{"id":101614,"date":"2020-05-27T14:41:40","date_gmt":"2020-05-27T12:41:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/?p=101614"},"modified":"2021-11-22T11:27:48","modified_gmt":"2021-11-22T10:27:48","slug":"eu-plans-multi-billion-euro-green-recovery-but-falls-short-in-crucial-areas-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/en\/eu-plans-multi-billion-euro-green-recovery-but-falls-short-in-crucial-areas-1\/","title":{"rendered":"EU plans multi-billion euro \u2018green recovery\u2019 but falls short in crucial areas"},"content":{"rendered":"

European Commission proposals for a <\/b><\/span>green <\/b><\/span>recovery fund and new EU budget promise to provide the money needed to rebuild weakened economies – but environmental groups have warned some measures don\u2019t go far enough and others are completely missing. <\/b><\/span>\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n

\u00a0<\/span>The EEB is Europe\u2019s largest network of environmental NGOs with more than 160 members in 36 countries.\u00a0<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Jeremy Wates, Secretary General of the European Environmental Bureau said:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\u201cThe Commission’s proposals represent an important step in the right direction. We are happy to see the European Green Deal described as<\/span> \u2018Europe\u2019s<\/span> recovery strategy\u2019. <\/span><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Ho<\/span>wever, Wates warned that much more needed to be done to deliver on the EU’s Green Deal and that today’s <\/span>proposals were far from perfect:<\/span><\/div>\n

“The Commission’s proposals fail to address the enormous problem of toxic pollution, which is a major threat to our health. The part of the strategy on learning lessons from the crisis doesn\u2019t even mention habitat destruction and biodiversity loss, which have been widely touted as leading causes of new diseases.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The European Commission hopes to ensure <\/span>that <\/span>its corona recovery package –<\/span> \u2018Next<\/span> Generation EU\u2019 – delivers on the ambition of its European Green Deal, helping Europe to lead the world in climate and environmental action, creating millions of jobs, improving our health and protecting people against future outbreaks.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wates continued:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an historic chance to rebuild Europe, creating secure, new jobs and building more resilience to future crises. How we respond to the corona crisis will decide whether we build a healthier, greener future or continue a dangerous descent into climate breakdown, further loss of biodiversity and more harmful pollution. The future of Europe is at stake.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

European money will come in two tranches: through the front-loading of the new seven-year EU budget and in a separate, new Green Recovery Fund.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite accounting for less than 1% of the bloc<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s GDP, the EU budget is the most important financial tool in the hands of EU institutions. Because of its political weight, it has the potential to drive further investments from municipalities, governments and the private sector.<\/span><\/p>\n

NGOs, including the EEB, have been calling for an increase in climate and environmental funding from 20% to at least 50% of the overall budget and for all funds to be conditional on the achievement of green targets and standards. <\/span>More than 1.6 million EU citizens have signed petitions calling for a healthy, just and green recovery.[1]<\/span><\/p>\n

Patrick ten Brink, the EEB\u2019s EU Policy Director, said: <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe EU budget must contribute to cutting harmful emissions at source and restoring a healthy balance with nature. It must reflect the need to extract less, save resources and cut pollution, in line with existing climate, biodiversity, circular economy<\/span>, toxic-free<\/span> water <\/span>and air quality objectives and the EU\u2019s zero pollution ambition.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Commission\u2019s proposal will be discussed among the EU\u2019s 27 governments in the coming weeks<\/span>. A <\/span>final agreement on the EU budget with the Commission and Parliament<\/span> is expected<\/span> by the end of the year or early next year. \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

19 governments – including the so-called<\/span> \u2018Frugal<\/span> Four\u2019 of Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden – have backed <\/span>a statement calling for the European Green Deal to be made central to the EU\u2019s Covid-19 recovery plans<\/a><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Assessing the details of today\u2019s proposals<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

Jump to:<\/p>\n

Building Renovation<\/a>
\nRenewables<\/a>
\nMobility<\/a>
\nCircular Economy<\/a>
\nNature Restoration<\/a>
\nChemicals<\/a>
\nIndustrial Transformation<\/a>
\nEconomic Transformation<\/a><\/p>\n

Building renovation<\/h4>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n
The situation:\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
Ageing buildings are currently <\/span>responsible for 36% of Europe\u2019s total CO2 emissions<\/a><\/span>, <\/span>with a large part of the energy used in our homes going to waste due to poor insulation<\/span>.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
D<\/span>omestic heating is<\/span> also<\/span> responsible for <\/span>45% of all PM2.5 pollution in Europe<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
What the EEB has been calling for:<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
Hundreds of thousands of jobs<\/b><\/span> could be created by<\/span> renovating homes, schools, hospitals and offices <\/b><\/span>to be<\/span> more energy-efficient<\/span> and to reduce their impact on air quality<\/span>.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Energy efficiency<\/b><\/span>,<\/b><\/span> <\/b>detoxification, <\/b><\/span>decarbonisation <\/b><\/span>and <\/b><\/span>zero <\/b><\/span>pollution<\/b><\/span> <\/b>heating must be the core of the strategy.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Solar power <\/b><\/span>and heat pumps <\/b><\/span>will play a central role. The cost of solar panels has fallen dramatically and rooftop units now generate more jobs per kilowatt hour than almost any other energy source.<\/span> Heat pumps are the most promising technology to phase out fossil fuels from our home by taking advantage of renewable energies.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
What the Commission has announced today:\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
Building renovation was already a priority in the European Green Deal.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
A wave of renovations will see old buildings upgraded with modern insulation, <\/span>efficient and decarbonised <\/span>heating and cooling systems, powered by locally-produced green energy.\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
How much will it cost:<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
The European Commission says Europe\u2019s<\/span> \u2018renovation<\/span> wave\u2019 could cost <\/span>more than \u20ac250bn a year<\/b><\/span>. <\/span>Money <\/span>would <\/span>come f<\/span>rom the EU budget as well as private investments and national subsidies to households and businesses.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
How good are the plans?<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
There is no proposal to create a <\/span>dedicated financial tool<\/b><\/span> to boost energy efficiency in buildings, which was most wanted. The general commitment to provide regulatory and financial support to double the renovation rate is too vague, as is the way\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
Member States will use funds from the newly created<\/span> “Recover<\/span> and\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
Resilience Facility”, based on European Semester mechanisms and NECPs.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
Quote:\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
Barbara Mariani, EEB senior policy officer for climate:<\/span><\/div>\n
\u201cImproving the energy systems of <\/span>buildings<\/span> will provide new quality jobs and cut greenhouse gas pollution, improving people\u2019s quality of life and decreasing Europe\u2019s dependency on the imports of materials and energy.\u201d<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Margherita Tolotto, EEB \u00a0clean air policy officer<\/span>:\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
\u201cThe renovation wave is a key moment to <\/span>cut the harmful air pollution caused by heating systems<\/span>. <\/span>To protect our health <\/span>and environment<\/span>, it\u2019s essential that EU investments only support the <\/span>clean<\/span>est<\/span> options\u201d<\/span>.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
What to watch out for?<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
\n