As the Euro crisis intensifies, an even more serious crisis is brewing in the background, that of impending climate change that threatens not just Europe, but all of humanity. Recent figures on green house gas emissions that exceed the worst case scenario predicted by scientists have shocked the global community.
At the same time, it has become clear that the biggest missing element from all of the European Union's proposals to stem the Euro crisis has been the absence of any growth strategy. Without growth in Europe, we are all doomed to a fate of debt and deflation.
The 99% and Occupy movements have stimulated a wide-ranging public debate about the lack of opportunities, for those at the bottom rungs of society, as well as about the rising levels of inequality accross the world. The EU now has receod unemployment.
The Green New Deal, a proposal to try and meet ambitious Green House Gas Reduction targets through a large scale Green Investment Program has been part of the political rhetoric in the European Union since the on-going financial crisis hit the European Union. However, as things stand now, it means different things to different people and is in danger of becoming just another buzzword with little tangible action having been taken in the EU.
This latest Re-Define report, co-authored by Managing Director Sony Kapoor and two Re-Define Research Associates, reinvigorates the concept of the Green New Deal and will be downloadable from our website later this week. It defines what a Green New Deal will need to look like, estimates how much it would cost, highlights the positive impacts on growth and employment in the European Union, and demonstrates how sufficient private and public sources of funding could be effectively mobilized in support of such a deal.
The Green New Deal will need to aim for a 30% reduction in EU GHG emissions by 2020 and a 50% reduction by 2030 and will need to reinforce the EU’s commitment to the 20% energy efficiency target for 2020. This would help save a significant amount of the nearly 3% of EU GDP that the EU spends on fossil fuel imports every year as well as ease energy security concerns and reduce the uncertainty associated with volatile energy prices.
3 hours 16 min ago —
Dear Labour, Schadenfreude seeing the #Tories commit hara-kiri over bidding the #EU adieu? Well you're kinda screwed too, and the country!
6 hours 14 min ago —
Dear #BoE/rest of the world, I know the #Eurozone has screwed up big time, but Ffs it's high time you stopped blaming it 4 ur economic woes!
6 hours 29 min ago —
All arguments made for #UK leaving the #EU apply much more strongly to #London seceding from the rest of the #UK! #Independence4London
20 hours 23 min ago —
The #Bridge wins as #Eurovision moved from #Malmo to #Copenhagen across the bridge :-) Sorry #Borgen and #Killing
20 hours 27 min ago —
#Denmark: the politics may be in crisis, the economy may be in trouble, the housing market may be fragile but on what matters #Denmark wins!
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As the Euro crisis intensifies, an even more serious crisis is brewing in the background, that of impending climate change that threatens not just Europe, but all of humanity. Recent figures on green house gas emissions that exceed the worst case scenario predicted by scientists have shocked the global community. 