The EU’s Green Deal is full of ambition but needs more detail

THE WORLD’S climate experts, activists and officials were gathered in Madrid this week for the 25th annual UN climate talks. But the big news was unfolding far away in Brussels, where the European Commission’s new president, Ursula von der Leyen, barely 11 days in office, announced her eagerly awaited Green Deal. The 24-page document reads like a list of vows to transform Europe into a living demonstration of how a vast economy can both prosper and prioritise the health of the planet. It covers everything from housing and food to biodiversity, batteries, decarbonised steel, air pollution and, crucially, how the EU will spread its vision beyond its borders to the wider world. “Our goal,” declared Mrs von der Leyen, “is to reconcile the economy with the planet.” Her plan is large on ambition, but in many places frustratingly vague on detail.

Top billing goes to a pledge to make Europe carbon-neutral by 2050. That is no surprise. The goal was endorsed by the EU Parliament in November, a strategy for reaching it was published in 2018 and EU heads of state began debating it at this week’s summit meeting, which was getting under way as The Economist went to press. Mrs von der Leyen’s green opus promises to draft legislation that would enshrine the 2050 target by March 2020.