
What happened?
EU Green Deal risks social, voter backlash
EU climate policies will face opposition from citizens unless they create clean jobs in Europe, the audience at a Friends of Europe event heard on 27 June 2023. Speakers at the Climate and Energy Summit, held under the theme ‘integrated thinking for a climate-resilient Europe’, warned that, in the face of international competition from the US and China, the EU must build on its strengths to foster a fair social transition for voters.
“The Green Deal, if not well managed, could increase inequality,” said Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights. “Don’t be blind to the social backlash,” he warned the audience.
The Green Deal should be used to keep jobs and investment “in Europe, not outside,” he said. This means the EU must foster a “just transition” as a core part of greening economies. “Don’t leave anyone behind,” the Commissioner cautioned.
Philippe Lamberts, MEP and Co-President of the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, warned that the risk of losing popular support means “it is not a given that the EU Green Deal will survive.” If European Parliament elections in 2024 shift power further towards populist EU parties, he said “there is a real risk there will not be a political majority to move on with the Green Deal.”
To win over public support, it will be important for Europe to build on its key strengths and develop green jobs where they are most needed at a local level, speakers argued. These strengths include a skilled workforce, a large internal market and leading universities, said Timur Gül, Head of the Energy Technology Policy division at the International Energy Agency. “If we cannot build technologies cheaper than others, we should try to build it better,” he explained.
He said this competitive edge was particularly important for Europe, which faces the fact that, for green technologies, supply chains are “heavily geographically concentrated” in China. “This is not going to change in the near future.”
Frank Mischler, Director of the International Power-to-X Hub at GIZ, remarked that it was “absolutely necessary” for the EU to foster close cooperation with the rest of the world, through partnerships he described as “symbiotic.” Mischler added that in light of Europe’s declining population growth, the EU should focus on “using the people we have for highly skilled jobs,” even if this means losing “super-intensive, low value” work to other markets.
The US Inflation Reduction Act, a $370bn support programme for US clean tech, was “a nice wake-up call” for the EU to review ways in which it supports European breakthrough technologies, remarked Constance Kann, Director at the European Investment Bank. She cautioned, however, that “this is not a subsidy race.”
Claire Waysand, Executive Vice President of ENGIE, highlighted that the drop in energy consumption since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine showed that both businesses and consumers in Europe “have proved they can make savings.” But she cautioned that these savings had been driven not only by efficiency but also by the enforced closure of some EU industry, or “demand destruction.” In order instead to “preserve EU industry,” she said the Gren Deal must include accelerating the production of renewables in Europe “in a big way.”
“Today renewables IS security of supply [sic.],” especially in the face of rising natural gas bills following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, added Pierre Schellekens, Director at the European Commission Directorate-General for Energy (DG ENER).
Anita Orbán, Director of Public Affairs at Vodafone Group, argued in favour of a twin transition of both green and digital policies. Vodafone, she highlighted, is already reusing, recycling or reselling 90% of waste. While the company is transmitting ten times as much data as it did five years ago, energy consumption has remained flat.
There are many small or emerging clean technology companies in Europe that could show the way to a clean and socially just transition, noted Pia Henrietta Moon, Co-Founder and CEO of Carbo Culture and 2023 European Young Leader (EYL40). “The EU needs a couple of good companies to show and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs,” she explained.
Fellow EYL40 André Loesekrug-Pietri, Chairman and Scientific Director of the Joint European Disruptive Initiative, said that, instead of waiting for a winner to emerge, Europe should take inspiration from the development of a COVID-19 vaccine and invest in many different possible solutions, arguing that this is a better use of money.”
When it comes to investing in promising green technologies, he said Europe must also be inspired by the 1969 Apollo 11 spaceflight project. “Where’s the boldness? Where’s the climate moonshot?” he asked. “The opportunity is there.”
Related content:
- Insight | Transforming the climate and energy policy landscape, by Claire Waysand
- Insight | Connectivity: the catalyst for Europe’s climate-neutral future, by Anita Orbán
- Insight | Hydrogen production? Yes, but what is in it for each of us? By Frank Mischler
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Schedule
In the transition to a net-zero future, Europe’s competitiveness will be largely determined by its capacity to develop and manufacture the clean technologies that make this transition possible. In February 2023, the Commission presented its ‘Green Deal Industrial Plan’, a framework which seeks to secure the EU’s industrial lead in the fast-growing net-zero technology sector. This Plan can be understood as the EU’s response to the ‘Inflation Reduction Act’ (IRA), the $370 billion support programme for US clean tech, passed by Washington in August 2022. To ensure competitiveness with the US, Europe will not only require significant investment in its green industrial manufacturing capacity, but policymakers will also need to facilitate a more supportive environment for the development of net-zero technologies.
