Europe’s conservative and right-wing forces are blocking environmental laws and watering down waste reduction rules.
The day was a bitter disappointment for her, but an even bigger disappointment for the environment, Green MEP Sarah Wiener said on Wednesday, visibly scarred and deeply frustrated. In a truly marathon vote, her proposal to halve pesticide use by 2030 was blocked by conservatives and right-wingers. There was no willingness to compromise, Wiener said.
The vote was preceded by a long, emotional tug-of-war, with much lobbying, disinformation and countless below-the-belt attacks. According to the celebrity chef, Germany is “by far the worst”, and she reported insults and death threats.
In theory, there is still an opportunity for environmental law within the highly complex EU mechanisms. In practice, however, the reduction in pesticides has evaporated, as the Greens also confirm. The environmental protection organizations Greenpeace and GLOBAL 2000 speak of a “missed opportunity for people and nature” and a “disaster for the environment, democracy and food security”. The ÖVP, on the other hand, is pleased: “Exaggerated plans to reduce crop protection in the EU” and “unrealistic proposals” have failed, according to EU mandate Alexander Bernhuber.
Packaging waste: Many exceptions approved
There was also a lot of lobbying before the vote on the new packaging regulations. And not for the urgently needed reduction of waste mountains, but for maintaining the status quo and thus for the continued enormous production of packaging waste – every European produces around 190 kilos of this waste every year. A few days ago, the EU Parliament was almost defaced with flyers warning of the supposed end of food delivery services – if no countermeasures were taken.
Exception on almost every packaging
And that actually happened. The originally planned rules have been weakened and there is now an exception for almost every packaging, complains Delara Burkhardt, negotiator of the Social Democratic Group. A particularly heated discussion ensued about the sugar bag and the wooden box for the camembert. Both must be removed – both remain.
However, this is not yet a definitive result; negotiations with Member States are expected to start in early 2024.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
