Europe’s climate movement continues to evolve and grow

Ahead of the 2019 European elections, young climate activists took to the streets in all corners of our continent to demand urgent climate action from the EU. The combination of advocacy efforts and grassroot movements catalysed a transformative green wave across Europe that was marked by the election of many climate protectors to the European Parliament.

Chiara Martinelli is Director, at Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe

Whilst the media spotlight may have shifted post election, the movement refused to wane. Quite the opposite. The movement expanded, evolved and held decision makers to account on the details. Throughout the last 5 years, vote by vote, decision by decision, the climate movement remained vigilant, protesting every misstep, to ensure continuous momentum for climate action.

Within the climate movement, there also became a heightened awareness that we need to look beyond policy processes in the climate and energy fields, and also focus on the necessary systemic change that addresses the interconnectedness of economic, environmental and societal crises, rather than treating them as isolated policies.

With recent data from the Eurobarometer surveys highlighting that both the cost of living and climate change remain top concerns for Europe’s citizens – this also reflects a broader recognition of the interconnectedness of climate action with economic and social well-being.

In the last years, the movement has become increasingly vocal on the streets that solutions to these challenges must provide financial and structural support, make polluters accountable and protect vulnerable communities from bearing disproportionate and unjust burdens of climate change.

Despite some of the shortcomings, the European Green Deal should be celebrated as an unprecedented framework that was achieved through cross-party consensus – and it should remain our roadmap towards a fossil-free, socially just, and climate-neutral EU.

The temptation to backslide from successes of recent years in the face of widespread climate disinformation related to rising prices and the cost of living pressures must be widely challenged. Recent research conducted by CAN Europe indicates that aligning with a net-zero goal by 2040 now, would yield economic benefits of at least €1 trillion by 2030.

To take such an ambitious stance, the next European Parliament need not look further than existing pragmatic solutions. The critical phasing-out of fossil fuels should be of the highest priority, simultaneously with the acceleration to reach a fully renewables based energy system, with a primary focus on wind and solar.

Efforts to curtail energy and material demand should be expanded and greater recognition given to the role of restoring nature to remove carbon from ecosystems.

As we stand now on the cusp of another European election, the climate movement is poised once again to raise our voice on environmental and social issues. This time though, the stakes could not be higher. The 2024 European Parliament election is the last opportunity to elect EU representatives that have the ability to put us on an ambitious path towards net zero.

To help citizens to make informed choices on which political parties to lend their vote next week, CAN Europe cooperated with a number of climate and environmental organisations to create the EU Parliament Scoreboard – a tool which analyses European Parliament voting records of the last five years to provide an overview that scores all the national political parties based on their voting performance.

But just like in 2019 – it is important the climate movement continues to be visible and vocal on the streets. That’s why from 31 May – 2 June, marches in 127 cities across 14 European countries have been co-organised by CAN Europe, Fridays For Future Europe and others.

We will be joining the thousands of climate activists in the streets to enthusiastically wave the flag of possibility – for a future where generations to come can inhabit a viable, liveable and thriving planet.

The message for these marches couldn’t be clearer: we make the future!