SDGs & the European Green Deal

SDG post #19 - SDGs & the European Green Deal

Hi #sustainability champions, as indicated in our last post on the IDGs you may have thought that we are all done and dusted with the SDGs having gone through all the individual SDGs one by one to polish our knowledge and upskill in SDG learning. As you know we send out a post approximately once weekly and you find previous SDGs posts on this blog roll. But we continue the journey with some additional explorations related to the Agenda 2030 and the SDGs, which we feel are important and worthwhile to know about. Today we tackle the relationship between the SDGs and the European Green Deal.
As before you can follow or connect with us and see what we have to offer related to upscaling your change maker abilities (of tools and training) on our SDG toolkit webpages. ✔

So let’s explore the EGD, also known as  "The European Green Deal ” and its relationship to the SDGs in a concise manner suitable for learning.

SDG post #19 - SDGs & the European Green Deal

Hi #sustainability champions, as indicated in our last post on the IDGs you may have thought that we are all done and dusted with the SDGs having gone through all the individual SDGs one by one to polish our knowledge and upskill in SDG learning. As you know we send out a post approximately once weekly and you find previous SDGs posts on this blog roll. But we continue the journey with some additional explorations related to the Agenda 2030 and the SDGs, which we feel are important and worthwhile to know about. Today we tackle the relationship between the SDGs and the European Green Deal.
As before you can follow or connect with us and see what we have to offer related to upskilling your change maker abilities (of tools and training) on our SDG toolkit webpages. ✔

So let’s explore the EGD, also known as  "The European Green Deal ” and its relationship to the SDGs in a concise manner suitable for learning.

Background and Context?

To start from a global perspective, the now more than 50 year history of UN environmental, development and sustainability conferences and conventions (starting in 1972) has created and at times successfully implemented various international agreements and conventions (e.g. Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer, Kyoto Protocol to combat Climate Change, Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, Stockholm Convention to protect human health and the environment from the effects of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), etc). The Agenda 2030 and the SDGs have brought various environmental, developmental and social agendas together into a comprehensive framework with many specific targets, even though it still relies on and is connected with a number of other global agreements and conventions, which will require combined successful implementation in order to fully achieve the SDGs as well. Some of the more recent international agreements and conventions include the well known Paris Agreement on Climate Change of 2015, the lesser known Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) of 2023, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) of 2022, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCDD),  but also others still in development on emerging issues like the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC). But not least the more core UN international human and civil rights instruments (conventions and covenants) like the declaration of universal human rights, abolition of racial discrimination, civil and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights, rights of indigenous peoples, elimination of gender discrimination, against torture, inhumane and cruel punishment, rights of migrant workers, rights of people with disabilities, abolition of death penalty, rights of the child, not least the recently adopted UN resolution on the human right for a clean, healthy and sustainable life in 2022,… are all integral to the achievement of the SDGs. As said before, the SDGs are systemic and indivisible and part of a bigger agenda for transforming societies, economies and our ecological foundations towards a sustainable and socially just regenerative future for all.

Hence it is useful and important, even if working on the local to bioregional level with and on the SDGs and other sustainability concepts, to be aware of the wider frameworks, agreements and conventions, which may have influence or implications (also often through national and/or regional laws and regulations based on these agreements/conventions) for the work with and implementation of the SDGs in on the ground activities, projects and initiatives.

The European Green Deal

In this wider context, and since 2015 there has certainly been some progress on integrating the Agenda 2030 and the SDGs in policies and regulations as well as operations on various governance levels in many countries and regions to a larger or lesser extent, which of course fall still way short of achieving the goals and targets due to various reasons, some of it already explained in the individual SDGs blog posts, but not least fragmentation and incrementalism, but certainly in need for significant acceleration of efforts at all levels and in all dimensions and sectors of society and economies.

One indirect example for which the SDGs certainly play an important role is the European Green Deal (EGD), which is an umbrella agenda for many policies and regulations for the future sustainable development of the EU (e.g. climate action, energy transition, deforestation, nature restoration, agriculture, etc.) which was introduced by the European Commission in 2019. 

Readers in Europe may be fairly familiar with this, but others less so. The European Green Deal is the European Union’s (EU) at least in its intent ambitious strategy to combat climate change and promote sustainable economic growth (green growth). At least it has the ambition to make Europe the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050, aligning with global climate goals such as those set in the Paris Agreement.

