The Issues:
Spring 2024 has witnessed many initiatives aiming to contribute to the agenda for the next legislative cycle – with the Heads of State working on the Strategic Agenda, industry pushing for an industrial deal, La Hulpe Declaration pushing for a social pillar. The environmental dimension is, so far, a missing priority in all the pacts, deals and declarations EU leaders are outlining for the next legislature, bar commitments in some political manifestos in the context of the EP elections. Clearly, if the EU fails to achieve its green targets, it would significantly weaken its position as a global environmental leader. This would also put its other priorities, including climate, social justice, and human rights, at risk. We need a green and social deal for a one-planet economy that is a coherent holistic vision integrating the environmental, social and economic dimensions.

The Asks:
Commit to a European Pact for the Future that offers a new social contract for living well within our planet’s ecological limits. Recognise the importance of competing on sustainability in industry and agriculture, driving a race to the top for decarbonised, toxic-free and safe production and products. Strengthen the measures for leaving no one behind, preserving our ecosystems, and enabling all to be part of the needed system change.

Continue to prioritise a green and just transition towards climate neutrality, zero pollution and thriving nature in the next political cycle from the Strategic Agenda onwards. The Strategic Agenda, the Political Guidelines, the Commission Work Programme and Council Presidency reflections and Conclusions should all reflect this priority. These should commit to getting the European Green Deal implemented and strengthened by addressing gaps and barriers, engaging citizens, progressive businesses and civil society organisations in multi-stakeholder empowering dialogue platforms, and promoting social, environmental and climate justice.

The Issues:
While the European Green Deal made solid steps towards addressing the climate crisis and advanced on water and air pollution, it was weaker on toxics and deeply conflicted on land and biodiversity, renouncing many opportunities for progress. Science and tangible dramatic phenomena impacting people and communities worldwide underline how urgent it is to tackle the triple crisis, including through proper implementation of the Green Deal laws. We need to enable system change to address the triple crisis.

The Asks:
Table an Action Plan for 2030 to address areas of insufficient progress (in accordance with Art. 5 (2) of the 8EAP regulation), informed by the mid-term review of the 8EAP, EEA indicator report, science and evidence across Europe and the world.

The Action Plan should address the gaps by completing the European Green Deal and committing to the Sustainable Food System law and REACH revision, as well as the Sustainable Use of Pesticides regulation, which should each help avoid the need for a patchwork of national legislation and support the functioning of the internal market. Also, deliver the delayed Nutrient Management Action Plan and Water Resilience Initiative. Launch a new Climate Resilience Law, revise the Environmental Noise Directive and table an “Oceans Deal” policy package. And commit to the Nature Restoration Law and its implementation.

Raise ambitions by developing a climate emergency package aiming for at least a 100% reduction in emissions by 2040. This package should include robust enabling measures, particularly focusing on energy efficiency and sufficiency, as well as improvements in public and active transport. Moreover, it must differentiate between emissions reductions and contributions from Land Use, Land Use Change, and Forestry (LULUCF), while considering principles of social justice and ensuring equitable participation in and benefits from the transition to decarbonisation.

Address barriers: Overhaul the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) by gradually phasing out o unfair and untargeted direct payments and transform it into a fair and equitable instrument for the much needed and urgent transition. Guarantee adequate support for farmers adopting agro-ecological practices to sustain their livelihoods. Additionally, fully enforce ecosystem-based fisheries management under the Common Fisheries Policy.

Enable progress: Systematically accelerate innovation into clean and sustainable products by regulation, incentives, standards and conditionalities, and research. Communicate and showcase the multiple benefits of nature to people, society and the economy. And commit to funding for nature and nature restoration on land and oceans.

