Broad civil society alliance in Germany calls for “European Green and Social Deal”

A broad alliance of German environmental NGOs, unions, consumer, and church groups has called for a “European Green and Social Deal” to be implemented in the next EU legislature after last week's elections. The goal of the alliance is to ensure successful and socially just climate action. “In order to secure cohesion, progress and prosperity in the EU in the future, there is an urgent need to strengthen the Green Deal, provide sufficient funding for the transformation towards climate neutrality and ensure that this modernisation is socially just,” the 35 signatories said in an appeal to the German government. “Especially in view of the recent EU election results, a reliable, socially just policy that addresses the threats posed by the climate crisis and ensures planning security is now more important than ever,” said the organisations. They added that EU heads of state and government must prioritise these issues during their informal consultations on the bloc’s strategic agenda on 17 June.

“We need the consistent implementation and further development of the Green Deal so that our industries remain competitive and the social divide is not exacerbated," said Kai Niebert, head of environmental NGO umbrella group DNR, which was among the signatories. Maria Loheide, who is in charge of social policy at the protestant church’s charitable organisation Diakonie, also said the necessary transformation can only succeed if climate protection is organised in a socially just way. “The European Green Deal must therefore focus more strongly on social security and become a Green and Social Deal," Loheide said.

The appeal also said that a “Green Industry Deal” should complement the Green Deal to ensure that industry can create “prosperity and good jobs” on the path to climate neutrality. The alliance said the interests of private consumers and affordability must be given greater consideration, too. “A successful energy transition is only possible if consumers have the certainty that they will also benefit from this transformation process,” the appeal said. Democratic and pro-EU parties continue to have a large majority after the 2024 EU elections, but wins for the populist and far-right camp and losses for the Greens could make it more difficult to introduce ambitious climate and energy transition policy going forward.