History:

• 2019: The European Green Deal was introduced by the European Commission under President Ursula von der Leyen. It aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
• 2020: The European Commission formalised the Green Deal with a series of legislative proposals and strategies, including the European Climate Law, which legally commits the EU to climate neutrality by 2050 and contains a number of directives to achieve this (on carbon trading, renewable energy, energy efficiency, etc).
• 2021: The "Fit for 55" package was launched, detailing 13 legislative initiatives to meet the 55% reduction target for 2030 with an aim of becoming net-zero carbon by 2050.

Current Status:

The European Green Deal is actively shaping EU policies, including (see also image below for some of those):

• Significant investments in clean energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable industries.
• The European Climate Law, adopted in 2021, legally enshrines the goal of climate neutrality by 2050.
• Ongoing debates over carbon border adjustment mechanisms and carbon pricing.
• Strong push for green infrastructure, clean transport, agriculture and food security, biodiversity preservation as well as green finances, circular economy, sustainability reporting, value chain assessments, sustainable forestry, and others are at least partially contentious and only part of the legislative proposals have so far come into force.

Development:

The Green Deal is evolving through legislative processes, new proposals, and alignment with the EU’s recovery plans post-COVID-19. While it has gained support from most member states, significant challenges remain, which range from its costs, its social justice, equity & inclusiveness, possible and emerging trade conflicts, geopolitical and geo-economic implications, global injustices & unfair trade policies & agreements (neo-colonialism), greenwashing, reliance on green growth, technology & policy lock in effects, and more recently wars and conflicts and their energy, resources & economic effects. While the European Green Deal represents a bold and forward-thinking approach to tackling climate change and other environmental crises, many criticisms highlight concerns about its feasibility, fairness, and potential unintended consequences. Many of the concerns revolve around ensuring a just and equitable transition, the practical challenges of implementation, and balancing ambitious environmental and sustainability goals with economic and social stability.

Progress on the EGD has been mixed, both on policy development and more so for its implementation and in some respects has been and is contentious, but has certainly elevated the playing field and expectations for sustainable and socially just futures, with many pros and cons around it. And with changed political developments in Europe since the last EU elections in 2024, which saw a swing towards conservative and politically ‘right’ groups, it still needs to be seen where the EGC is developing towards. But with the recently introduced ‘Omnibus’ package related to revisions to the sustainability reporting and value chain assessments, the so called Clean Industrial Deal or the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) and others like delays to the deforestation directive, a shift away from more rigorous environmental regulations and just transition and development towards more conventional economic growth and development can be observed, watering down environmental and social standards and prior achievements and future aspirations. 

The EU Green Deal is an area of great complexity which can not be discussed in this blog post and is not its intent. Suffice to say there are many other and alternative proposals on more comprehensive socio-ecological transformations for the EU, a progressive example being the Green New Deal for Europe’s just transition, which are part of wider and more in depth criticism of growth based economic development (e.g. Beyond Growth, Post-Growth, Degrowth, etc) and their resulting detrimental social, economic and environmental outcomes - an extensive topic which would warrant several separate blog posts . 

 The European Green Deal and the SDGs

The European Green Deal and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, along with the SDGs, are closely aligned in their objectives, particularly in addressing global ecological sustainability challenges. The Green Deal is the European Union's framework for implementing many of the principles and targets outlined in the Agenda 2030 and its SDGs. Here’s is a brief view on how they relate:

• Alignment with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

The 2030 Agenda adopted by all UN Member States in 2015, sets out a global framework for achieving sustainable development by 2030. As you know very well by now it's built around 17 SDGs that cover a broad range of issues, including climate change, economic inequality, sustainable consumption, and environmental protection.

The European Green Deal is an integral part of the EU’s contribution to the global agenda. It is designed to address several SDGs, particularly those related to climate action, sustainable production, biodiversity and social inclusion, through the policies and initiatives the EU has put forward.

• Direct Alignment with Specific SDGs

Here’s a breakdown of the specific SDGs the European Green Deal contributes to:

SDG 13: Climate Action

The Green Deal is explicitly focused on addressing climate change, with the goal of making Europe the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050. It aligns directly with SDG 13, which aims to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. This includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting clean energy, and increasing climate resilience and the achievement of the goals set out in the separate Paris Agreement on climate change.

