The “barometer” for the implementation of the Green Deal was created by the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) and GlobeScan. Its aim is to follow the implementation of the recommendations contained in the Green Deal and suggest whatever adjustments are necessary. It will be published annually. The first report was published on 29 April and gives rise to a series of reflections, especially on the role to be taken by single Member States.
Here are some of the key findings:
“Accounting for the relative lack of progress in Green Deal implementation in areas beyond climate and energy, respondents identified a series of key challenges that must be overcome, including:
− A lack of commitment by the Member States to the Green Deal agenda, which is seen by respondents as the biggest barrier to implementation, followed by inadequate governance mechanisms and unequal progress across the EU Member States.
− A gap between science and legislative proposals or investments on the table: When asked whether European Green Deal proposals meet well what science requires, only 62% believe this is the case for increasing the EU’s climate ambition and this figure falls as low as 49% for the ‘farm to fork’ strategy and 45% for the zero-pollution ambition. This suggests that political feasibility remains the fundamental driver for EC proposals, rather than scientific evidence about planetary boundaries.
− The lack of awareness-raising and consensus-building around the European Green Deal: less than half of the respondents felt that they were familiar with the European Green Deal as a whole. Even more concerning is the fact that government stakeholders and regulators are the least familiar with it – with less than four in ten saying they are familiar with the European Green Deal.
− The need to see through the implementation of the European Green Deal beyond the mandate of the current Com-mission, with seven out of 10 respondents believing that the Green Deal implementation will not be finished by 2024.”
Charveriat C. and Holme C. (2021). European Green Deal Barometer 2021. Institute for European Environmental Policy and GlobeScan, Brussels and Paris.
Gruppo Suolo Europa 