Dear Reader
There’s a certain energy in the air this week, and it’s coming from Budapest.
After sixteen years of Viktor Orbán steering Hungary towards authoritarianism, the tide has finally turned. Plenty is being written about what this change means politically. We will keep it simple: this was a much-needed morale boost for civil society. And frankly, we will take it.
This moment belongs, first and foremost, to those who held the line. Civil society organisations, independent journalists and activists who kept showing up – in the face of disinformation, media capture, and very deep pockets – as democracy’s last line of defence.
Secondly, mobilisation made the difference in these elections. A record 77.8% turnout, the highest ever in a Hungarian election. Turns out, when people organise and build unlikely alliances, they can realise the “art of the possible”. Worth remembering.
Thirdly, it’s also a moment for the EU to regain some self-esteem. Orbán had long been a gateway for pressure from fossil-fuelled autocrats (from Putin-aligned interests to the MAGA playbook) to erode the European project from within.
So yes, there is a new reason for Europeans and EU leaders to smile. But more importantly, there is an opportunity. An opportunity to strengthen Europe’s most strategic agenda for sovereignty: the European Green Deal. The attacks will not stop. But today their proponents are weaker. And the EU should seize this moment to show confidence, defend a hopeful agenda, and move forward with ambition.
In this edition: ⚡ Energy crisis: rationing, subsidies, windfall taxes?
💰 Save LIFE: EU lawmakers back environmental funding
🌲 Nature: hands off our forests
💧 Water: safe to drink, not up for debate
🌿 Eco chamber: eco-vibes vs eco-reality
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⚡️ON CRISIS MODE
We are way past “unpredictable” at this point. The US-Israel war against Iran has thrown everything into chaos: a violated ceasefire, relentless bombings in Lebanon, and an energy shock triggered by the ongoing Strait of Hormuz blockade – a crunch the IEA says could be Europe’s worst yet. Add Trump playing Jesus one day and doctor the next… it feels like full-blown madness.
Crisis playbook, page one. EU governments are moving fast: jet fuel rationing in Italy, tax cuts on fuel in Spain, and bans on gas boilers suddenly making headlines in France. Meanwhile, the Commission is preparing a common emergency plan for next week (22 April).
What’s in there? Think of it as a playlist. There are some decent tracks: cutting energy demand, lowering electricity taxes and grid tariffs – measures to keep electrifying our economies. But then come the skips. No windfall tax on fossil fuel profits (despite earlier hints by the EU Commission). And some very repetitive (and costly) tunes: state aid for industry, with no strings attached.
Who pays the bill? Without taxing the massive profits made by fossil fuel companies in this crisis, the burden risks falling (again) on public budgets and households (you and me). That’s why, together with other actors, we keep pushing the Commission to introduce a windfall tax on oil profits.
💰 BUDGET WARS: SAVING LIFE
Good news from Brussels: LIFE, the EU’s oldest and only dedicated fund for the environment, just got a welcome political boost. The EU Parliament’s Budget Committee backed continued, predictable funding for LIFE in the next long-term EU budget (2028–2034). In plain terms: lawmakers are recognising that this programme delivers – supporting thousands of projects that restore nature, cut pollution and put Europe on track towards a liveable future.
There’s more. MEPs are also pushing for a bigger overall EU budget (+10%) – not a small ask in today’s political climate – and a pro-EU majority held the line on this file. That matters. Because the next EU budget will decide whether Europe invests in its future – or keeps paying for its past.
Not yet a win. While LIFE gets a warm political hug – including recommended earmarked funding – it still falls short of what’s needed. Without full protection as a standalone programme, it risks being folded into bigger funding pots where it competes for attention with everything from satellites to spreadsheets. At a time of accelerating environmental crises, that’s not just a technical detail – it’s a question of Europe’s resilience.
The way forward. As negotiations continue, we’ll keep pushing a simple point – and you should too: LIFE works because it is focused, visible, and stubbornly effective. The signal from Parliament is clear: it deserves dedicated funding. Now it needs to be turned into a standalone programme that secures its future.