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

The Green Deal emphasises the transition to renewable energy sources, increasing energy efficiency, and supporting energy innovation. The EU aims for a 40% share of renewable energy in its total energy consumption by 2030, contributing directly to SDG 7, which calls for universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

The Circular Economy Action Plan (and subsequent laws and regulations, some of which are still in development), a key component of the Green Deal, supports SDG 12, which encourages responsible production and consumption. The EU aims to reduce waste, promote recycling, and encourage sustainable product life cycles, fostering a more circular economy.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The European Green Deal promotes sustainable urban development through measures like improving energy efficiency in buildings, promoting sustainable transport, and enhancing green infrastructure. This directly supports SDG 11, which focuses on making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

The Green Deal focuses on a just transition, ensuring that the shift to a green economy does not leave workers and regions behind. This contributes to SDG 8, which aims to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment, and decent work for all.

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

The Green Deal in this area primarily focuses on food security and sustainable agriculture. Agriculture is the largest overall expenditure of the EU through its Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Through the Farm to Fork strategy it outlines various proposals to make European agriculture more sustainable (e.g. reduction of pesticide use, subsidies for ecological agriculture, etc).  

SDG 15: Life on Land

Through the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the European Green Deal promotes the protection and restoration of ecosystems, forests, and biodiversity, directly contributing to SDG 15, which focuses on protecting, restoring, and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

The European Green Deal supports the development of green technologies, such as renewable energy, electric vehicles, and green hydrogen, aligning with SDG 9, which encourages innovation, sustainable infrastructure, and fostering resilient industries.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The Green Deal also emphasises international cooperation to tackle climate change and promote sustainable development, in line with SDG 17, which calls for strengthening the means of implementation and revitalising global partnerships for sustainable development.

• The Green Deal as Europe's Contribution to Global SDG Implementation

The European Green Deal is not only a regional initiative but also Europe's contribution to the broader 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. By aligning its policies with the SDGs, the EU seeks to lead by example in demonstrating how regional action can support the global sustainability agenda.

It supports the EU’s commitment to the Paris Agreement, which is central to SDG 13, and integrates SDG principles into its national, regional, and international policy frameworks.

• Promoting Synergies Among SDGs

The Green Deal also aims to create synergies across multiple SDGs, ensuring that environmental goals do not come at the cost of social and economic objectives. For example, the Just Transition Mechanism aims to support workers and regions affected by the green transition, addressing SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities while promoting environmental sustainability.

The Farm to Fork strategy, which is part of the Green Deal, aims to make food systems more sustainable, contributing to SDG 2: Zero Hunger by promoting healthy diets and sustainable farming practices.

Alignment of EDG policies with SDGs (Source)

The European Green Deal is closely aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It directly contributes to global efforts to combat climate change, promote clean energy, reduce inequalities, foster sustainable economic growth, and protect ecosystems. By integrating SDG principles into its policies, the Green Deal not only addresses Europe’s climate challenges but also reinforces the EU’s commitment to the broader global sustainability agenda.

Limitations and shortcomings of the ECG in relation to SDGs

A systematic  review of the ECG in relation to the SDGs shows that the EGD has some strength in the ecological sustainability field (particularly SDG 7, SDG 12, SDG 13 and to some extent SDG 15 and others), which are some of the more challenging environmental issues in the EU, which could be improved significantly, but is much weaker in social aspects of the SDGs. The ECG is by itself a complex topic which cannot be fully covered here, but may be worth exploring further, particularly if you live and work in the EU, also because EU policies do of course directly and indirectly affect national to local policies and regulations one will need to be aware of if and when developing and implementing SDG projects or initiatives.

The above review is of the ECG relation to the SDGs is of course a cursory analysis of the intent and general direction of the various existing and still planned policies under the umbrella of the Green Deal, however as already indicated its implementation and overall achievement are mixed and under a lot of diverging interests and pressures. 

Some of the weaknesses of the European Green Deal (aside from more fundamental criticism) in relation to the SDGs include:

• Economic and Social Impact on Vulnerable Groups

One of the primary criticisms of the Green Deal is its potential negative social and economic impact, especially on vulnerable communities, regions, and industries. Transitioning away from fossil fuels and carbon-intensive industries could lead to job losses, economic disruption, and higher costs for low-income households, which directly relates to SDG 1, SDG 8 and SDG 10. 

• Implementation Challenges and Lack of Enforcement Mechanisms

While the European Green Deal outlines ambitious goals, it faces challenges in implementation, especially in terms of the political will of member states and all stakeholders, the complexity of multi-country cooperation, and the bureaucracy involved in enforcing legislation, which is directly related to SDG 16 and SDG 17.

