From the rise of the far-right to geopolitical tensions and social pressures, the future of the E uropean U nion ’s once ambitious climate goals is uncertain . — For many years, the European Union (EU) has been at the forefront of climate change action. The 27-member bloc has long acted as a bastion for global environmentalism and green policies. However, in the past few years, the climate and sustainability goals seem to have taken a back seat and no longer figure among the European Commission’s priorities. The European Green Deal (EDG), adopted in 2020, was the flagship of the Commission’s sustainable policies. The deal covers several policy areas, from mobility to agriculture to energy industry, with the aim of transforming the bloc’s economy for a sustainable future. The EU has set ambitious targets , most notably becoming the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, with an interim goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions of 55% by 2030. Take ActionJoin The Movement TodayEARTH.ORG MEMBERSHIP At the time of its adoption, the deal enjoyed widespread support across the aisle, with backing from the center-right majority party European People’s Party (EPP), the center-left second majority Socialist & Democrats (S&D), the centrist coalition Renew and the progressive left-wing coalition Greens/EFA. However, over the last two years, the original consensus has gradually crumbled, with parties either shifting their attention to other policies or wanting to significantly reshape and remold the limits imposed by the EDG. Two main reasons emerge as to why this transformation happened. First, the broader geopolitics of the continent have shifted significantly since the first implementation of the EDG, exposing the vulnerabilities of Europe’s energy infrastructure and underscoring the need for a diversified and resilient energy mix. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 shook the balance of Europe’s transition. With much […]