O pacto ecológico europeu no contexto das crises climática, pandémica e de segurança

The European Green Deal (EGD) constitutes a paradigm shift in European integration, giving priority to climate neutrality. The EGD provides a coherent narrative on climate and sustainability, which encompasses all other, including previously unrelated, policy areas. Environmental protection is now framed as making economic sense and considered in the context of economic development. The two latest crises were made to work towards the EGD’s objectives. The pandemic crisis made it possible to establish the link between the short and long term, making economic rationality compatible with the political priorities of the EGD. The need to respond to the pandemic crisis has therefore strengthened the Pact. So did the energy and security crisis triggered by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, since then the EGD’s implementation has been strongly contested on political economy grounds, for alleged over-regulation and social reasons. Those invoked reasons are often based on unsustainable alternatives. Moreover, when ignoring the need to internalise environmental damages and the polluter pays principle, they are also founded on incomplete notions of economic efficiency and social justice.