• Technological and Innovation Dependence

The European Green Deal relies heavily on emerging technologies like green hydrogen, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and next-generation nuclear energy  to meet its goals. However, these technologies are in their infancy, and there is strong doubt about their viability, scalability and long-term effectiveness, aside from strong opposition against some of these, which directly relates to SDG 7 and SDG 9. 

• Insufficient Focus on Global Action

The European Green Deal primarily focuses on internal EU policies and does not fully address the need for global cooperation to address climate change and sustainability. While the EU can set an example, without the cooperation of other major polluting countries, its efforts may be undermined by global emissions, which is directly linked to SDG 13 and SDG 17. Furthermore the EU would need various agreements with other countries to provide resources and possibly energy for making the transition possible, which could lead to unfair trade deals and continuation of neocolonial policies. 

• Environmental Impact of the Green Transition

The transition to a green economy could have unintended environmental consequences, particularly in the areas of resource extraction, mining, and the disposal of renewable energy technologies (like solar panels and wind turbines). The push for renewable energy infrastructure for example might lead to over-extraction of raw materials, such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earth metals, which could harm local ecosystems, within the EU and elsewhere, aside from unequal trade issues, which would contravene the targets of SDG 2, SDG 12, SDG 15 and also SDG 17. This is being increased by the recently introduced Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), which contravenes a number of environmental and social aspects of the SDGs and the EU Green Deal. 

• Political and Public Support

The Green Deal's success depends on broad political and public support. There is a risk that the Green Deal could face political resistance, as can already be observed in many countries from various directions, especially in regions heavily dependent on fossil fuels or industries that may face job losses or which may decline or in need to be abandoned or face significant transformations (e.g. agriculture), directly related to SDG 2, SDG 8 and SDG 17, with various groups pushing to preserve ‘business as usual’, even though untenable.

While the European Green Deal is an ambitious and comprehensive framework aligned with many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it faces several weaknesses, especially in terms of economic, social, technological, and political challenges.

Some of the critical areas for change and enhancement include:

• Ensuring that all and especially  vulnerable groups and regions are adequately supported in the transition (SDGs 1, 8, 10) by enhancing just transition policies and coherence, aside from other and new measures of progress and development (also related to SDG 3, SDG 4, SDG 5 and SDG 11).
• Addressing the challenges of implementing and enforcing policies across member states and regions (SDG 16, 17).
• Preventing and mitigating the environmental and social impacts of emerging green technologies and industries (SDGs 2, 12, 13, 15).
• Ensuring global cooperation to meet climate and sustainability goals (SDG 12, 13, 17).

For the Green Deal to truly align with the SDGs, it needs to be implemented in a way that minimises trade-offs between environmental, social, and economic objectives, ensuring that no one is left behind in the transition to a greener, more sustainable Europe and supporting the achievement of the Agenda 2030 and the SDGs globally. 

Saying all that it is clear that there is much more to the SDGs and particularly to their tight interconnectedness, so that a more in depth analysis of the Green Deal would show many more systemic shortcomings and limitations for achieving the SGDs as a whole, not least the issue of ‘too little to late’ and unsystemic approaches, and more so in relation to more recent EU policy developments (e.g. Clean Industrial Deal, Critical Raw Materials Act) which diverge from the EU Green Deal in many ways. After all, the European Green Deal is an industrial agenda for Europe trying to manoeuvre and steer out of existing and escalating geopolitical and geo-economic developments, still based on largely conventional economic and developmental paradigms. 

Based on that the EGD faces increasing  global instability and tensions, geopolitical upheaval, economic crises, poor policy coherence and implementation, and ecological overshoot , various pathways have been formulated, for example through European Civili Society Groups (REAL DEAL) including briefly:

1. Prioritise a Just Transition for All
2. Increase Transparency and Accountability
3. Strengthen Public Participation in Decision-Making
4. Align EU Funding with Sustainable Development Goals
5. Incorporate Intersectionality into the Green Deal
6. Ensure Policy Coherence with Global Development Goals
7. Implement Post-Growth Strategies for Systemic Economic Change
8. Develop Global Green Standards and Partnerships
9. Promote Fair and Inclusive Trade Agreements
10. Commit to Gender Equality and the Full Implementation of the Istanbul Convention (on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence)

Status of SDGs implementation in Europe (see dashboard report)

Globally, 19 of the 20 countries that top the SDG Index are European countries, mostly EU member states. Yet, on average, the pace of SDG progress in the EU over the 2020-2023 period was more than two times lower than over the 2016-2019 period. And in some of the most advanced regions, including Western Europe and Northern Europe, SDG performance has declined since 2020 due to declining trends in socio-economic goals.

