Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has called for an evaluation of Green Deal laws to modify regulations if they lead to “excessively high energy prices.”
During the presentation of the Polish EU presidency at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday, Tusk emphasised the need to review all laws, including those under the Green Deal, to identify problems and courageously change rules that could result in excessively high energy prices.
Tusk also urged serious consideration of the rapid implementation of an emissions trading system for transport and buildings (ETS2). He warned that this step could have severe political consequences if energy prices continue to rise.
ETS2 is part of the Green Deal, an extensive programme launched by the European Union to make the continent climate-neutral by 2050.
While acknowledging the importance of protecting the environment and climate, Tusk cautioned that Europe risks losing out in global competition if energy prices remain three times higher than those in the USA or China. “If Europe goes bankrupt, who will protect the environment then?” he wondered.
Valérie Hayer, leader of the Liberal faction in the European Parliament, responded by affirming the importance of the Green Deal for energy independence and sovereignty. She supports simplifying the rules and adopting a more pragmatic approach to make companies more competitive, but opposes questioning climate goals.
Terry Reintke, co-leader of the Green faction, added that security, the theme of the Polish presidency, is intertwined with environmental safety. “What does security mean if floods threaten our homes, droughts destroy our crops, and wildfires devastate entire regions’ economies?” Reintke asked.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced during her speech on Wednesday that the Commission will present a new plan for affordable energy by the end of February.
The plan includes investments in new energy technologies such as nuclear fusion and improved geothermal energy, and seeks to attract more private capital to modernise the energy network and storage infrastructure.