The Issues:
Today, in the EU we consume more than 14 tonnes of raw materials per person on average. The level of 14.8 tonnes in 2022 marks a 6% increase over the past  decade. This unsustainable and irresponsible material footprint underscores the urgent need for measures to address resource use.  Shifting from a linear take-make-use-dispose model to a genuine Circular Economy offers a multitude of benefits: it will help preserve resources, reduce costs, cut greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen resilience to price volatility and supply-chain disruptions, and avoid the emergence of highly destructive & exploitative practices like deep-sea mining. 

Despite these clear benefits, the circular material use rate in the EU has essentially been stagnating over the last decade (11.5% in 2022, less than a one percentage point increase since 2010). This demonstrates the substantial untapped potential and, hence, the opportunities for a more decisive shift towards a circular economy that aligns resource consumption with planetary boundaries.

The Asks:
Fast-track the uptake of Circular Economy practices by setting EU-wide binding binding EU–wide  targets to reduce resource use and material footprint in line with planetary boundaries. Develop and implement measures to preserve resources, fostering a momentum akin to the impactful targets set for energy and emissions reductions in climate initiatives. We call for reducing resource use to 5 tonnes per year per capita by 2050, aligning with the latest research on sustainable consumption levels.

Embrace a comprehensive transition agenda centred around Wellbeing Economy and Healthy people. This requires recalibrating the European Semester, use of wellbeing indicators to go beyond the sustainability-blind GDP to measure progress, and integrate wider wellbeing needs, such as care-centred transformation. In addition, promote business models that do not rely on shareholder value and profit maximisation; instead, emphasize the crucial role ecosystems play in fostering prosperity and recognise the liabilities generated by pollution.

The Issues:
Towards zero pollution, toxic-free and decarbonised industry: Industry is a main source of jobs, products, and income, but also pollution, toxic chemicals and resource impacts. EU institutions, industry, the research community and civil society need to work together to help vanguard business become climate positive, toxic-free, zero pollution leaders in the 2030-2050 time frame.

The Asks:
Ramp up support for and investment in skills, training, job creation and research in key sectors of the green and climate neutral economy, supported by due infrastructure to facilitate competitiveness on sustainability to help vanguard sustainable companies prosper. Use digital tools and more staff resources , to accelerate permitting, including by tapping the potential of women. Complement with smart implementation to support coherence and lead to effective progress, and progressive regulation to drive green innovation. Support these with incentives and helpful conditionalities and standards. Commit to fast-track innovation and substitution of toxics with safe and green chemicals to create the right chemicals for tomorrow – through research, improved governance, pricing and regulation. The EU should commit to being a global frontrunner for decarbonisation, detoxification and depollution and restoration.

The Issues:
Towards Sustainable Food Systems: The current industrial food system is making us sick (notably via non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes), driving biodiversity collapse, natural resources decline and climate change, and exploiting millions of farms, fisheries and food sector workers. Stark inequalities also define the food system, and the EU is split between general overconsumption and the reality of over 36 million citizens not being able to afford a quality meal every second day. At the same time, around 20% of the food we produce is lost or wasted. It also leads to the needless suffering of millions of farmed animals.

The Asks:
Design and launch sustainable food systems policy package – a key to constructive system change in a failing policy context for a sector in need: The EU institutions must work together and with all actors and stakeholders representing the whole food supply chain to set forth a clear direction of travel for a just transition to sustainable food systems. It needs to adopt an integrated food systems policy approach supported by science-based, quantitative and binding intermediate and long-term targets for member states and the EU. Table the stalled Sustainable Food System Law and Animal Welfare Legislation revisions, and overhaul the Common Agricultural Policy to ensure it is consistent with the transition to sustainable food systems, outlining how farmers can be supported in driving the shift to safe and sustainable food production systems. End overfishing and move towards ecosystem-based fisheries management through the full implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy, including the allocation of fishing rights through social and environmental criteria.

The Issues:
The ecological, economic, and societal transformation can only take place with sufficient funding and comprehensive reform of the system of incentives in our economies. To give all Europeans a chance to be part of the green transition, the EU needs a game-changing green and social investment plan as part of a permanent EU transformation fund.

The Asks:
Commit to a Social and Green Investment Plan for the Green Deal transition so all are on board – people and businesses. Radically increase public climate, environment, social and infrastructure investments while aligning public procurement and private investments, and ensuring polluters take responsibility and are held accountable. This plan should leverage an overhauled EU multiannual financial framework and NextGenerationEU, unlocking over one trillion euros by 2030 towards a more autonomous and fully sustainable Europe. Include smart grid investments to enable renewables integration, streamline funding for nature restoration, and demand side benefits and solidarity across nations. There should be a deep reform of EU fiscal rules to ensure all MS have fiscal space for green investments. And the EU should replace the existing Stability and Growth Pact, which is based on an indiscriminate economic growth paradigm, with a Sustainability and Wellbeing Pact to provide a better compass. Put in place an ambitious “Ocean Deal” to create policy coherence and bring the just transition to the accelerating blue economy, allowing recovery of marine ecosystems and supporting coastal communities. This should be supported by a substantial ocean fund.

In addition, together with Member States, commit to fair and progressive taxation and pricing, reflecting social justice (closing tax loopholes for the rich and launching an EU wealth tax), responsibility (taxing fossil fuel windfall profits, financial transaction tax) need for additional sources of funding for the transition, and applying the polluter pays principle (proportionate and dissuasive fees and fines for non-compliance).

Mobilise green and circular taxes together with other economic instruments (e.g. EPR fees) to increase the price of pollution, environmental damage and resource use. These will correct market distortions, discourage harmful practices (over-extraction & wasteful resource use) and reconcile consumption with planetary boundaries while scaling up a genuinely circular and resilient economy (encouraging prevention, repair, reuse and use of secondary raw materials).

Combine this with due redistribution mechanisms to guarantee equitable outcomes (e.g. ensure the ETS2 revenues fund the Social Climate Fund and that these funds reach poor households) and catalyse the transition to carbon neutral, zero pollution economy.

The Issues:
The sustainable choice – e.g. buying organic, sustainably produced food, taking active or public transport or buying a zero emissions vehicle, buying top water- and energy-efficient fridges or washing machines, selecting renewable energy sources for electricity providers, sourcing toxic-free material and products – is not always the easy choice for people or for business. This can be due to availability, affordability given pricing and disposable income levels, lack of information to inform choices, and lack of ability to choose (e.g. tenant-landlord agency). Citizens should be empowered to choose the sustainable options by default, whether for mobility, housing, energy, food or other necessary consumables.

The Asks:
Commit to all peoples, communities, and businesses being able to make the safe and sustainable choice the easy choice. Without this, inequalities will be further aggravated and opportunities for engagement and buy-in will be missed. Use both supply and demand policies, and increase policy coherence and cooperation across all levels of government to create the right “service and product environment” – the physical, economic, political and socio-cultural context within which citizens operate to make their choices. Creating a conducive environment for sustainable services and products is essential. Sustainable choices should not only be available and accessible, but citizens should be able to choose the sustainable options by default, whether for mobility, housing, energy, food or other necessary consumables.

Invest in sustainable infrastructure and services for all – ensuring availability and accessibility, advance on fair pricing and support transparency of information across all levels of governance.

The Commission should launch the delayed the Sustainable Food Systems (SFS) law and the REACH revision to support the former, complemented by sustainable public procurement to create a fast-track path for the best in class and help make safe and sustainable choice the default choice though improved offers — in e.g., schools, hospitals, and canteens.

The Issues:
The EU has an existing inequality problem as we are entering a deep transformation of our societies and economy to carbon neutrality, resource efficiency, and zero pollution. 95.3 million people in the EU (22% of the population) at risk of poverty or social exclusion (Eurostat). Around 10% suffer from in-work poverty, that is, they do not receive a living wage (Eurostat). The EU has a housing crisis, which affects lower- and middle-income households, and homelessness has doubled in 10 years. 10% of EU citizens have unmet health needs, and many more struggle to access quality health care. And there is a growing wealth gap: Europe’s top five richest billionaires have increased their wealth from €244bn in 2020 to €429bn in 2023 (Oxfam). These inequalities risk being exacerbated by the transition if we do not tackle our environmental and social challenges in an integrated approach.