> Read our press release.
🌲 NATURE HUB
“Let’s give deforestation a chance”. Every minute, we cut down 100 trees to supply the EU demand. Yet some decision-makers are still considering reviewing and delaying vital protections: the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
Recap: The law, already delayed but set to come into force, would require companies selling in Europe to prove that products like palm oil, beef and coffee are not linked to deforestation anywhere in the world. Done right, it could save nearly 50 million trees in its first year.
Businesses back it. Big Europeans brands are ready to go, and they warn that delays would punish companies already investing in compliance and reward laggards.
So who wants deforestation? Germany and Austria, backed by the conservative European People’s Party, are pushing to weaken rules for their agricultural and forestry sectors, while the U.S. government claims the law threatens American companies.
💧 Meanwhile, water stays in the spotlight. This week marked a key moment for the Water Framework Directive, as stakeholders – including us – submitted responses to the Commission’s consultation on its potential revision.
The familiar issue: whether “simplification” could reopen core safeguards that have driven improvements in water quality across Europe.
Large industry groups – including mining and industrial agriculture – are pushing for more flexibility, while environmental organisations and affected communities point to past major pollution incidents – from Baia Mare to Kolontár – as a reminder of what’s at stake when protections are weakened: cleaner rivers, safer drinking water, and healthier ecosystems and people.
Because in the end, this is not just about water policy. It is about the foundations Europe’s resilience depends on – and how much risk policymakers are willing to take with them…
✊ It’s a NO from me! Europeans have made their position clear. Almost 400,000 people have already said “Hands off nature!” Join the crowd, sign the petition and tell EU leaders: our forests, our water, and our health are not worth the short-term profit of a handful of CEOs.
🌿 JUST HERE FOR THE ECO-VIBES
EU wants to label dirty steel as green ⚠️ The EU is looking at a label where carbon-intensive steel could still count as “low-carbon” under new Ecodesign rules. Yes, coal-based steel could share low-carbon market alongside genuinely clean steel made with electricity or hydrogen. That’s like putting a diesel car and an EV in the same eco category. Confusing for buyers, and a bad signal for companies investing in real low-carbon production. Read the whole story here and our reaction.
Fast fashion’s afterparty 👠 Europe is doing a global wardrobe clear-out with 1.4 million tonnes of used textiles exported overseas every year. The problem is that not all of it is “vintage chic”: a lot becomes waste abroad when it can’t be reused. A new EU producers’ responsibility scheme for textiles is coming, but right now, any accountability stops at the border… as if clothes magically stop having an impact once they leave Europe. Read more.
Where is the sustainable stuff? 🛒The EU Ecolabel is booming, with over 116,000 products certified, often no more expensive than the rest. So good news: sustainable shopping exists. Bad news: depending on your country, it’s either everywhere… or basically a scavenger hunt in aisle 7. Same EU label, very different supermarket reality. Have a look.
🧠✨ DOPAMINE HIT
As ever, here are a few happy updates to get your weekend off to a perky start:
- Petition to halt EU‑Israel agreement hits 1 million-signature milestone (in under 3 months!). Read more.
- Germany transforms former coal mines into Europe’s largest lake landscape. Read more.
- France is turning its back on fossil fuels with a €240m plan to boost EVs and heat pumps. Read more.
- A dream come true’: Brazil’s blue-and-yellow macaws return to Rio after 200 years. Read more.
- Europe’s first large-scale green steel plant secures funding to complete its construction. Read more.
💼 THE JOB BOARD
- The Good Food Institute is looking for a Policy Officer
- Client Earth is hiring a Project Manager on Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
- Break Free From Plastic is hiring a European Coordinator
- Covering Climate is looking for a Communications Manager
- Euro Health Net is looking for a Communications Assistant
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By: Alberto Vela. Special thanks to the EEB’s editorial team: Ben Snelson, Roi Gomez and Ruby Silk. Editor: Christian Skrivervik.
