Juncker’s State of the EU speech criticised for lack of climate ambition

Strasbourg – Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has faced criticism for his ‘timid’ State of the European Union speech by MEPs who felt that it did not contain enough ambition on environmental and climate change policies.

The speech came two days after Climate and Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete claimed that the EU would aim to surpass its pledge in the Paris Agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030, with many expecting new ambition to be announced.

Juncker only briefly mentioned climate change in his speech, and made only a fleeting reference to environmental concerns. The speech was criticised by spokesmen from the Green/EFA and the S&D groups, who noted that the speech was a missed opportunity for setting out an ambitious climate agenda and emphasising what the EU has already achieved.

Environmental groups also joined in the criticism, with the Climate Action Network (CAN) noting that the speech, “lacked concrete new announcements,” and, “failed to acknowledge that to protect its citizens the EU needs to significantly scale up its climate action. BirdLife Europe, meanwhile, noted that “The consistent failure to properly reform the Common Agriculture Policy, continuing the self-defeating bioenergy policy, and depriving biodiversity conservation of appropriate funding are al betrayals of the generations for which Juncker says he wants to leave a healthier planet.”

Click to access the full text of the State of the European Union speech.

Discover new solutions and inspiring policy sessions on challenges and opportunities for sustainable aquaculture production and consumption in the European…

Read Story

On 13 September Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, gave her annual State of the Union address,…

Read Story

Eleven partners from four different European countries will work together to foster the access to market of bio-waste derived soil…

Read Story
Arrow-up