The Party of European Socialists (PES) will always defend a Green Social Deal against attacks from conservatives and the far-right.
The European Green Deal was promoted as the flagship policy of this European Commission mandate: a plan to protect health, to promote sustainable farming, to create new and better jobs, to protect the planet for generations to come. Now the EPP is actively fighting to undermine that.
PES Secretary General Giacomo Filibeck said:
“The PES’s main aim is to deliver a Green Social Deal. This is how we ensure a fair, just and sustainable future for all. The EPP is working to slice-up the Green Deal, eliminating key pillars that it has decided it does not want in an election year. That is undermining and counterproductive for Europe’s economic, environmental and social sustainability. It is not a plan to deliver wellbeing and a better future for our children.”
On top of attempts to undermine nature protection, sustainable jobs, the health of Europeans, and a long-term sustainable farming model, EPP MEP Peter Liese claimed yesterday that the social democrat architect of the European Green Deal – former European Commission Executive Vice President Frans Timmermans – had staffed the EU’s climate division with “many many people [who] work on instruments [for] how to torture Europeans, European farmers, European industry and so on.”
PES Secretary General Giacomo Filibeck said:
‘’We are for a battle of ideas, not personal attacks. These sorts of slanderous statements are a disgrace and have no place in our political discourse.
“If conservatives want to criticise our policies for a social green deal, that is fine. But they should not bring the debate down to unfounded, conspiratorial, personal attacks. In this election year, we all have a responsibility to elevate the political debate based on our political values. There can be no space for populist propaganda.”
Europe is committed to reaching climate neutrality by 2050. This target is not up for further negotiation or watering down. What the European Commission recommends today falls short of our past ambition and sets a worrying precedence for the future.
The PES wants to see strong leadership on the Green Deal and clear targets. We will keep a close eye on the social and economic policies that will support the 2040 targets to ensure a socially just transition. Scientists advise at least 90% to 95% emission reduction by 2040.