The Asks:
Commit to an EU-wide strategy and results-orientated social protection plan with monitoring via the European Semester to address inequalities and end poverty, and systematically social proof policies to take account of gender, economic and other inequalities. All EU policies, internal and external, should be designed to ensure that no one is left behind. Support fair and decent work for all, via an EU Just Transition Directive and Observatory, as well as universal access to quality public services, such as healthcare and care infrastructure, transport, housing, education, clean water, sanitation, waste, and infrastructures. Fast-track improved access to healthy food and affordable low-energy cost housing. Commit to an EU Framework Directive on Adequate Minimum Income to raise the living and working conditions of millions of people currently experiencing poverty and social exclusion and enable them to engage in the transition. Invest in skills, training and learning.

The Issues:
70% of children aged between 10 and 18 expressed concern about the impacts of climate change and 69% feeling dissatisfied with politicians’ efforts to address it. In separate Lancet study, 84% of 16-25 year-olds were worried about climate change, 75% said that they think the future is frightening, and 83% said that they think people have failed to take care of the planet. Thus, there’s is an undeniable imperative for the current adult generation to embrace their responsibilities and new adults to engage to drive solutions. Many argue that there’s a moral obligation to leave the world in a better state for youth and future generations. However, given the ongoing pollution, climate, biodiversity crises, and the increasing frequency of resource-related conflicts, there’s a real risk that the next generation will inherit a planet in a significantly worse ecological state than our own. Marginalised groups, whether that is low-income households, disconnected rural communities, or ethnic minorities, are often more affected by environmental degradation and climate change while their environmental footprint is smaller. They are also often most impacted by increasing prices for housing, energy, transport and food. To avoid this, the EU should ensure that all people have a right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment and promote its inclusion in a protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights. This would be a baseline minimum to safeguard fundamental equal rights and promote environmental justice.

Marginalised groups, whether that is low-income households, disconnected rural communities, or ethnic minorities, are often more affected by environmental degradation and climate change while their environmental footprint is smaller. They are also often most impacted by increasing prices for housing, energy, transport and food. To avoid this, the EU should ensure that all people have a right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment and promote its inclusion in a protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights. This would be a baseline minimum to safeguard fundamental equal rights and promote environmental justice.

The Asks:
Implement a European Civil Society Strategy and civic dialogue, with a focus on younger generations and listen to marginalised groups. European institutions and member states should strengthen true public participation pathways via citizens’ deliberation mechanisms to discuss transition topics, develop a European Civil Society Strategy and clearly defined civic dialogue, and listen to marginalised groups, youth, those struggling to make ends meet and those whose health or livelihoods are compromised by air pollution, toxic chemicals, flooding, soil, water and marine pollution, and ecosystem changes, and provide concrete answers to European Citizens initiatives. Innovate participatory democracy at all levels of governance.

The Issues:
The EU is a family comprising a diverse set of Member States with both unique and common challenges. It is rich in its diversity and strong through cooperation and shared decision making. We must commit to a strong, enlarged EU that manifests solidarity among Member States and with like-minded neighbours, committed to a green and social transformation that provides fossil-fuel independence, decent work and security.

The Asks:
Roll out the European Green Deal in candidate countries with due legal, administrative and financial support, and reform EU governance to ensure decision-making is not undermined by EU growth. Fast track independence from fossil fuels across the EU and candidate countries and pursue strategic autonomy. Engage a multi-governance level investment plan for renewables, energy efficiency, sufficiency and circular economy, using the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), sustainable public procurement and green finance for fossil fuel independence of the growing EU. A well implemented European Green Deal can be a valuable peace project by cutting Russia’s income sources and reducing reliance on imports, which risk weakening political will. It will also be a valuable common and unifying transition project for a growing EU.

