7 December the EU Council adopted this regime which will allow the EU to impose travel bans and asset freezes on the grounds of trafficking, arbitrary arrests, slavery, as well as the more serious crimes...

Fighting for your rights online

Did you know that the EU's internet rules haven't changed in 20 years? The reform of the rules through the "Digital Services Package” has the potential to be either a threat to fundamental rights or a major improvement.

No place for fossil fuels in the Just Transition Fund

EU agreement

The Just Transition Fund is the first instrument of the European Green Deal. Thanks to the Greens/EFA, co-legislators agreed to remove funding for natural gas projects from the final text entirely.

How green will transport be in the future?

The European Commission adopted its strategy on Smart and Sustainable Mobility on 9th December 2020, which sets out a vision for the transport sector in 2050. Here is a quick overview of the main issues and what is missing.

The end of fossil fuels

There are many obvious and urgent climate policies like implementing a greenhouse gas budget, reforestation, halting destructive trade agreements, putting the money where it should be. But why don’t we just stop all fossil fuels?

Terrorist Content Online Regulation

A threat to freedom of speech, media, arts and sciences

Preventing the recruitment of terrorists is an important objective. We want incitement to violence, glorification of terrorism as well as bomb-building instructions published by terrorist organizations to be removed from the Internet. But the means to achieve this goal, as proposed by the Commission and supported by Council, are problematic and threaten fundamental rights.

6 ways to make EU industry climate neutral

An opinion by MEPs Henrike Hahn, Damien Carême and Michael Bloss

We need a greener European industry, to keep our air fresh, our planet cool and to get a competitive, resilient and sustainable economy.

Getting out of the red: The Greenhouse Gas Budget

When the European Union decided to propose a European Green Deal to try and reach the climate targets of the Paris Agreement, they had to start with one important thing: reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Commission laid out their plans and proposed their own targets. Unfortunately, the targets that have been set are not being backed up with policies.

Time for real EU action on housing and assistance for the homeless

Earlier this year, the Commission launched a public consultation on its action plan to put the European Pillar of Social Rights into practice. There’s still time to respond and call for action on housing rights in the EU.

How Trees Can Stop Climate Change

Trees are literally the lungs of the earth. They act as a ‘carbon sink’ absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and turning it into oxygen. After oceans, our forests are the world’s largest carbon sinks.

It’s (already) time to save the Green Deal

A blog by MEPs Benoit Biteau and Claude Gruffat

The farming population is in freefall, with Europe having lost 50% of its farmers in 20 years. Consumers are demanding healthier food produced as close to home as possible.

Put rights and freedoms at the centre of the upcoming Digital Services Act

A blog by MEPs Alexandra Geese, Patrick Breyer and Marcel Kolaja.

The farming population is in freefall, with Europe having lost 50% of its farmers in 20 years. Consumers are demanding healthier food produced as close to home as possible.

The European climate targets by 2030

The Paris Agreement was signed by 195 countries in 2015. They all agreed on the core objective of keeping the global average temperature rise well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, while pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. Five years later, not one of those 195 countries is in line with its target. We need rapid and radical action if we want to be serious about the 1.5°C objective.

Farm to fork strategy

Agriculture is both hugely responsible and affected by climate change. The food we eat, how it’s made and where it comes from plays an important role in the system change that we are fighting for, since our global food system accounts for nearly one third of global greenhouse gas emissions.

The EU Commission’s Renovation Wave must put people first

A blog by Ciarán Cuffe, Greens/EFA MEP

Increasing the energy efficiency of buildings and the renovation rate in Europe is a win-win. It’s a chance to tackle poverty, create jobs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, says Ciarán Cuffe, Greens/EFA MEP and rapporteur on the European Parliament’s report: ‘Maximising the energy efficiency of the EU Building stock’.

The Mercosur Trade Agreement: A lose-lose deal

When you go to the official website of the EU-Mercosur agreement, the first sentence you see is: ‘A union of countries working as one to secure the well-being of their people’. This is outrageous when you realise that this agreement will emphasize deforestation, biodiversity loss, land grabbing, violation of human rights and adding to this, that in Europe our farmers will have to face unfair competition, that will destroy local markets. This agreement is a gift to multinationals!

Housing rights before market interests, for a socially just recovery

Our housing system is not working for people. Across Europe, from Paris to Warsaw, Dublin to Athens, an increasing number of people in the EU are struggling to afford the rising costs of housing. Greens/EFA MEP Kim van Sparrentak is leading a report in the European Parliament to tackle the housing crisis.

Green hydrogen & renewables

The EU should take the lead now!

On Wednesday 8 July 2020, the European Commission presented its so-called “Hydrogen Strategy”. Our MEPs Henrike Hahn and Damien Carême, co-chairs of Greens/EFA's Green Industrial Policy Campaign look at why hydrogen will be a key energy source to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. But not any type of hydrogen: green hydrogen only!

The EU recovery plan

In our previous blog, “Financing the green deal,” we have already briefly discussed the EU Recovery Plan. This plan was proposed by the European Commission to define the procedure of recovery in Europe after the COVID crisis. While it is mainly focused on rebuilding the economy, a lot of voices in and outside of the European institutions have expressed that this could be a very important moment for climate. While the world was in lockdown and our economy collapsed, huge amounts of CO2 emissions were continuously released.

Financing the green deal

As you know the commission proposed a pact called the European Green Deal, that will be the roadmap for Europe to tackle climate change and become carbon neutral in 2050. In our previous blogs we have explained what this pact is, and what it is not. In this blog, we would like to address an important aspect that is missing: MONEY. In the world we live in today, to achieve the goals that the EU has set, we need a good budget.

Will COVID-19 destroy or empower the European Green Deal?

This new crisis might be a make it or break it moment, and it is crucial we don’t return to business as usual afterwards. Let’s not forget that going back to normal is going back to a climate emergency.

All about the european green deal

The European Green Deal is a pact that was launched this year by the European Commission. It aims to make Europe the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050. This all sounds good on paper, but will it be enough?

All about the EU climate law

A blog from two young climate activists

The European Green Deal is a pact that was launched by the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. And the climate law is consequently one of the most important parts of the green deal.