The European Union It is tired of talking about climate changes; it now wants to do something. The world’s second-largest economy is attempting to become the first climate neutral continent by 2050 while slashing its emissions 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. To reach these milestones, the bloc’s executive arm, the European Commission, unveiled the Green Deal in 2019—a proposal to radically redesign Europe’s energy, food, and transport systems. “This is Europe’s man on the moon moment,” said European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.
Importantly, the Green Deal remains a suggestion and not a final plan. Some member states have to convince others that they will pay the costs. Large portions of the Green deal are still not in law. The Commission has said the plan will require around €1 trillion ($1.05 trillion) in sustainable investments. Even targets already agreed upon aren’t binding. Thierry Breton (EU official) suggested that a previously agreed law to end fossil fuel car use by 2035 might be delayed if the targets are not met.
The Green Deal is still in the midst of years-long political struggles. The plan offers a glimpse into how an economy could be restructured in a way that is more conducive to a world concerned about climate change. This is the vision of a greener, new Europe if it succeeds.
Sea Power
The Green Deal plans to accelerate investment in renewables, especially offshore wind, tidal energy, and other power sources that would take advantage of the bloc’s 68,000-km coastline. Green Deal does not just focus on renewables. The Green Deal also includes hydrogen, which is expected to replace natural gas.
Electric Avenue
Imagine a future where highways are lined with electric charging points, cycle lanes criss-cross cities, and it’s easier to travel by high-speed rail. That’s the Green Deal vision for transport’s zero-emission future. But the proposal doesn’t spell the end for other forms of transport. The plan calls for ships and planes to be powered by sustainable fuels.
Renovation Wave
Europe is famous for its picturesque buildings; think Copenhagen’s multicolored waterfront or the iconic rooftops of Paris. However, the Commission has identified approximately 75% of these buildings as being energy inefficient. That’s why the Green Deal proposes a mass renovation of existing residential, commercial, and public buildings to ensure all existing buildings are zero emission by 2050.
Future Forests
Europe’s forests and woodlands are facing increasing threats from human activity, disease, and forest fires. But healthy forests are essential for carbon sequestration and storage. That’s why the Green Deal aims to improve both the quality and quantity of Europe’s forests, partly by planting 3 billion trees by the end of the decade.
From Farm to Fork
The EU’s Farm to Fork strategy aims to reduce the environmental footprint of the bloc’s food system by slashing pesticide use and cutting sales of antimicrobial medicines, such as antibiotics, for farmed animals by 50 percent. This strategy proposes to promote organic agriculture and increase bee population on farms.
Blue Economy
More than 4 million people work in Europe’s marine industries, and the Green Deal wants to reduce the environmental footprint across this “blue economy.” Alongside decarbonizing marine transport, that will mean finding ways to reduce microplastic pollution, reverse biodiversity loss, improve ship recycling, and incentivize fishers to collect litter and fishing gear lost at sea.
Science superpower
Much of the success of Europe’s Green Deal will rely on the green alternatives that can replace fossil fuels or solve industries’ problems with waste. That’s why the EU is channeling huge amounts into funding new ideas. So far, the €1 billion Green Deal research call has supported projects that aim to produce green hydrogen in Germany or predict forest fires in Spain.
The original publication of this article was in WIRED UK’s January/February 2023 issue.
