EPP makes climate deniers chief negotiators and puts the EU's health, economy and credibility at risk

Yesterday, the EPP allowed the Patriots group to take over the report and lead the negotiations on the EU's 2040 climate target, making climate change deniers responsible for the EU's climate future. Today, the EPP rejected the democratic groups' requests for an urgent procedure that would have allowed to bypass the Patriots in negotiations. It will now be more difficult to negotiate the EU's climate target for 2040 in time for the COP30 international climate conference and before the United Nations deadline for submitting climate plans. The European Parliament will not be able to bring its position to the negotiations in time before the Council of Ministers is due to adopt its position on 18 September. An agreement before the climate conference in Belém is now also in doubt.

Lena Schilling, shadow rapporteur for the Greens/EFA in the lead Environment Committee, comments:

"The EPP is joining forces with right-wing extremists, making climate change deniers chief negotiators and putting the health, economy and credibility of the EU at risk. Right-wing extremist climate change deniers in powerful negotiating positions are a threat to the fight against the climate crisis, to people's health, to investment security in the EU as a business location and to Europe's credibility. The conservatives could have reduced the influence of the far right, but instead they have opened the door for climate change deniers to further delay and undermine Europe's climate protection.

The conservatives seem to know how to move quickly only when it comes to setting back climate protection. The heat waves of the past few weeks have claimed over 2,000 lives in the EU. The climate emergency is now, and it requires immediate action. Instead, the unholy alliance of conservatives and right-wing extremists is slowing down. The Conservatives are putting the Commission President from their own ranks at risk of travelling to the climate conference in Brazil empty-handed.

We Greens/EFA will continue to fight for every measure of climate protection and call on all democratic forces to work together on a strong 2040 climate target ahead of the international climate conference."