During the debate ahead of the mini-plenary vote on the European Commission’s proposal for a new 2040 Climate Target Framework, ECR shadow rapporteur Anna Zalewska warned that the Commission is ignoring the state of Europe’s economy while pushing unrealistic targets.

Referring to the recent Draghi report, which highlighted the competitiveness crisis facing European industry, Zalewska criticised the Commission for failing to learn from its own analyses.

“I have this feeling that President von der Leyen does not read the reports she has commissioned herself,” she said.

She stressed that Europe cannot afford to place further burdens on its companies and households while growth stagnates and industrial decline accelerates. She also questioned the credibility of the proposed 90 per cent emissions reduction target, warning that it is detached from technological and economic realities.

“The European economy is burning,” she told the President of the Commission, “and your green guru Bill Gates has just said that the climate catastrophe might not happen.”

“We know that we will not reach the 90 per cent target,” Zalewska concluded.

She called for “breaking the thermometer” to escape the constant state of panic and regain a sense of reason. She called for a realistic climate policy that would support innovation and competitiveness rather than imposing unattainable goals.