💶BUDGET BATTLES

“The first rule of politics is to learn how to count,” said U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson — and the numbers from this week’s elections speak volumes. Just six years ago, Portugal’s far-right Chega party held one single seat in the Portuguese Parliament — now, following this week’s elections, it has surged to become the country’s second-largest party. In Romania, centrist candidate Nicusor Dan secured victory, but only in the second round, helped by the highest voter turnout since 1996.  

Meanwhile, in Poland, Warsaw’s mayor Rafał Trzaskowski edged ahead in the first round of the presidential race, leading his hard-right opponent Karol Nawrocki by just two percentage points. While pro-EU, pro-democratic forces prevailed on election Super Sunday, this is not the far right falling behind. Unfortunately, they are still gaining momentum. 

In this edition, we unpack a flurry of critical developments shaping Europe’s environmental future — from ongoing debates over the EU’s next long-term budget to the latest updates on water pollution standards. We also spotlight an exposé on how billionaire wealth is fuelling the climate crisis, troubling efforts to dismantle corporate accountability laws, a few welcome flashes of climate hope — and much more.  

Before we dive in, we want to send a heartfelt THANK YOU to all our members across Europe (and the world). This week, we hosted the EEB’s Annual General Meeting, elected a new Board and Council, welcomed 12 new members (totalling 196!), and celebrated being the largest and most inclusive environmental citizens’ organisation in Europe. Check out our 2024 Annual Report for more.

IN THE BRUSSELS BUBBLE 

💶 BUDGET BATTLES: GREEN DEAL VS RED LINES 

THE STAKES – The EU’s next big financial battle is already underway. The Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) — the Union’s next seven-year budget — is being negotiated and drawn up now for 2028–2034.  

Sounds technical, but it’s political – The MFF is crucial as it defines the limits of the political playbook for the next decade, shaping everything from climate action and biodiversity to defence and democracy. In an era of ecological tipping points and creeping authoritarianism, where the EU puts its money, will define what kind of future it backs. 

THE GOOD – Two weeks ago, the EU Parliament sent a clear message: green investments must not just survive — they must grow. In a report on the MFF, a clear majority of MEPs called for more direct funding for the environment, biodiversity, and climate action, building on the LIFE Programme’s €5.4 billion legacy from this budget term. They recognise that more public investment is needed to lay the path to climate neutrality by 2050.  

THE BAD – New findings published in Nature show that all planetary boundaries — except ozone depletion — are on track to be breached by 2050 under current policies. Climate, biodiversity, nutrient flows, water systems: all heading in the wrong direction.  

Yet the study also shows we have solutions – from implementing the Paris Agreement to shifting diets and improving efficiency. What’s missing? Political will, bold regulation, and sustained public investment. 

THE UGLY – Instead of stepping up, the Commission just disbanded the Green Deal unit in its own Secretariat-General, sending a bad signal. Worse still, its leaked MFF proposal outlines plans to fold the LIFE Programme — along with most other dedicated funding streams, from research to farming subsidies — into a new “European Competitiveness Fund.”  

Why though? Simplification (this year’s favourite buzzword). This could translate into no dedicated funding for climate and nature. Critics from civil society, research circles, and several Member States are warning of a dangerous dilution of purpose, with even the EU Parliament explicitly opposing the idea of an umbrella Competitiveness Fund. 

THE BOTTOM LINE – The next few months will decide whether the EU’s budget is a lifeline or a slow retreat. Programmes like LIFE have delivered a real positive impact. Now is the time to scale up, not roll back. To save LIFE and to support civil society, make your voice heard in the EU Commission’s ongoing public consultation on the Democracy Shield before 26 May.   

🚰 EU WATER POLLUTION TALKS CONTINUE  

EU MEETS TO TALK WATER – This week, the EU institutions met in Brussels for yet another round of negotiations on the update of EU water pollution standards under the Water Framework Directive. Europeans care about the state of water in Europe, and the way we are treating it is not good enough. 78% of citizens want more EU-level action to tackle water pollution (not less action, i.e. “simplification”).   

Only one type of PFAS (‘forever chemical’) is regulated in EU surface waters, despite thousands of hotspots being known. Pharmaceutical residues, harming aquatic life for over a decade, still face no legal limits. On top of this, pesticides are wiping out biodiversity, yet glyphosate, Europe’s most-used pesticide, remains unregulated in our waters.  

“WE WON’T CRY. WE WILL FIGHT!” – This week, we joined forces with a famous film director to discuss the urgent need to tackle water pollution. On Wednesday, we had a full house at our joint screening of Les Algues Vertes (Green Tide) — a gripping exposé on toxic agricultural pollution in Brittany. Director Pierre Jolivet joined a powerful panel, calling out the industrial agri-lobby for its deadly impact on nature, farmers, and public health. 

