What’s next for the EU’s green agenda?

The author calls for the EU to relaunch its climate ambitions through a transition that combines aggressive decarbonization with social justice. Key proposals include shifting to qualified majority voting to implement wealth and fossil fuel taxes, establishing a plan to exit fossil gas by 2035, and reforming global financial architectures to support the Global South. The text emphasizes that a sustainable economy requires a circular model, the removal of polluting subsidies, and strict social and environmental standards for private sector public support.

• To fund the transition and reduce inequality, the EU should move from unanimous to qualified majority voting in the European Council to enable the taxation of billionaires, fossil fuel companies' excess profits, and the closure of tax havens. The author also suggests implementing a frequent flyers levy and a financial transaction tax.
• The EU needs a structured plan to phase out fossil gas by 2035, which includes stopping the expansion of fossil gas pipelines and decommissioning unnecessary infrastructure. This is framed as a necessity for energy security and protecting citizens from energy poverty, noting that solar and wind installations have already saved consumers €100bn since 2021.
• A just transition requires the EU to advocate for a fairer global financial and trade architecture, including the reform of the IMF and World Bank, the cancellation of debt for climate-exposed developing countries, and the establishment of compensation mechanisms for losses and damages.
• The transition to a sustainable economy should involve a circular economy that addresses programmed obsolescence and overconsumption, while making public support for the private sector conditional on high social and environmental standards, such as banning dividend payments for subsidized companies.

APA

Martinelli, C. (2023). What’s next for the EU’s green agenda? Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/whats-next-for-the-eus-green-agenda/

Chicago

Martinelli, Chiara. What’s next for the EU’s green agenda? Green European Journal, 2023. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/whats-next-for-the-eus-green-agenda/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Martinelli |first1=Chiara |title=What’s next for the EU’s green agenda? |publisher=Green European Journal |date=11 September 2023 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/whats-next-for-the-eus-green-agenda/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{martinelli2023whats, author = {Martinelli, Chiara}, title = {{What’s next for the EU’s green agenda?}}, publisher = {Green European Journal}, year = {2023}, month = sep, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/whats-next-for-the-eus-green-agenda/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }