At their December summit, Europe’s leaders responded to the growing clamour for action by signalling their ambition and unanimously endorsing the Commission’s European Green Deal and the promise to be carbon-neutral by 2050. In pledging to mobilise €1 trillion for the European Green Deal on Tuesday the Commission put it up to member-states to give it the means. Member states will have to top up every euro from the fund with up to three euros from their social and regional fund allocations. It is still far short of the Commission’s budget proposals which are based on payments totalling 1.14 per cent of EU-wide grass domestic income. A willingness by wealthier member states to commit to the Green Deal politically must now be matched by a commitment to provide the wherewithal.

Source: The Irish Times January 15, 2020 18:56 UTC