BRDO CASTLE (KRANJ), (Slovenia): European environment ministers expressed strong reservations on Tuesday against certain aspects of the EU executive’s climate plan that they said could trigger populist pushback.
Meeting in Slovenia, bloc ministers gave their first analysis of the dozen proposals that will require approval by the EU’s 27 member states as well as the European Parliament.
The mammoth plan was unveiled on July 14 and is intended to transform the bloc’s economy from fossil fuel dependency to net-zero emissions.
“Many reservations have been expressed,” warned Andrej Vizjak from Slovenia, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency, after a meeting with his EU counterparts.
“It will be a difficult puzzle to solve, the Commission will have a lot of explaining to do.”
At issue is a proposal that could see fuel and heating costs rise for consumers, which ministers say could trigger a replay of the French “yellow vests” protests.
These erupted when the French government tried to impose a new fuel tax in the name of defending the environment. “We must not introduce new divisions and inequalities and avoid a poverty trap. This argument resonated (among the ministers)”, said Michal Kurtyka of Poland. To answer the opposition, the commission proposes to set up a 70 billion euro solidarity fund to help citizens make the transition to cleaner lifestyles, but the solution had yet to convince many of the countries most concerned.
The EU’s environment supremo Frans Timmermans defended his proposals and asked member states to remain open-minded.
“There is always a risk that people will reject proposals, but sometimes the ‘yellow vests’ argument is used by those who have very specific interests to defend,” Timmermans said.
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