Right-wing politicians appear reluctant to give full backing to EU Green Deal

WWF survey findings suggest a difference in the ‘genuine political will behind the commitments’ to the EU’s flagship net zero policy

The main European political parties largely support upholding the aims of the EU Green Deal for the 2024–29 election term, according to a survey by the WWF’s European Policy Office, with five parties backing action to increase ambition.

The WWF surveyed representatives from six parties: the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe party, the European Democratic party, the European Free Alliance, the European Green party, the party of the European Left and the Party of European Socialists, as they start campaigning for the EU elections in June.

The centre-right European People’s party declined to participate in the survey, but the WWF took into consideration commitments in the group’s manifesto. “The EPP manifesto acknowledges the EU Green Deal as their hallmark, and commits to further implementation,” the WWF says, but adds that the manifesto lacks detail on the decarbonisation of industry, farming and fishing.

Both the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists, and the Identity and Democracy party, which includes far-right politicians, did not reply to WWF requests to respond to the survey, while the European Christian Political Movement declined to participate.

All respondents supported the transition to a fully renewable energy system. However, only two parties – the European Greens and the party of the European Left – said they supported a target of 100 per cent renewable energy by 2040.

The WWF believes the EU should reach net zero by 2040 – not 2050 as set out in the Green Deal – because of the continent’s “responsibility for historical emissions”. Other respondents said, however, that “achieving this by 2040 will be too difficult”.

Five of the parties agreed to set a legally binding date to phase out fossil fuels. However, they differed on whether they think EU targets to phase out coal by 2030, gas by 2035 and oil by 2040 are realistic. Of the six parties surveyed, only the European Greens said they would commit to these phase-out dates, four said they were too strict and the European Democrats did not respond to the question.

Tycho Vandermaesen, policy and strategy director at the WWF’s European office, said that despite agreement on the Green Deal, the survey results suggest a difference in the “genuine political will behind the commitments”, and called on all parties to prioritise “swift, tangible action”.

The report is available to read here.