What the EU elections mean for sustainability

Here’s an excerpt from this note by Tim Mohin:

Dubbed the “greenlash,” the election confirmed the anticipated lurch to the right. The Greens lost more than a quarter of their seats while far-right groups won big, especially in Germany, France, and Italy. They now make up almost a quarter of all seats. But that doesn’t tell the full story. Greens actually gained seats in some Nordic countries, and the far-right groups that got voted in are made up of such a broad field that it is unlikely they will be able to unite under a single powerful voting bloc.

Although most green policies approved in the previous Parliament should be safe, there are two at risk: The goal to reach 90% emissions reductions by 2040 now looks in jeopardy as it still needs to be approved by the EU Parliament and member states. Plus, the 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars, which conservative Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, called “an ideological folly, which absolutely must be corrected,” could well be halted or weakened when it goes up for review in 2026.