Headwinds

It would seem that the reasons for opposing the European Green Deal are even more prolific than the legislation arising from it. The nature restoration law is still under discussion, but already, in France, a Regional President explains that he will not be applying it (the obligations laid out in the proposed directive already apply in France). The deployment of heat pumps in Germany has become an electoral campaign “weapon” which has unleashed opposition throughout the summer. The European Council’s latest proposals on 25 September to authorise EURO7 stickers for cars are tantamount to a right to pollute that contradicts European air quality standards… or the umpteenth authorisation to use glyphosate… and the list goes on…

The Green Deal would be too expensive, impossible for the working classes already reeling from inflation to afford this “luxury”, it would be a series of requirements for farmers, for households… laws designed by elites who are out of touch with reality, sitting warm and snug, with a nice Tesla in the garage…

Yet the latest IPCC report is absolutely clear on this point (as it is on many others): all the scientific literature shows that ALL the objectives of sustainable development will benefit from policies to combat climate change. There will be greater cohesion, less poverty, better access to essential resources and education if we fight climate change now. And the less we do, if we delay the application of the Green Deal, the more vulnerable populations will be adversely affected. The Green Deal, with its ambitious goals, is the number one social policy of this decade, as IDDRI researchers explain so well in their proposal for a new social contract.

In order for this new social contract to work, the Green Deal needs to become reality.  Demonstrating its positive impact for everyone will depend on the political choices that are made to translate these goals into everyday life. Supporting soft mobility doesn’t just mean installing recharging stations throughout the territory, guaranteeing access to sustainable food can be done with a few large producers, or by developing local production…

And beyond these choices, all the new obligations for municipalities set out in the Green Deal directives can be tremendous opportunities to improve quality of life for everyone. But this is only possible if all territories have suitable human resources, governance, skills and funding.

Municipalities are mobilised, but they need the resources to make it happen. This is the challenge for the next mandate (European 2024/2029). And that’s what we’ll be discussing at our annual conference in Modena.