MESSAGE DELIVERED? – On Thursday, we met up again with Pierre to take this same message to the EU Parliament. With the EU Commission getting ready to launch its Water Resilience Strategy, and with the vast majority of people wanting more (not less) action to tackle water pollution, we need action from EU policymakers now more than ever! See our press release. 

🗞️ IN OTHER NEWS 

🧊 NO ONE LEFT IN THE COLD 

GREEN TECH FOR THE RICH? – Solar panels, EVs, heat pumps… These are some of the key technologies we need to break free from fossil fuels. But for too many people, they remain out of financial reach. That’s about to change. Starting next year, the EU’s Social Climate Fund (SCF) will channel major resources to help low-income households through this transition, while shielding them from the impact of carbon pricing. 

GREEN TECH FOR ALL – A new EEB report shows that investing just one-third of the SCF could subsidise up to 20 million heat pumps across the EU by 2032. That’s enough to deliver clean, fossil-free heating to all energy-poor households in Germany, France, Poland and seven other EU countries, while cutting EU gas demand by 11%, almost as much as what was imported from Russia last year. 

USE THE CARROT! – The new carbon price on heating and transport (ETS2) is often seen by some as a stick used against consumers. But what’s overlooked is the carrot: a huge pool of revenues from fossil fuels that can empower people to make the transition to clean tech. In addition to discouraging fossil fuel use, ETS2 will generate windfall revenues to help households decarbonise affordably. 

FAIR CLIMATE ACTION – Our analysis shows how this funding can mainstream climate-friendly heating; but it doesn’t stop there. Carbon revenues can also serve as a progressive redistribution tool, with a share recycled into direct payments to citizens. With EU governments set to submit their National Social Climate Plans by June 2025, now is the time to demand effective, people-first climate action. Read our advocacy toolkit. 

🤑 TRICKLE-DOWN ECONOMICS AND OTHER BEDTIME TALES 

PTSS… – A new study published earlier this month found that the world’s richest 10% is responsible for two-thirds of the climate crisis. The ways in which the ultra-rich consume and, more importantly, invest, are directly linked to extreme climate events accountable for the deaths of thousands of people every year around the world. 

MYTH BUSTERS – This year, the number of billionaires reached a record high of 3,028, according to Forbes, with wealth continuing to snowball among the top 1%, while the majority of people struggle to make ends meet. As this billionaire class grows, the gap between them and the rest of society continues to widen. 

This report from Oxfam once again debunks the myth of trickle-down economics revealing a system that continues to benefit an ever-richer and more powerful oligarchy. 

FRIENDLY REMINDER – Prosperity doesn’t come from private jets or corporate stock buybacks. It comes from collective investment – fair wages, universal public services, and a society that prioritises care over capital.  

TAX THE RICH – A first step in the right direction would be an EU-wide wealth tax on the wealthiest individuals that could generate the resources needed to confront the climate emergency, rebuild public infrastructure, and start reversing centuries of injustice. 

🪒 BUZZCUT? 

FRANCO-GERMAN CHAINSAW – French President Emmanuel Macron and German conservative leader Friedrich Merz have called for the complete repeal of the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive – a significant shift that would deepen the bloc’s recent anti-green pivot. 

HÄ? – The directive, which aims to hold companies accountable for human rights and environmental abuses in their global supply chains, is already facing delays and revisions under the Commission’s “simplification” agenda, but scrapping it entirely was never on the table. 

OH LA VACHE! – Although this high-level push has the potential to reshape the debate, Macron and Merz still face the challenge of persuading other Member States and overcoming likely resistance in the EU Parliament. What is clear, however, is that the laws designed to protect people and the planet are not simply undergoing minor adjustments but a full-scale assault. 

🚗 GRAB THE WHEEL! 

SECOND-HAND STEEL – Decarbonising the automotive sector requires more than just switching to electric vehicles; it also depends on how those vehicles are made. This week, a coalition of NGOs, think tanks, and recycling industry leaders urged the EU to set binding targets for recycled steel in car manufacturing, highlighting new research showing that high-quality steel from old cars can be effectively reused, reducing one of the biggest sources of a vehicle’s environmental footprint. 

💐 THE DOPAMINE HIT 

Despite what it may seem, there are plenty of things to be hopeful about. These are some recent positive environmental stories. 

—The Council of Europe adopts a key Environmental Crimes Convention, a powerful regional legal framework to combat serious environmental crimes – including those amounting to ecocide – and reflects a growing global momentum of using the law to tackle the accelerating destruction of the environment, biodiversity and the climate system. Read more here.  

—Colombia takes regional lead in Indigenous self-government, raising hopes for Amazon protection. Read more here 

—China’s emissions decline amid clean energy surge, marking the first drop due to clean power generation. Read more here 

—In the Netherlands, anyone can turn a slice of sidewalk into a garden. Read more here 

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By: Roi Gomez. Special thanks to the EEB’s editorial team: Ruby Silk, Ben Snelson and Alberto Vela. Editor: Christian Skrivervik