Arthur Neslen: EU retreats from environmental commitments amid far-right pressure

The EU has been backpedaling on its environmental promises, yielding to agribusiness and far-right demands, risking future ecological stability.

Arthur Neslen writes for The Guardian.

In short:

• The EU has scrapped initiatives aimed at reducing pesticide usage, protecting nature, and curbing toxic chemicals due to external pressures.
• This rollback is partly in response to fears of a far-right surge in upcoming elections, despite potential long-term environmental consequences.
• The EU's deforestation law, a critical part of its green agenda, faces threats of dilution, raising concerns about global forest conservation.

Key quote:

“Von der Leyen risks obliterating her last remaining achievement on land use over the last five years. There is already almost nothing left of the green deal.”

— Julia Christian of the forest conservation group Fern

Why this matters:

The recent electoral successes of right-wing parties are expected to influence the European Union's political priorities and policy initiatives, with potential shifts toward more conservative positions on issues like environmental policies.