Green Deal boosts EU's carbon war

Climate plan is 'Europe's man on the moon moment', von der Leyen says

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented her Green Deal vision to the European Parliament on Wednesday as part of her efforts to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent.

However, von der Leyen is expected to face strong opposition to the package of climate-change remedies from some member states of the European Union.

The Green Deal provides a roadmap with actions to boost the efficient use of resources by moving to a clean, circular economy and, by doing so, stop climate change, reverse biodiversity loss and cut pollution. It also outlines the investments needed for these ambition and the financing tools available, as well as how to ensure a just and inclusive transition.

Sentiment expressed in elections for the European Parliament in May showed strong support for efforts to combat climate change.

Von der Leyen described the Green Deal as "Europe's man on the moon moment".

"The European Green Deal is our new growth strategy for a kind of growth that gives back more than it takes away," she said. "It shows how to transform our way of living and working, of producing and consuming, so that we live healthier and make our businesses innovative."

Von der Leyen, who took office on Dec 1, said the Green Deal will help the EU economy to be a global leader "by moving first and moving fast".

"By showing the rest of the world how to be sustainable and competitive, we can convince other countries to move with us," she said.

European Commission Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans said: "We all have an important part to play and every industry and country will be part of this transformation.

"Moreover, our responsibility is to make sure that this transition is a just transition, and that nobody is left behind as we deliver the European Green Deal."

The European Commission said that it will present within 100 days the first "European Climate Law". It also plans to present a Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.

Achieving the current climate and energy targets for 2030 is estimated to require 260 billion euros ($289 billion) of additional annual investment, accounting for about 1.5 percent of the EU's 2018 GDP, according to the commission.

The commission noted that not all regions and member states will start from the same point and it will implement what it calls a Just Transition Mechanism to support those regions that rely heavily on very carbon intensive activities.

On Wednesday, lawmakers debated the Green Deal, with most showing their support. But some voiced concerns about the social inequality it might cause.

Pascal Lamy, a former director-general of the World Trade Organization, said that with its Green Deal, the EU should lead international cooperation for environmental protection.

Some EU member states are likely to challenge the deal. Poland, Hungary and The Czech Republic blocked a previous EU attempt to introduce legal obligations to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 compared with 1990 levels.

Czech Prime Minister Andrei Babis wrote on Twitter that his country "also wants to achieve carbon neutrality, but we won't make it without nuclear", according to a Reuters report.