The Issues:
The EU must account for historic responsibilities and current patterns of exploitation linked to climate change, raw material and resource depletion, deforestation, over-fishing and chemical pollution, and the international injustices that shaped the prosperity in many EU countries and beyond today. European trade and resourcing policies, energy and raw material deals, and partnership and cooperation policies must all be guided by human rights, as well as climate, environmental and social justice.

The Asks:
Engage in global diplomacy for green-deal type partnerships and systematically push for the respect for the international rule of law, in particular in all conflicts, to avert the erosion of a rules-based order essential for peace. The EU needs to fully implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), accelerate global diplomacy and multilateralism and develop global partnerships to promote a fair and just transition, enabled by countries paying their fair share for the mitigation and adaptation of environmental damage and engaging in active reconciliation for past mistakes.

The ecological, economic, societal transformation cannot take place without sufficient funding and comprehensive reform of the system of incentives in our economies. To give all Europeans a chance to be part of the green transition the EU needs a game-changing green and social investment plan as part of a permanent EU transformation fund.

The Issues:
The rule of law and its enforcement is essential for trust in government, institutions, and to ensure an economic level playing field in the EU internal market. The EU must adopt a “better compliance” agenda, demonstrating a clear willingness to prevent non-respect of EU law with faster initiation and full transparency of infringement procedures, significant increases in EC and Member State staff capacity for enforcement and more dissuasive financial and reputational sanctions for market actors. Digitalisation, with remote sensing tools and AI, is increasingly proving to be able to strengthen enforcement and control efficiency.

The Asks:
Set up an Implementation and Enforcement Action plan by the next Commission, with a strong focus on upholding the rule of law in the Member States and across the EU. Within this, harmonise environmental liability by revising the Environmental Liability Directive, ensure a swift and effective implementation of the Environmental Crime Directive, and have the polluter pays principle and precautionary principle remain the bedrock of EU environmental law and implemented throughout legislation. Remain committed to a strong and effective Corporate Sustainability and Due Diligence Directive and the Aarhus Convention.

In addition, fitness checks of national public administration efficiency should be launched to help determine needs for improved implementation – from enabling permitting, assessments, consultations and public participation to data and use of AI tools. Improved effectiveness and efficiency are better solutions to the need for speed (e.g. for renewable energy roll-out) and grid extensions than simplification or deregulation, that are often false solutions.

The Issues:
Good governance is the basis of effective decision-making, legitimacy and trust. It should also be based on solid scientific evidence, and should focus on what is right for the EU, its Member States, and people, and avoid undue influence by vested interests. The EU should launch a strategy to combat disinformation, weed out inappropriate influence by vested interests, and strengthen public accountability.

The Asks:
Governance should be improved at all levels, including at the top: appoint a Commission Vice President for the European Green Deal & Social Investments, and a Vice President for Just Transition & Wellbeing. Also, strengthen Youth participation in lawmaking and reflected role in the EU Commission’s governance structure – e.g. a Commissioner for Youth & Future Generations. Improve impact assessments to better include the costs of inaction and social impacts and a just transition and an inter-generation check to make the policy-making framework fair. In this era of disinformation, systematic efforts are needed to improve transparency, information, and fact-checking to prevent the risks of greenwashing and the spread of deceiving sustainability allegations. Weed out inappropriate influence by vested interests and risks of corporate capture that can block the emergence of the sustainable companies we need.

Embrace transparency and communicate the benefits of action on how people benefit personally – through lower fuel bills, lesser exposure to pollution and toxics and hence lower risk of illness or early mortality, better repairability of products, greater availability of nutritious food and clean water, improved accessibility to nature and associated physical and mental health benefits. People benefit from the EU’s progressive agenda. They should have the information to appreciate this and to help them decide who will take the agenda forward and who to vote for in the European Elections.