Happy Friday! Congratulations on making it through another week. But before putting your brain on ice for the weekend, we have some updates for you.
Summer might be around the corner, but Brussels has been cooling off – literally and politically. The EU Commission seems to be confusing “cutting red tape” with cutting corners, persisting with the roll out of omnibus packages to gut EU environmental law in the name of “simplification” (better known as deregulation behind the scenes). Meanwhile, the EU Biodiversity Strategy is still struggling to take flight, and environmental ambition is looking a bit under the weather.
But it’s not all doom and gloom as the sun is shining in Brussels today. In the face of some alarming moves in Hungary, there is also a refreshing sense of unity across Europe, as countries come together to defend democratic values and draw a line in the sand. We’ll also cover climate targets, land rights, farming fixes, and much more.
But first, something that deserves our full attention:
UNITED CALL TO CONFRONT FAMINE IN GAZA
This week, the European Environmental Bureau joined nearly 900 civil society organisations in urging an immediate end to the blockade on humanitarian aid to Gaza, denouncing the use of starvation as a weapon of war. Though some aid is finally getting through, decisive international action is urgently needed to ensure sustained access to food and medical supplies, as required by international law. The EEB stands in solidarity with all those facing famine, disease, and suffering amid conflict and crisis, and calls on all states to increase humanitarian support.
🌍 EU CLIMATE CHIEF LAYS DOWN THE LAW
#Goals – The Commission is preparing to propose a legally binding target to cut the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040, compared to 1990 levels. In an in-depth interview with Politico, Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera, outlines the need for a “pragmatic approach” to the climate target but warns against watering down the goal too much.
Trump’s Europe – Ribera also expresses concern over declining political will and growing populist resistance to climate action, a trend being led Stateside. She notes a troubling silence around climate issues in the media and politics, alongside increasing attacks on scientists and NGOs promoting environmental policies. Backsliding or diluting commitments due to political convenience is not only irresponsible due to the urgent reality of the environmental risks humanity is facing, but could also undermine the EU’s credibility as a global climate leader.
👣 ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK?
Fist bump – The Commission also announced this week that the EU 27 is on track to reduce its emissions by 54% by 2030 (just one percentage point short of its 55% goal), if – and it is a HUGE if – governments implement in full their National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs). With cold feet on climate action seeming to be 2024’s hottest trend, this caveat is concerning. Moreover, Belgium, Estonia, and Poland have yet to submit their final updated NECPs, despite the June 2024 deadline.
Oopsie – In its assessment, the Commission also criticised a number of Member States on their inclusion of the public in NECPs, seemingly taking some inspiration from our demands, as none reported on how the views of the public were incorporated.
Womp womp – The latest assessment of the EU Biodiversity Strategy paints a sorry picture. The report outlines the current status, monitoring plans, and progress toward the 2030 goals. While it finds that the EU is ‘going in the right direction,’ it warns that none of the evaluated biodiversity targets are on track to be met at the current pace. Agricultural targets, like reducing soil nutrient losses and fertiliser use, are particularly lagging.
Get moving –With faster action, many targets could potentially be reached, but time is running short. Biodiversity is our best defence against climate change because diverse ecosystems are more resilient, absorb more carbon, and adapt better to environmental changes.
🤓 WHAT IS THE PLURAL FOR OMNIBUS?
Ominibi? Omnibuses? – Meanwhile, the Commission is launching omnibus packages, aimed at cutting red tape for a “faster and simpler EU”, faster than anyone can say, “climate commitments”. Since February, the Commission has launched four so-called omnibus packages, and a fifth is due to be published in June. Keeping track of which laws each omnibus package will “simplify” (aka remove) is easier said than done.
Executive orders, EU style? – While the Commission promised ‘a series of Simplification Omnibus Packages’ in its January Competitiveness Communication, it has not been very easy to distinguish how many packages they are launching and what each covers. If anyone wants to put us straight, we’d be over the moon to hear from you!
Smoke and mirrors – This might be more than an accident. Indeed, last Friday, the EU Ombudsman opened a formal inquiry into the Commission’s omnibus proposal to roll back key EU sustainability laws, including the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), and the EU Taxonomy Regulation. A complaint by eight NGOs points out that the Commission failed to carry out proper impact checks and skipped public consultation, in breach of its own Better Regulation Guidelines, making it impossible for Council and Parliament lawmakers to be “fully informed” about the consequences of their decisions.
