Earth Day: A Changing Climate for European Policy and Funding
As geopolitical tensions rise and economic pressures mount, the European Green Deal may seem like a distant memory. But has the climate conversation shifted so much that the environment is losing ground in the EU agenda?
The European Union is increasingly framing its response to today’s geopolitical and environmental challenges through the lens of resilience and readiness. From potential disruptions in gas and electricity supply, to rising global tensions and the accelerating impacts of climate change, the narrative is shifting. Climate action is no longer presented solely as an environmental imperative, but as a matter of resilience, competitiveness, and strategic readiness. “Better to be prepared than to be sorry”, as Commissioner Jørgensen (Energy and Housing) said about Europe’s renewed fuel and energy market pressure due to the conflict in the Middle East.
The EU is still celebrating Earth Day, but the term “green” is gradually disappearing from its vocabulary. This is not exactly about abandoning the green agenda, but rather about reframing it within a more tense social and political context.
The European Green Deal (2019) was born as a strategy to transform the European economy, transport, and industry within ambitious climate neutrality goals by 2050; but the climate has shifted and, last year, the Commission presented the Clean Industrial Deal, stressing competitiveness, energy pricing, employment and industry. The Commission presented the Deal as a way to “turn the decarbonisation into a driver of growth for European industries”.
If, on the one hand, there seems to be a so-called transition fatigue in Europe’s society and industry, on the other hand a large majority (85%) of European citizens still support climate action, as some European Union’s research shows; it is when policies are perceived as more expensive, complex and unequal, that resistance appears.
This shift is taking place in a broader context of geopolitical instability and economic uncertainty, as you might have heard. In this context, environmental policy is no longer seen in isolation, but increasingly intertwined with questions of security, affordability, and economic resilience.
Inside this preparedness framework, environmental policies continue in the EU agenda. From the upcoming Circular Economy Act and Bioeconomy Strategy – expected to reduce dependence on third countries for critical resources and promote a clean and competitive Europe – to the forthcoming EU Climate Adaptation Plan and European Climate Resilience and Risk Management framework for a more preventive approach to climate risks, the environment is still in the EU’s strategic priorities, just under a different guise. In the energy field, this same logic is reinforcing renewable energy sources not only as a decarbonisation tool, but as a pillar of Europe’s competitiveness and energy security.
EU funding in transition
This evolution is also reflected in the EU’s policy funding priorities. We asked Ana Catarino and Luisa Marchionni, Senior Project Managers at SERN, how the landscape is looking like.
As Ana explains, the EU is currently in the negotiation phase of its next Multiannual Financial Framework, in an international context very different from the one that shaped the 2021–2027 programmes. While environmental priorities remain central to the EU agenda, she notes that the growing importance of defence and security may result in fewer funds being allocated to climate action.
For EU project applicants, this shift is not only political, but also strategic. As Luisa notes, future opportunities in climate and environmental funding are likely to favour projects that can connect environmental goals with innovation, technological development, and crisis prevention and management (for instance, from environmental risks). In practice, this means that organisations able to present their work through the lens of European preparedness and autonomy will be better positioned to benefit from the next generation of EU funding.
From Earth Day to everyday solutions
Earth Day is a moment to reflect on the urgency of protecting the planet. And, more than ever, responding to climate challenges requires listening to local realities and designing solutions that are adapted to them.
Today, through projects such as RESIST and MountResilience, of which SERN is a part of, this approach takes a concrete form. Both initiatives support regions in preparing for the impacts of climate change through practical tools, stronger cooperation, and a more anticipatory mindset. In a European context increasingly shaped by the language of resilience and preparedness, these projects have helped lay the foundations for the next generation of EU-funded climate projects.
However, as one of the main barriers to the green transition remains its economic cost, in the new political climate addressing environmental challenges seems to mean finding approaches that work not only for the planet but also for the industry.
The backlash seen among some economic sectors has shown that the success of the green transition will depend not only on ambition, but also on implementation and economic viability. Initiatives like FoodCop and SYMBIO already link industrial and environmental objectives, bringing together different stakeholders working across sustainability and entrepreneurship by supporting more resilient, efficient, and circular food systems and value chains. For one day, Earth takes centre stage. More than ever, local actors need to be ready to seize the opportunities offered by current funding programmes, as well as those emerging in the new programming period starting in 2028.
Will Europe turn concern into environmental cooperation that keeps it autonomous, prepared, and competitive.