The Commission’s Green Deal Industrial Plan relies is based on four pillars: a predictable and simplified regulatory environment; faster access to sufficient funding; enhancing skills; and open trade for resilient supply chains. Key Commission proposals in 2023, such as ‘the Net-Zero Industry Act’, ‘the Critical Raw Materials Act’, and the reform of the electricity market design, are important elements of this plan and are aimed at improving industrial competitiveness and supporting the EU’s ambition of leading the clean tech revolution.
For the EU to become a global leader in clean tech, policy decisions cannot simply respond to initiatives in other jurisdictions. The IRA has been a wake-up call for EU leaders. Europe’s green industrial strategy should be forward-looking, expansive, and ambitious. As Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, recognised: this is “a once in a generation opportunity” to re-imagine Europe’s industrial policy.
Questions include:
- In what areas does Europe’s industrial competitive advantage lie?
- How does the single market need reform to adapt to support he net-zero industry?
- How can capital flows be oriented towards green investments?
- Is the EU moving in a protectionist direction?
Speakers
Timur Gül
Head of the Energy Technology Policy (ETP) division at the International Energy Agency (IEA)
Constance Kann
Director at the European Investment Bank (EIB)
André Loesekrug-Pietri
Chairman and Scientific Director of the Joint European Disruptive Initiative (JEDI) and 2013 European Young Leader (EYL40)
Pia Henrietta Moon
Co-Founder and CEO of Carbo Culture and 2023 European Young Leader (EYL40)
In this age of high-inflation and rising interest rates, and increased levels of energy poverty, Europeans need a positive vision for fruitful and rewarding work in the future. Indeed, while climate change poses significant challenges for economic growth, livelihoods, health, and employment, the green transition can serve as a vehicle for employment creation, skills-upgrading, and improved standards of living for Europeans. The European Skills Agenda recognises the imperative of supporting individuals and businesses in enhancing and improving skillsets if the EU is to strengthen its sustainable competitiveness.
Climate vulnerabilities, natural resources, and demographic clusters are not distributed evenly. As the EU accelerates the transition to a resilient and climate-proof economy, cohesion must be maintained.
As our economies become increasingly digitalised, bringing bountiful employment opportunities, it will be necessary to ensure that digital dividends are equally distributed and that a ‘two-track’ digitalised European economy is avoided. This is necessary from a just transition perspective, to ensure that no one is left behind. However, it is also essential to ensure to maintain citizen support for the framework of the European Green Deal.
Questions include:
- Is the Just Transition Mechanism sufficient as an instrument to ensure that no one is left behind on the transition to climate-neutrality?
- How can policymakers and business leaders in the green economy address transition-related citizen fears?
- Is a new, fairer, more socially-just vision of work realisable in the coming decades?
Speakers
Ester Asin Martinez
Director of WWF European Policy Office
Philippe Lamberts
MEP, Co-President of the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Nicolas Schmit
European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights
Jurei Yada
Programme Lead for EU Sustainable Finance at E3G
One year ago, in May 2022, the Commission published its REPowerEU Plan, to rapidly reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels and to accelerate the green transition. Over the last twelve months, European consumption of Russian pipeline gas imports has reduced dramatically. This demonstrates how policymakers can deliver on major policy reform when the political will is available and aligned.
To win the battle against climate destruction, we know that we need to rapidly increase the share of clean energy in the mix by 2030. Europe possesses unique advantages when it comes to the deployment of renewable technologies and in this decade, of urgent climate action, it is a matter of implementation. A clean energy mix will also necessitate substantial improvements in energy efficiency measures and developments in storage and other innovative technologies.
Both the public and private sector have important roles to play in accelerating the transition to a resource-efficient and climate-resilient future. The EU is leading in the advancement of low-carbon technologies for clean solutions and strong private sector collaboration is essential to enhance market confidence and develop innovative outcomes for integrated climate action.
Questions include:
- How can Europe improve electricity integration between member states?
- Can Europe become a global power in solar and wind energy?
- Does the move to liquefied natural gas (LNG) under the REPowerEU agenda lock Europe into long-term gas contracts? Where is Europe’s LNG coming from?
- Are new energy permitting rules working to speed up the implementation of renewable projects?
Panel discussion with:
Ditte Juul-Jørgensen
European Commission Director-General for Energy (DG ENER)
Frank Mischler
Director of the International PtX Hub, part of Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
Anita Orban
Director of Public Affairs & ESG at Vodafone Group
Cristian Silviu Bușoi
Chair of the European Parliament Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE)
Claire Waysand
Executive Vice President of ENGIE
Fireside conversation with:
Lisa Jackson
Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives at Apple and former administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency
Ramona Liberoff
Executive Director of the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE)
Speakers

