Close Menu
WTX News
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Trending
    • This new unconventional dark comedy has the most delicious twist
    • Netanyahu hails ‘critical turning point’ as Hamas agrees to release hostages
    • Maxwell hopes to be fit for back-end of T20I series against India
    • Is the Nintendo Switch 2 outselling the PS5
    • Britain’s winter blackout risk the lowest in six years – but ‘tight’ days expected
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
    WTX News
    • Live News
      • US News
      • EU News
      • UK News
      • Politics
      • COVID-19
      • Business
      • Tech zone
    • World news
      • Middle East News
        • UAE News
        • Palestine News
      • Europe
        • Italian News
        • Spanish News
      • Africa news
      • South America
      • North America
      • Asia
    • News Briefings
      • UK News Briefing
      • World News Briefing
      • Live Business News
    • Sports
      • Football News
      • Tennis
      • Women’s Football
    • MY World
      • Climate Change
      • In Review
      • Expose
      • Special Reports
        • Conscience Convoy
        • Rohingya Report
    • Entertainment
      • Insta Talk
      • Royal Family
      • Gaming News
      • TV Shows
      • Streaming
    • Lifestyle
      • Fitness
      • Fashion
      • Cooking recipes
      • Luxury
      • Money Saving Expert
    • Travel
      • Culture
      • Holidays
    • Sign Up
      • Log In
    WTX News
    • Live News
    • World news
    • News Briefings
    • Sports
    • MY World
    • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Sign Up
    Home - Climate Change - New EU Environment Commissioner: Time to Learn Lessons?
    Climate Change Updated:November 24, 2024

    New EU Environment Commissioner: Time to Learn Lessons?

    By Olga Winter - EU Newsdesk4 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Telegram WhatsApp
    New EU Environment Commissioner: Time to Learn Lessons?

     

    Over the past 5 years, the von der Leyen Commission has passed more environmental regulations than any in history. The Green Deal was a triumph of soaring rhetoric and self-satisfaction. But the Regulations themselves were just words on a page – with no more force in the real world than the endless tweets and press releases emanating from MEPs’ offices.

    Now, though, the implementation is here. The real world, it turns out, does not share the Green Deal architects’ vision. That huge number you wrote because it made a great headline – it’s not feasible in such a short time in the real world. The granular data requirements you added because they made the EU appear tough – they’re expensive in the real world. 

    The real world is where most EU citizens live. Dependent on local and global supply chains. Sensitive to changes in the price of food, energy and materials. Concerned that local and national businesses – that provide good jobs for millions of Europeans – are facing higher bills and more red tape.

    The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) has now collided with the real world: the implementation deadline was planned for 30th December 2024 but has now been delayed by 12 months. Those in power have finally realized that if EUDR actually does go ahead in December, then chaos will reign. Why?

    It’s simple. The regulation is not written with the real world in mind. The EUDR covers commodities largely produced in the developing world: palm oil from Malaysia; coffee from Ethiopia; cocoa from Cote d’Ivoire; rubber from Thailand; soy from Brazil; and so on. The EUDR imposes draconian requirements on small farmers in those countries who produce these commodities. Some of the requirements – like detailed geotargeting of crops; submission of millions of individual supply chain data points – would be very challenging for Western multinationals. EUDR, in its far-sighted ambition – tries to impose these demands on small farmers in Africa or Asia who do not own a smartphone. 

    Re-read the list of food products above, coming from the developing world. Imagine a supermarket bill where each of those products has increased in price, or reduced in supply. Almost every single one of the 450 million EU citizens will be negatively impacted. All because of an EU regulation.

    Earlier this year, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz directly asked Ursula von der Leyen to delay EUDR – for this reason. Twenty of the EU’s Agriculture Ministers have made the same demand. Senior MEPs, including the leading EPP MEP on the Environment Committee, Peter Liese, also backed a delay. 

    However – these interventions were late, and this entire situation was avoidable. The EU’s trading partners had been warning about the problems for years. Ministers and trade officials from Malaysia predicted precisely this outcome of chaos and uncertainty, as far back as Spring 2023. No-one in Brussels listened: the hubris of the bureaucrats overrode the real-life experience of the traders, farmers and suppliers from the developing world.

