Climate and energy
We believe in a fossil-free future, and a just and sustainable transition to renewable energies across Europe.
Tackling the climate emergency is the key challenge for our planet this decade.
We are already facing the consequences of the climate crisis: rising sea levels, the spread of deserts, more severe weather extremes, the melting of arctic ice and glaciers, and more frequent and severe climate catastrophes such as wildfires, droughts and floods. The fight against the climate crisis has always been central to our political project. We remain committed to the principle of climate justice and our vision of a fossil free future. We also work to strengthen cooperation on international climate protection and expand international climate financing.
The war in Ukraine has exposed how dependent European countries have been on energy imports and forced us to rethink our energy strategy. The energy crisis showed us that what we are really facing is a fossil energy crisis. Fossil fuels are by far the largest contributor to global climate change. And our dependence on imported oil, coal and gas has caused soaring energy prices. That’s why we push to divest from and phase out fossil fuels.
We need to build energy independence now instead of relying on future technologies that take decades to build, like new nuclear. We also need energies that don’t create one central dependency on energy grids and allow communal ownership. Only renewables can deliver energy independence at the speed and scale required. Nuclear power also has a negative effect on water and land usage, putting further strain on the environment at a time of intensifying droughts. The expansion of renewable energies is the key to a safe and clean but also cheap power supply.
To fight energy poverty, we support vulnerable households, and work towards a sustainable and energy secure future by massively investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency. We believe in the polluters pay principle and stand against superprofits. We push to tax the excess profits that energy companies have made off the back of citizens through a windfall tax.
In order to meet our climate targets, we also work on ensuring sustainable transportation. We support more and better public transport, enhanced bike infrastructure, a more connected and expanded rail network including more night trains, and various forms of shared mobility.
We remain committed to reaching energy sovereignty, strengthening energy security and laying the foundations for climate neutrality.