Rules to protect – The world is a rollercoaster ride right now. That is true for all of us. All we are asking for is a seatbelt! On June 10th, we’re co-hosting this conference to better understand the dangers of deregulation in the EU and its impact on our lives. Policymakers, members of the media, trade unions, CSOs, and others are welcome.
🤝 CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH POWER
EU Democracy Shield: Double or Nothing?
Power up – The public consultation on the EU’s new Democracy Shield closed on Monday, marking a critical moment for democratic innovation in Europe. The initiative holds significant promise – not only to strengthen our existing democratic frameworks, but also to future-proof them through more inclusive and innovative forms of participation.
Or… Power down – However, this potential comes with real risks. In an era of rising populism and increasing democratic backsliding, there is a danger that the Shield could be co-opted by vested interests or bad actors to erode democratic norms, curtail civil society, and suppress legitimate protest.
The more you know! – Our latest position paper, developed within the Democracy for Transition Coalition, outlines both the opportunities and threats the Democracy Shield presents and offers concrete recommendations to ensure the initiative delivers on its democratic promise. For a fast-tracked explainer, check this out.
👀 HUNGARY FOR MORE?
Speaking of democratic backsliding, how about a democratic avalanche? As if the EU needed another warning about what happens when democratic norms are unravelled, Orban’s government plans another major red flag with the announcement of a “Transparency of Public Life” bill, which risks erasing what remains of the country’s civil society organisations and independent media. Effectively, it would enable the government to target, defund and dissolve any organisation in receipt of foreign funding that it designates as “a threat to Hungarian sovereignty.”
Make it known – Last week, we joined over 300 other organisations in a joint letter calling on the Commission to take action against Hungary with regard to this bill. Beyond our principles, the EEB has cherished members in Hungary who would be directly affected.
Get it done – Since then, EU Commissioner for Democracy, Michael McGrath, has labelled the draft law as a violation of EU law and called on the Hungarian government to withdraw it. If Hungary proceeds with enacting the legislation, the Commission looks ready to intervene using available legal and institutional tools.
🥪 EEB IN DENMARK FOR AGRI-FOOD FIXTURE
Time to talk diets – and eat smørrebrød. This week, the EEB’s Agri team has been on tour in Denmark for a week of events on food and farming. With the support of our member, Green Transition Denmark, we began the week by hosting a public event where voices from across the food system united to spotlight protein diversification as a catalyst for healthier diets, resilient rural economies, and nature-positive farming!
New captain –With Denmark set to take the EU Presidency in July, the message was clear: it’s time for a fresh start. A new joint publication echoes this call, urging an EU agricultural policy that pays farmers to protect and restore nature, stops funding harmful farming practices, and supports a just transition – not the status quo. Read on to discover how Europe can fix its broken farming policy. Thanks to everyone who made it!
🗞️ IN OTHER NEWS
Net zero and land rights – Across the world, land-based emission reduction strategies, such as tree planting and forest restoration, are essential to national carbon emissions reduction plans. As part of a recent publication on Net Zero & Land Rights, we explore how the EU’s targets for nature-based carbon capture risk pushing the burden of reducing emissions outside the EU. When the EU only needs 2.2% of its land for a 100% renewable energy system, the priority should be reducing emissions at the source, not increasing demand for land in regions where land rights are already fragile.
Housing vs. habitat – With EU housing prices up nearly 50% in just a decade, another crisis is quietly accelerating: the collapse of Europe’s natural ecosystems. Europe’s biodiversity is in freefall, despite decades of conservation efforts. Conservatives and populists will sell it as a brutal trade-off: homes or habitats. But is it really either/or? Find out in our Meta article.
UN weighs in – UN Special Rapporteur Michel Forst has called on TotalEnergies to take urgent action in response to new allegations of human rights abuses linked to its controversial East African Crude Oil Pipeline and Kingfisher projects in Uganda. A new report by Just Finance International highlights a grim pattern of forced evictions, violence, and intimidation targeting local communities. In a sign of growing concern, German investor Union Investment has now excluded TotalEnergies from its sustainability funds, demanding an independent audit. Extractive projects cannot come at the cost of people and their rights!
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By: Ruby Silk. Special thanks to the EEB’s editorial team: Alberto Vela, Ben Snelson and Roi Gomez. Editor: Christian Skrivervik (happy birthday!)
