The severe heat waves hitting the continent raise the debate on EU climate policy to a higher level. These heat waves brought record high temperatures, fanning wildfires and drought, and big health concerns among the public. In this context, EU leaders urge higher climate ambition to try limiting global warming.
Proposals on the table include higher emissions reduction targets, more financial investment in renewable energy, and financial solidarity for member states that are bearing the brunt of climate change. Backing these proposals is what has been identified as an EU Green Deal—a comprehensive strategy designed to ensure Europe achieves climate neutrality by 2050. To achieve this, the bloc aims at measures that will enhance energy efficiency, promote cleaner, low-carbon energy technologies, and eventually “green” industry. However, the debates have shown differences between member nations in terms of the speed and extent of the measures required. As a general trend, countries from Northern Europe, where extreme heat has not had such a bad impact, favor more accelerated and ambitious action. Such nations underline that rapid measures are a must if Europe is to avoid disastrous climate impacts and also become a global leader on environmental sustainability.
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Other Southern and Eastern European countries, however, hit hardest by the economic crisis and still highly dependent on fossil fuels, are more concerned by the economic impacts and energy security implications of stringent climate policies. They plead for a gradual transition that requires financial support and technological assistance so as not to be left behind in the green transition. The European Union will have to strike a balance between environmental objectives and economic reality, leading the global effort against climate change by attending to its social dimensions, ensuring fair working conditions, and protecting communities that could be poorly affected by its shift away from traditional industries.
The debates will define the EU’s strategy for fighting climate change, a move that has wider implications for international climate negotiations leading up to key events such as the United Nations Climate Change Conference. How united the EU is in all matters concerning climate will determine its role in stabilizing global efforts aimed at mitigating the climate crisis.