Director of WWF European Policy Office
Ester Asin Martinez is the Director of WWF’s European Policy Office, where she leads the organisation’s engagement with the EU and advocates for environmental conservation. With a background in law and political science, she has spent nearly 20 years working for civil society organisations and NGOs. Asin Martinez brings extensive experience in development, humanitarian matters, migration and human rights.

Head of the Energy Technology Policy (ETP) division at the International Energy Agency (IEA)
Dr Timur Gül leads the ETP division at the IEA. Previously, he held the position of senior energy analyst at the Directorate for Global Energy Economics. Gül’s expertise lies in energy end-use modelling, and he has made valuable contributions to the World Energy Outlook (WEO). His extensive research and publications cover various topics, including energy, climate change, renewable energies and energy efficiency. Gül’s knowledge and insights drive the IEA’s efforts in shaping effective energy technology policies for a sustainable future.

Co-Founder and CEO of Carbo Culture and 2023 European Young Leader (EYL40)
Pia Henrietta Moon is the Co-Founder and CEO of Carbo Culture, a climate technology company on a mission to remove one billion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere annually. Carbo Culture removes carbon by converting CO2 from plant waste into a stable form of carbon, also generating renewable energy and carbon credits in the process. Carbo Culture’s breakthrough carbon removal solution solves key scalability challenges of the carbon removal industry. Her prior experience includes growing two organisations in ed-tech: Mehackit, which provides creative technology courses for youth to experience building technology, and Rails Girls, a global non-profit that organised open-source weekend workshops for women to dive into the world of technology. Given her management expertise, Moon was the youngest board member of a publicly traded company in Finland, YE International. Named a Bloomberg New Economy Catalyst, she is also an alumna of Stanford’s StartX founder community.

Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives at Apple and former administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency
Lisa P. Jackson is Apple’s Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. She oversees Apple’s efforts to minimise its impact on the environment by addressing climate change through renewable energy and energy efficiency, using greener materials and inventing new ways to conserve precious resources. She also leads Apple’s Racial Equity and Justice Initiative, focused on education, economic empowerment and criminal justice reform — and is responsible for Apple’s education policy programmes, its product accessibility work and its worldwide government affairs function. Jackson previously served as the administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency, the first Black person to hold the position. Appointed by President Barack Obama, she focused on reducing greenhouse gases, protecting air and water quality, preventing exposure to toxic contamination and expanding outreach to communities on environmental issues.

European Commission Director-General for Energy (DG ENER)
Ditte Juul Jørgensen, the Director-General of DG ENER, brings 27 years of experience in the European Commission to her role. Her career has encompassed diverse positions, including head of the cabinet of Competition Commissioner Vestager and director of legal Affairs and trade in goods at the Directorate-General for Trade (DG TRADE). With her extensive background, the Commissioner has acquired valuable expertise in trade, competition and energy policy.

Director at the European Investment Bank (EIB)
Constance Kann’s current role at EIB focuses on sustainability and impact. Prior to this, she helped develop the bank’s policy agenda and relations with the EU institutions, following a role as the director of corporate responsibility and communication. Before joining the EIB, Kann was the managing director of group communications for the Zurich-based global re-insurance company Swiss Re. She has also previous worked with Unilever as the senior vice president of global communications. She started her career in consultancy as the managing director of the Brussels office for Edelman Public Relations Worldwide.

