Dear Reader,
This isn’t just a lyric from Beyoncé – it’s quickly becoming Europe’s energy mantra.
With many off for the Easter break, Brussels has felt a bit like a ghost town. But don’t be spooked: we still have environmental news for you, albeit a little less than usual.
Join us as we dive into what’s at stake for Europe’s rules for safe water, reveal how our vision for a greener future lines up with the EU Energy Commissioner’s plea for independence (they’re finally catching up!), and share the hottest environmental jobs in our all-new ✨ job board ✨.
Let’s do this.📬 Join us on our new Substack for longer, deeper New Leaf reflections on the topics you care about.
⚡ENERGY CORNER
Brussels backs windfall tax! About time. Earlier this week, five countries (Austria, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain) pushed for windfall taxes on big energy firms cashing in on the crisis. Now, the EU Commission appears to have given its blessing, even floating a coordinated European approach.
Now you’re talking – This is exactly what we have been calling for: if oil and gas giants profit from war and volatile markets, those gains should support people who are struggling and fund the energy transition. Now begs the obvious question: why not make these taxes permanent?
Back to the 70’s – Flared jeans and ABBA are not the only trends making a comeback. The EU’s Energy Commissioner, Dan Jørgensen, has echoed the International Energy Agency’s ten-point plan for reducing energy demand. He calls for national responses to the looming energy crisis, including less flying, more remote work, and even “car-free Sundays” – a measure that dates back to the 1970s.
Common sense never goes out of style – is it just us, or does this all sound a lot like the economic transition we’ve been talking about for years? Demand reduction, sufficiency, behavioural change.
I depend on me – Just like Beyoncé, Jørgensen is clear: the only way forward is [European energy] independence, “from a security point of view, not just for the climate”. And we know what this means: more renewables, “homegrown, clean energy, electrification, modernised interconnections and energy efficiency.”
Damn, Daniel, he took the words right out of our mouths. According to Jørgensen, the EU Commission will soon present a toolbox of measures to support EU countries in shielding families and businesses, but he couldn’t say when.
Bankers are on board! Given Europe’s fossil fuel dependence is fuelling inflation and economic instability, it is perhaps no surprise that the European Central Bank has joined the call for clean, homegrown energy, calling it the “most effective” way out.
High voltage – The good news is Europe has all the technology it needs to be a renewables superpower. It just needs an injection of political will. So don’t stop badgering your politicians! Find out more in our Substack article.
🐦 CANARY IN A COALMINE
Ours must be lost in the post – Environmental organisations are sounding the alarm after EU Environment Chief Jessika Roswall held a closed-door meeting in Stockholm with select representatives of Sweden’s mining and industrial sectors to discuss the future of the EU’s rules for safe water.
For context – The Water Framework Directive – the EU’s cornerstone water protection law – is being reopened in the context of the RESourceEU Action Plan, the EU’s plan for speeding up access to what it deems “critical” raw materials. While the mining industry is getting excited, we’re asking if the cost justifies the means.
Erin Brockovich, anyone? Last week’s Leaf showed that Europe’s waters are already under pressure. The United Nations has warned that the world faces a looming “water bankruptcy,” with more than half of the planet’s large lakes declining since the 1990s and 35% of natural wetlands lost since 1970. The effects of mining on our water – including extraction and toxic runoff – are immense.
This rendez-vous raises red flags – Europeans across the continent care deeply about clean drinking water and rivers and lakes that we can swim and fish in – and our voices deserve to be part of the conversation. Yet not a single civil society organisation was at the table.
Show us what you’re made of! Decisions on Europe’s water are a chance for policymakers to show leadership by putting people, nature, and long-term resilience first – showing they care about the same things we do. We hope Roswall won’t forget what (or who) she committed to when she took office.
📣TAKE ACTION
Canary in a coal mine – If you are through with the EU Commission’s dangerous pivot towards opaque policy-making and industry favouritism, add your name to the list of almost 400,000 Europeans already calling on EU decision-makers to defend and strengthen the laws that protect our environment and secure our future.
Make your voice count – Respond to the Call for Evidence on the potential revision of the Water Framework Directive until 14 April 2026. You can respond in your own language and in your own words – no formal language needed. Even a short message about:
- How the WFD has (or hasn’t) protected your local river, lake, or groundwater
- What risks you see if rules are weakened for mining or raw material projects
- Why clean water and healthy ecosystems must come before extraction
Need a hand? We got you covered. Reach out for support and to receive our guidance document.
✊ FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT
The Forever Fight Against PFAS – Last month, residents from PFAS-contaminated sites across Europe – including Germany, France, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, and the Netherlands – gathered in Brussels to join forces in demanding an EU-wide PFAS ban, demanding justice and decisive action. Now, Le Monde is describing the meeting as a “historic moment”. Their story in pictures.
24 hours to have your say – The Commission is gathering input for its upcoming EU Livestock Strategy, which will have to tackle a system that is failing on every front. The deadline is midnight tonight. Have your say.
🧠✨ DOPAMINE HIT
As ever, here are a few happy updates to get your weekend off to a perky start:
- Renewables hit 50% of global capacity as the world’s first global summit on fossil fuels exit approaches
- Find out how to make bees feel at home and other ways to support the species
- Plus, saving bison from extinction has brought big benefits to Europe. Check it out here.
💼 THE JOB BOARD
- Greenpeace UK is hiring a digital campaigner, while their Brazil office is looking for the new Deputy Executive Director
- Euro Health Net is looking for a Communications Assistant
- The European Movement International is looking for a Project Communications Officer
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📢 ORGANISE
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By: Ruby Silk. Special thanks to the EEB’s editorial team: Roi Gomez, Alberto Vela and Ben Snelson. Editor: Christian Skrivervik.
