Europe should rally behind just transition ā chancellor Scholz
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European governments must ensure that no one is left behind during the move towards a climate-neutral future, said German chancellor Olaf Scholz in aĀ , calling the transition āprobably the biggest task lying aheadā for the EU. āAmbitiously shaping this transformation while leaving no one behind is the great project for the future behind which we Europeans should now rally,ā said Scholz in Strasbourg. Citizens had to āfeel the opportunities in their day-to-day lives,ā for example through more and cheaper renewable electricity or better future-proof jobs. Politicians such as Martin Schirdewan from the Left group in the European Parliament (GUE/NGL) criticised Scholzās speech for lacking tangible proposals, for example on how to improve citizensā lives. Schirdewan said Scholz could have used this moment to āannounce a climate policy which does not allow rich people to continue to pollute the climate with their private jets and yachts, while people with less money have to fear whether they can still turn on their heaters.ā
The European Parliament invited the chancellor to share his āviews and solutions to the challenges facing Europe" as part of itsĀ with European leaders. In the past, discussions on a just transition focussed on how certain regions and societal groups, such as coal workers in mining regions in Poland and Germany, would be affected. As the transition progresses, the wider population increasingly feels changes and worries about negative consequences, such as costs of switching to climate-friendly heating or to electric cars. The social aspects of transition policy to reach climate neutrality are set to play a major role in campaigns across the EU ahead of the European elections 2024.