The Future of the European Green Deal
The European Green Deal (EGD) is Europe’s ambitious plan for a sustainable future, and the Civil Society Forum for Sustainability is playing a key role in shaping this future. The policy brief we’re discussing today comes from engaging discussions with more than 60 civil society organisations. These groups came together to build a practical and forward-thinking agenda for the EGD. Their goal was to make sure social fairness is a big part of Europe’s environmental efforts.
This article looks at the main points from the Civil Society Forum’s policy recommendations. It highlights our shared commitment to making the European Green Deal 2.0 inclusive and effective.
You can download the full version of the report here.
Policy Recommendations
Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development: The forum suggests that all EU laws and policies should work well together and support global goals like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the European Pillar of Social Rights (ESPR). They recommend checking the impact of laws to make sure they help with sustainable development.
Social Protection and Redistribution: The recommendations call for fair public finance and tax policies to pay for the green transition. They want to make sure that people who are most affected by economic changes are looked after through better social safety nets and minimum income measures.
Non-Human Rights and Environmental Charter: The brief proposes a new environmental charter that gives rights to nature. This idea has worked in other places, like Ecuador and New Zealand, and could make Europe a leader in this area.
Social Justice and Inclusion: The policy brief stresses the importance of including everyone in the EGD, especially those who are often left out. It asks for civil society to be involved in making policies to ensure everyone has equal social rights.
Global South and Climate Justice: The forum recognizes that the EU has a responsibility to address its past environmental impact, especially in the Global South. They support the idea of a UN fund to help with this, showing a commitment to fairness in global climate issues.
Participatory Democracy: The recommendations support the idea of democracy where everyone can take part in making decisions. They want to make sure that all kinds of people can help shape policies.
Capacity Building and Public Engagement: The forum believes it’s important for people to be able to take part in the EGD. They suggest giving support to citizen-led projects that help make the European Green Deal 2.0 strong and responsive.
Funding for Civil Society: The brief says that civil society groups should be able to get money more easily to help them do their work. This means making it less complicated for small, local groups to get funding.
Accountability and Monitoring: Finally, the forum wants to make sure that the EGD is doing what it’s supposed to do. They suggest a way to keep track of how well the deal is being put into action. They also want civil society groups to check on this process.
Conclusion
The Civil Society Forum for Sustainability’s policy brief offers clear recommendations for a European Green Deal that’s not just about the environment, but also about people. These suggestions aim to make sure the deal works for everyone and that Europe’s move to sustainability is fair and inclusive. This is about working together for a European Green Deal 2.0 that really makes a difference.
