Current:Home > InvestEU plan aimed at fighting climate change to go to final votes, even if watered down -Mastery Money Tools
EU plan aimed at fighting climate change to go to final votes, even if watered down
View
Date:2025-04-14 22:20:55
BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union institutions and conservationists on Friday gave a conditional and guarded welcome to a major plan to better protect nature and fight climate change in the 27-nation bloc.
The plan is a key part of the EU’s vaunted European Green Deal that seeks to establish the world’s most ambitious climate and biodiversity targets and make the bloc the global point of reference on all climate issues. Yet it has had an extremely rough ride through the EU’s complicated approval process and only a watered down version will now proceed to final votes.
Late Thursday’s breakthrough agreement between parliament and EU member states should have normally been the end of the approval process. But given the controversy the plan had previously stirred, the final votes - normally a rubberstamp process - could still throw up some hurdles.
The plan has lost some of its progressive edge during negotiations over the summer because of fierce opposition in the EU’s legislature, particularly from the Christian Democrat EPP, the largest of the political groups.
“The final text on this law has little to do with the original proposal,” sajd EPP legislator Christine Schneider. The EPP opposition also highlighted the core struggle in Europe over how to deal with climate issues. Despite the succession of droughts, floods and heat waves that have swept through many areas in Europe, the EPP wants to hit the pause button on such environmental action and concentrate on economic competitiveness first over the next five years.
Under the plan, member states would have to meet restoration targets for specific habitats and species, with the aim of covering at least 20% of the region’s land and sea areas by 2030. But quarrels over exemptions and flexibility clauses allowing member states to skirt the rules plagued negotiations.
“Negotiators have hollowed out the law to the point that it risks being toothless in practice and prone to abuse,” said Ioannis Agapakis, a lawyer at the ClientEarth conservation group. He said the weakening of provisions “have set a very frightening precedent for EU law-making, rather than cementing the EU at the forefront of biodiversity conservation.”
But the EPP and other conservatives and the far right have insisted the plans would undermine food security, fuel inflation and hurt farmers.
And despite agreement on a compromise text, the EPP’s Schneider still did not give the plan wholehearted support for the final parliament votes, leaving the final adoption of the EU’s plan in doubt.
“The EPP Group will now seriously check the outcome of today’s negotiations,” Schneider said, “keeping in mind that nature restoration and achieving our climate goals go hand-in-hand with agriculture and forestry. Only then we can secure Europe’s food security.”
___
Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
veryGood! (918)
Related
- Toyota to invest $922 million to build a new paint facility at its Kentucky complex
- Hundreds feared dead in Gaza hospital blast as Israeli, Palestinian officials trade accusations
- Magnitude 3.5 earthquake shakes near Reno, Nevada, the second quake in two days
- In big year for labor, California Gov. Gavin Newsom delivers both wins and surprises
- The 401(k) millionaires club keeps growing. We'll tell you how to join.
- Britney Spears Admits to Cheating on Justin Timberlake With Wade Robson
- ‘Drop in the ocean': UN-backed aid could soon enter Gaza from Egypt, but only at a trickle for now
- Federal judge again rules that California’s ban on assault weapons is unconstitutional
- The 401(k) millionaires club keeps growing. We'll tell you how to join.
- Woman whose body was found in a car’s trunk in US had left South Korea to start anew, detective says
Ranking
- Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
- At Donald Trump’s civil trial, scrutiny shifts to son Eric’s ‘lofty ideas’ for valuing a property
- Billie Eilish reveals massive new back tattoo, causing mixed social media reactions
- AP PHOTOS: Spectacular Myanmar lake festival resumes after 3 years
- Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
- (G)I-DLE brings 'HEAT' with first English album: 'This album is really about confidence'
- How Justin Timberlake Is Feeling Amid Britney Spears' Memoir Revelations
- Michigan lottery winners: Residents win $100,000 from Powerball and $2 million from scratch-off game
Recommendation
2 killed, 3 injured in shooting at makeshift club in Houston
Hundreds feared dead in Gaza hospital blast as Israeli, Palestinian officials trade accusations
Stranded on the Eiffel Tower, a couple decide to wed, with an AP reporter there to tell the story
Earthquake country residents set to ‘drop, cover and hold on’ in annual ShakeOut quake drill
Could Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft reunite? Maybe in Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2026 class
2 San Antonio police officers shot and wounded during domestic disturbance call; suspect surrenders
Daddy Yankee's reggaeton Netflix show 'Neon' is an endless party
2 Kansas prison employees fired, 6 punished after they allegedly mocked and ignored injured female inmate