EU shelves climate protection plan amid farmer protests

BRUSSELS

A major European Union plan to fight climate change and better protect nature in the 27-nation bloc has been indefinitely postponed, underscoring how farmers' protests sweeping the continent influence politics ahead of the June EU parliamentary elections.

The member states were supposed to give final approval to the bill on March 25 following months of proceedings through the EU’s institutional maze. But what was supposed to be a mere rubber stamp has now turned into its possible perpetual shelving.

"It is clear to everyone that there is this huge deadlock. And it is not going to be easy to get out of this considering the upcoming elections,” said Dutch Climate Minister Rob Jetten.

The Nature Restoration plan is a key part of the EU’s European Green Deal that seeks to establish the world’s most ambitious climate and biodiversity targets and make the bloc the global point of reference on all climate issues.

“It seems that we don't have a qualified majority anymore because ... Hungary has changed its vote. We have to understand why they do that,” said Alain Maron, a Belgian regional climate minister who chaired the meeting of the EU environment ministers.

The change of heart follows weeks of relentless protests from farmers across the bloc who have argued that reams of environmental laws governing the way they work are driving them toward bankruptcy at a time when food security and self-sufficiency are becoming essential again as the Russian war on Ukraine war rages on.

“It is very important to keep flexibility for member states,” said Aniko Raisz, Hungary's environmental minister. When asked if her country could change its position again, Raisz said she “can't promise anything,” while stressing the importance of the agricultural sector across Europe.

"We have to be realistic and we have to keep in mind all these sectors,” she said.