18 December 2024
Addressing the European Parliament today, ECR Co-Chairman Nicola Procaccini condemned the unintended consequences of the European Green Deal, which he described as a tragic mistake threatening Europe’s economic and social stability.
Today’s topical debate, titled ‘Restoring the EU’s competitive edge - The need for an impact assessment on Green Deal policies,’ was proposed at the initiative of the ECR Group. “The road to hell is paved with good intentions,” said Mr Procaccini. He warned of the devastating impact of measures that prioritise decarbonisation without considering their broader repercussions, such as deindustrialisation, job losses, and social instability. One of the most alarming issues raised by the ECR Group Co-Chair was the ban on internal combustion engines by 2035, which fails to differentiate between fossil fuels and renewable alternatives such as biofuels. “This suicidal choice is already leading to the closure of European production plants and their relocation outside Europe,” he stated.
“All behind Frans Timmermans and Greta Thunberg,” he said, criticising the ideological pursuit of environmental goals without pragmatic considerations. “Europe is running faster and faster towards the wall of reality, thinking that on the other side of the wall there was a fragrant and clean world, while there is the political, economic and social death of Europe,” warned Procaccini.
Mr Procaccini’s speech reads in full:
Thank you President, dear colleagues, I tell you in advance, those of you allergic to reality will risk anaphylactic shock listening to my words.
Decarbonisation at the price of deindustrialisation is the most tragic European mistake of recent decades. And I do not doubt the good faith of many of you, but as an old popular adage goes: ‘The road to hell is paved with good intentions’.
In four minutes, it will even be impossible for me to formulate an exhaustive list of all the catastrophic consequences that will manifest themselves in the years to come as a result of the Green Deal, the poisoned fruits of which are beginning to ripen and will intoxicate the entire European economy between now and the next few years, with all that this entails for the social stability of our populations.
I begin with the most topical and striking one: the ban on internal combustion engines set for 2035, without distinguishing between fossil or renewable fuels, as in the case of biofuels. This is a suicidal choice, which, partly because of the fines already planned from next year, is causing the chain closure of European production plants or their relocation as far away from Europe as possible.
And there is another crisis coming, that of the aircraft industry. In a few days, European airlines will be obliged to use sustainable fuels that cost six times more than the one used until now and that all the other world airlines will continue to use quietly.
Let me mention the obligation to increase energy consumption from renewable sources to 42.5 percent by 2030. The zero emissions of all new public buildings from 2028 and private buildings from 2030.
And think about the ETS, which will overburden the production costs of all European companies and the inability to compete with companies from the rest of the world.
The ETS directive in maritime transport is even more penalising, with already evident effects on international trade and increased prices for end consumers. With the environmental paradox of the inevitable shift towards road transport and thus an increase in polluting emissions.
Unfortunately, you never listened to us. All behind Frans Timmermans and Greta Thunberg, all running faster and faster towards the wall of reality, thinking that on the other side of the wall there was a fragrant and clean world, while there is the political, economic and social death of Europe.
We told you so, in here and out there.
In our more or less recent past, there have been some schizophrenic measures, in total contradiction with themselves. I am thinking of the packaging directive, which would have dealt a mortal blow to waste recycling and the circular economy in general. But I am thinking of energy in general.
‘Methane gives you a hand’ was the TV advertising slogan a few years ago in Italy, inviting us to consume methane as the least polluting of fossil fuels. Now it is almost unmentionable. And in a few months the directive on industrial emissions will come into force, which will not only affect industry, but also animal farms. This is because the farts of some animals release methane gas, and for Brussels this is not acceptable. Let me ask you a question, colleagues: do you really think that our planet, which has existed for 3.5 billion years, is endangered by cow farts?
Do you know what happened in 2023? That the world recorded the highest peak of CO2 emissions in history, despite the European Union falling to its lowest peak: 7 percent of global emissions.
This tells us two things: that Europe is becoming smaller and smaller in the world and that environmental protection is a privilege that economically healthy nations can afford. Our choices, all of them, should always consider who and what we stand for. Not for an ideology.
Jean Guitton wrote: ‘a thousand billion ideas are not worth a single person, it is for people that one must live and die’.