The European Union’s green transition is facing headwinds as other pressing issues, such as security, housing, and employment, take precedence in the eyes of citizens. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola acknowledged this shift during a press conference, emphasizing that these concerns now overshadow the climate agenda in many member states.

Metsola’s remarks came during a visit to Copenhagen with the European Parliament’s Conference of Presidents, ahead of the Danish EU Presidency. She addressed the difficulty the EU is facing in reaching an agreement on a new climate target for 2040, specifically a proposed 90 percent reduction.

Metsola explained that the European Parliament has received a revised mandate from voters compared to the previous term. This new mandate reflects the urgent concerns of local communities, including housing affordability, security, and job creation.

Metsola stressed that citizens have signaled to politicians that climate policy should not come at the expense of addressing these other critical problems. She argued that climate measures and perspectives must be integrated into broader policy initiatives.

She emphasized that the long-standing separation between economic considerations and climate action must end. Competitiveness, for example, can be advanced through access to affordable green energy sources. Metsola believes that failing to address the growing poverty gap while pursuing climate goals would be a failure to respond to the needs of European citizens.