MEP, Co-President of the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Philippe Lamberts, a Belgian Member of the European Parliament, plays a vital role as the Co-President of the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance. With a focus on economic and financial questions, he has become a specialist in fiscal, banking and macroeconomic issues. As a member of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON), he brings a unique perspective and expertise to drive environmental sustainability and advocate for green policies within the European Parliament.

Executive Director of the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE)
Ramona Liberoff serves as the Executive Director of PACE, where she brings together leading corporates, governments, academics and innovators to drive the transition towards a circular economy. With a rich background in climate, innovation and finance, Liberoff has led multiple organisations and businesses focused on sustainability. She has founded innovative ventures in circular transport and energy and has funded numerous impact start-ups.

Chairman and Scientific Director of the Joint European Disruptive Initiative (JEDI) and 2013 European Young Leader (EYL40)
André Loesekrug-Pietri is an entrepreneur and has held leadership positions in private equity, government and industry. He is currently the Chairman of JEDI, which aims to accelerate Europe’s leadership by financing and nurturing the development of breakthrough technologies. He previously served as a special advisor to the French Minister of Defence, where he was responsible for European defence policy, as well as technology and innovation, prior to which he has 15 years of experience in private equity and venture capital. Loesekrug-Pietri is a lecturer at Sciences Po and a regular columnist at several international media outlets. Having studied aerospace engineering, he is also a private pilot and Colonel with the French Air Force People’s Reserve.

Director of the International PtX Hub, part of Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
Frank leads the work on policy, sustainability, investment and certification at the Power-to-X Hub. Based in Brussels, Frank follows the work of the European Union on its regulatory framework and supports the EU in its outreach to third countries. Before joining the PtX Hub, Frank supported the EU´s climate diplomacy efforts with industrialised countries.

Director of Public Affairs & ESG at Vodafone Group
Dr Anita Orban is the Director of Public Affairs at Vodafone Group, prior to which she served as the external affairs director of Vodafone Hungary and vice-chairwoman of its board. She is the former vice-president for international affairs at Tellurian LNG. Orban has also worked as the chief advisor for Cheniere Marketing Ltd, Hungarian ambassador-at-large for energy security of Hungary, as well as the director of the Constellation Energy Institute, a think tank that facilitates cooperation in the central-eastern European energy sector. The author of “Power, Energy and the New Russian Imperialism”, she is recognised as one of the most influential female business leaders by Forbes Hungary and the recipient of the Woman Executive of the Year in Energy Award. She is also a member of the European Council on Foreign Relations, the Board of Globsec and Co-Founder of the Women in Technology Association.

European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights
Nicolas Schmit is European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights and a Luxembourgish politician and diplomat, who has been instrumental in fostering Europe’s social dimension in his position as European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights. An economist by training, he is a former member of the European Parliament and previously served as the Luxembourgish minister of labour. He has also held various positions within the Luxembourgish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including as head of the Department of International Economic Relations and Cooperation. Schmit’s final diplomatic posting was as Luxembourg’s permanent representative to the EU.

Executive Vice President of ENGIE
Claire Waysand is an expert on European and international economic issues and maintains a strong commitment to carbon neutrality and the development of renewable hydrogen solutions. Prior to her current role as Secretary General and Executive Vice President at ENGIE, Waysand has held several positions within the organization, including corporate secretary and acting chief executive officer. Waysand previously served the French government as the deputy director general of the Treasury and chief of staff of the Minister of Finance. She has also worked at the European level as a member of the European Economic and Financial Committee (EFC) and as the former director of the European Investment Bank (EIB).

Programme Lead for EU Sustainable Finance at E3G
Jurei Yada, as the Programme Lead for EU Sustainable Finance at E3G, is at the forefront of securing high-ambition European sustainable finance policies. With a background that includes driving initiatives on sustainable finance and development data at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and leading collaborative activities involving the G20, EU member governments and private sector representatives at the International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation, Yada has extensive experience in shaping financial flows to support sustainable development.

Chair of the European Parliament Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE)
Cristian-Silviu Buşoi, a Romanian Member of the European Parliament, holds the position of Chair of the ITRE Committee. He has a broad range of responsibilities, serving as a member of various committees and delegations. With a background in medicine, law and diplomacy, he brings a diverse set of skills to his role.
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