Over 400 European businesses and associations have called on the EU and Belgium to continue the Green Deal in two open letters published by Le Soir on Monday.
130 companies have signed the first letter, including Coca-Cola, Danone, Eurostar, Proximus, Sodexo and Too Good To Go. The statement is in response to certain political parties who have questioned elements of the Green Deal, a pact aiming for EU carbon neutrality by 2050.
Addressed to "elected representatives and future heads of government", signatories say the Green Deal and its measures represent "the beginning of a historic transformation of the European economy [...] While the current context is putting our economy under pressure, it is vital that we stay on course."
Illustration picture shows the presentation of the 'Foret resiliente' forest restauration project in Namur, Wednesday 13 October 2021. Credit: Belga
A second letter has garnered over 400 signatures including that of Ikea, Amazon and Engie. The publication contains a similar message: no European future exists without the Green Deal. Signatories express concern at far-right attempts to dismantle the deal and urge the EU to "maintain a strong and stable commitment to confirm that the Green Deal is the engine of growth and security in Europe."
In their view, the Green Deal should be "the top priority of the next five-year term, complemented by a Green Industrial Deal". These agreements will need to be overseen by a specifically appointed Commission vice-president.
Backward steps
On Friday, the Federal Planning Office estimated that current Belgian policies would only reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25.5% in non-industrial sectors by 2029 when compared with 2005, thus falling short of Belgium's commitment to achieve a 47% reduction.
Environmental policy was sorely lacking in the run-up to Belgium's triple ballot last Sunday. Green parties Ecolo and Groen performed badly in the ballot, with co-president of Ecolo Jean-Marc Nollet noting an "almost total absence" of climate issues in the media and the debates during a dismal post-election speech.
Ecolo MEP Saskia Bricmont protests against EPP's campaigning against Green Deal files such as the Nature Restoration law in a bid to hold on to its agricultural voter base. Credit: Belga / Hatim Kaghat
At the European level, the Nature Restoration Law, a cornerstone of the Green Deal, has been aggressively contested by the European People's Party (EPP) and other right-wing forces. An "informal meeting" between EU Ministers on Monday hopes to achieve a qualified majority following the bill's difficult obstacle course throughout the Belgian Presidency of the EU and beforehand.
The publication of the letters coincide with this meeting in recognition of the leadership shifts underway across the continent. EU figures will be divvying up the top institution jobs in the coming weeks as well as landing on a "strategic agenda" for the next five years. In Belgium, coalition negotiations are in full swing at the federal level and across the regions. Proponents of the Green Deal are determined for Europe's environmental commitments to be considered in this context.