    The new Commissioner nominees Jessika Roswall, Wopke Hoekstra and Teresa Ribera now have 12 months to fix the problems. If not, they face the possibility of January 2026 being dominated by supply chain chaos, sharply rising food prices, and restricted supply of core commodities. 

    The three new overlapping Commissioners for environment and climate should, one hopes, learn from this farce: listen more to our trading partners. Seek genuine engagement with the private sector inside and outside the EU. Resist the hubris of the EU bubble that thinks that sophisticated global supply chains can simply enact EU press releases with no negative effects on consumers. Will the lessons be learned? We can hope so, yes. But let’s be honest: that hope comes without any real expectation.

    New EU Environment Commissioner: Time to Learn Lessons?

    News Just in

    Pressure Mounts on Europe’s Ursula von der Leyen

    Olga Winter - EU Newsdesk

    Cliff Notes – Ursula von der Leyen is battling another war Ursula von der Leyen faces unprecedented political pressure, with two no-confidence votes scheduled within

    Read More »

    EU Featured Euro News Main Headlines The Green Deal Ursula von der Leyen World News
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email Telegram WhatsApp
    Previous ArticleCOP29 final draft proposes 'at least' $300 billion for developing countries
    Next Article Naples, girl throws herself from moving car to escape abuse
    Olga Winter - EU Newsdesk
    • Facebook
    • X (Twitter)

    Olga Winter is a specialist editor writing about current affairs on the EU news desk for WTX News. Based in Brussels she ideally suited to the address the domestic and global affairs of the European continent, with assignments that include expose and In Review features for specialist reports..

    Related Posts

    Britain’s winter blackout risk the lowest in six years – but ‘tight’ days expected
    Climate Change

    Britain’s winter blackout risk the lowest in six years – but ‘tight’ days expected

    Pressure Mounts on Europe’s Ursula von der Leyen
    Politics

    Pressure Mounts on Europe’s Ursula von der Leyen

    Hundreds rescued near Mount Everest after being stranded by blizzard
    China

    Hundreds rescued near Mount Everest after being stranded by blizzard

    A subdued Tory conference could be a chance for Badenoch to turn her fortunes around – but will she?
    Climate Change

    A subdued Tory conference could be a chance for Badenoch to turn her fortunes around – but will she?

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    You must be logged in to post a comment.

    Advertisment
    News Headlines
    Netanyahu hails ‘critical turning point’ as Hamas agrees to release hostages

    Netanyahu hails ‘critical turning point’ as Hamas agrees to release hostages

    Britain’s winter blackout risk the lowest in six years – but ‘tight’ days expected

    Britain’s winter blackout risk the lowest in six years – but ‘tight’ days expected

    Save 70% on VIP subscription
    News Briefings - the way to a better life
    News Briefings - the way to a better life
    Advert by Sponsors
    More from WTX News
    The latest gaming news - with game reviews and tips and tricks. updated 24 hours a day.
    The latest gaming news
    Hot off the press!
    • This new unconventional dark comedy has the most delicious twist October 9, 2025
    • Netanyahu hails ‘critical turning point’ as Hamas agrees to release hostages October 9, 2025
    • Maxwell hopes to be fit for back-end of T20I series against India October 9, 2025
    • Is the Nintendo Switch 2 outselling the PS5 October 9, 2025
    • Britain’s winter blackout risk the lowest in six years – but ‘tight’ days expected October 9, 2025
    WTX News latest breaking news sports and travel
    Latest News and analysis - Deciphering through the BS with exclusive News Briefings
    Facebook X (Twitter) TikTok Instagram

    News

    • World News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • EU News
    • Business
    • Opinions
    • News Briefing
    • Live News

    Company

    • About WTX News
    • Register
    • Advertising
    • Work with us
    • Contact
    • Community
    • GDPR Policy
    • Privacy

    Services

    • Fitness for free
    • Insta Talk
    • How to guides
    • Climate Change
    • In Review
    • Expose
    • NEWS SUMMARY
    • Money Saving Expert

    News delivered to your inbox

    Copyright WTX News 2025

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.