Northern European countries continue to lead the SDG implementation achievements, with Finland ranking first for the fifth year in a row, followed by Denmark, Sweden, Austria, and Norway. However, even these countries still face major challenges in achieving at least a number of the global goals and only 4 of the goals have been achieved by the few best performing countries, with most of the other goals and all other EU countries facing mostly significant to major challenges for achieving the goals. Progress is significantly uneven across EU countries, especially for well-being, and access to and quality of services, and disability employment gap. The Baltic States and Central and Eastern European countries rank at the bottom of the challenges, and EU candidate countries also face many major challenges. Across the region, while many countries have made progress on gender equality (SDG 5), income inequality and access to services remain stagnant (SDG 1, SDG 10), and poverty and material deprivation (SDG 1) scores have declined on average since 2020.

Short summary of the status of the SDGs in Europe (we only touch upon some aspects of each SDG to stay concise, but as we know the SDGs are complex hence cannot fully include this complexity here):

SDG 1 - No poverty: Some progress has been made but effects of increased unemployment, inflation and economic uncertainty and recession have raised levels of people affected by poverty, together with a decline of social support levels and services as well due to increasing austerity measures in a number of countries. 

SDG 2- Zero Hunger: Extreme hunger or malnutrition is not an issue in Europe, however food insecurity is in some regions. On the other hand excessive food waste (up to 40% of all food is wasted), food overproduction, unsustainable agricultural practices and land use, and malnutrition in the form of rapidly increasing obesity levels are of major concern. The Farm to Fork strategy as part of the Green Deal attempts to tackle agricultural issues, but lacks concrete implementation measures so far. 

SDG 3 Good Health & Wellbeing: Many European countries have good or acceptable public health systems, but accessibility, affordability and availability of certain services is a challenge in many countries and regions as is a lack of sufficient medical personnel or medical services, particularly in rural areas. 

SDG 4 - Quality Education: Most European countries have accessible and affordable education systems. However, some significant educational inequalities persist, particularly for marginalised groups like migrants, ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities and in some areas due to structural inequalities. There are also concerns about the quality and equity of education in some areas and education for sustainable development is often only marginally included.

SDG5 - Gender Equality: Gender equality has seen slow but certain progress in recent years with varying degrees of achievement in different countries (generally led by the nordic countries), but for example the gender pay gap persists as is social insecurities, and women continue to be underrepresented in leadership positions. Domestic violence and gender-based violence remain serious issues in some EU countries.

SDG 6 - Clean Water & Sanitation: Access to water and sanitation and management of water resources is fairly well established and regulated in the EU, even though with significant differences between countries. Many regions within the EU face challenges related to water pollution and the sustainability of water resources due to overuse and climate change impacts, such as droughts, are increasing significantly. 

SDG 7 - Clean & Affordable Energy: Europe is a leader in the implementation of Renewable Energy systems, with an aim for 40% of energy coming from renewables by 2030. Some EU countries remain highly dependent on fossil fuels, and there are regional disparities in energy access and affordability. The transition to renewable energy also faces challenges in terms of speed of roll out facing significant barriers, also for energy storage and grid integration, all areas currently off track.

SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Development: The EU has generally strong labor rights, employment policies, and acceptable to good social protections, with significant variations. Youth unemployment and rising unemployment in some sectors and regions (esp. rural), income inequality, and the precariousness and insecurity of the gig and some service economy jobs (e.g pseudo-self employment) remain persistent issues in some regions. Economic development is also hampered by aging populations in many EU countries, causing skills shortages in some sectors and regions. 

SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure: Europe is an old industrial region and is investing into green technologies such as electric vehicles, renewable energy, and digitalisation, but it appears fragmented, incremental and slow. The EU's industrial base faces competition from emerging economies (like China), and some infrastructure and industries (especially in older member states) requires modernization and expansion (e.g. rail network). There is also the risk of technological disparities between regions.

SDG 10 -  Reduced Inequalities: Social protection measures have been improved over the years to address inequalities, with mixed success. Income inequality and regional disparities remain significant challenges as are levels of social support systems. Some member states, particularly in Eastern Europe, have higher levels of inequality, and certain groups (e.g., migrants, Roma communities) still face discrimination and with it limited access to social services.

SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities: Many European cities try to take on the sustainability challenges through improvement in clean public transport, green buildings, and energy-efficient infrastructure, with some disparities between regions (wealthy and less wealthy). Urban sprawl, air pollution, and traffic congestion are still prevalent in certain EU cities. Additionally, there is a growing demand for affordable housing, particularly in major metropolitan areas, which leads to skyrocketing housing prices and social inequality. Many smaller towns and rural communities face declines in populations and infrastructure due to lack of development opportunities. 

SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production: The EU has been developing circular economy policies as part of the Green Deal promoting resource efficiency, repair, recycling, and sustainable product design as well sustainability reporting & value chain assessments. However these policies appear to be too little so far, and despite some progress, overconsumption and waste generation remain significant concerns, with EU countries struggling to reduce consumption levels, resources use and waste production, especially in consumer goods sectors.

SDG 13 -  Climate Action: The EU has set ambitious climate targets through the European Green Deal and its Fit for 55 package. It is a leader in global climate governance, having committed to reducing emissions by 55% by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. However,  many member states are lagging way behind in reducing their carbon emissions, and achieving the 2030 and 2050 targets will require significant and rapid transformation particularly in the energy, transport, building & construction, and agriculture sectors. Furthermore the set targets are likely insufficient to stay below the 1.5°C target. 

SDG 14 - Life below Water: The EU has made efforts to protect marine ecosystems through policies like the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Common Fisheries Policy. However, overfishing, marine pollution, habitat destruction and the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems remain serious concerns. The EU's maritime economy, including shipping, is still a significant source of environmental pressure.

SDG 15 - Life on Land: The EU has made some strides in protecting biodiversity through initiatives like the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the Nature Directives aimed at preserving habitats and species.But biodiversity loss continues and 80% of habitats in the EU are in a poor condition (including waterways) due to agriculture, deforestation, industries, and urbanization. Invasive species and habitat destruction (including waterways) remain significant threats to European ecosystems.

SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: Even though the EU is built on principles of democracy, rule of law, and human rights, and it works to strengthen institutions within its member states, the EU institutions themselves face significant challenges related to lack of inclusion, direct democracy, transparency, lobbyism, participation and more. Corruption and political instability exist in some EU countries. Judicial independence and the protection of human rights and democratic participation are areas where some EU states still face significant challenges, which are on the rise. Social cohesion is significantly declining in many regions, due to socio-economic disparities. 

SDG 17- Partnerships for the Goals: The EU actively promotes global partnerships for sustainable development, both within and outside Europe, through international trade agreements, foreign aid, and climate diplomacy. However, the EU’s external processes and actions are criticized for lacking coherence between different policies, such as trade, migration, and development assistance (which by itself is lacking) and often lack agreements on level ground (i.e. neocolonialism). 

As can be seen from this cursory rather superficial analysis even the EU, as one of the leaders in Sustainable Development, faces significant challenges in many areas and at many different levels, of course a reflection of the complexity and systemic nature of the issues, challenges and multiple crises. Hence, even a large and ambitious project like the European Green Deal falls way short in tackling the complexity of the polycrisis or metacris not only in Europe but the whole world is facing and needs to be addressed through even more far reaching, comprehensive and systemic and holistic approaches to policy development and implementation, where some think, this will either make or break the EU as it will likely require a total transformation of societies and economies including their foundations in worldviews, beliefs, values, mindsets and attitudes and with it also the foundations of the purpose of and how the EU (and its countries and economies) operates. 

What does Gaia Education have to do with the Green Deal?

To bring the European wide high-level discussion back down to the local and tangible level, it is useful to briefly look at how Gaia Education’s work relates to the European Green Deal. 

As you have seen through many examples when we were discussing the SDGs one by one, Gaia Education is involved in educational and training offerings which support the implementation of the SDGs in various forms, but is also part of projects and initiatives where at least one, mostly several SDGs are targeted.

The same is true for the European Green Deal with examples of training  courses we offer (only a selection)  and how they relate to various ECG policies can be found in the image below. The detailed connections of the different courses and the various ECG policies would exceed the scope of this post, but we encourage you to explore our online and face to face course offerings in detail on the Gaia Education webpages and are open to further queries and also ideas for new and other courses, projects and initiatives. 

Furthermore, a number of projects we are and were involved in, which we also discussed to some extent when explaining individual SDGs are or were at least partially funded through research funds of the European Union (e.g. Erasmus+, Life+, Horizon etc). 

We are of course always open to and interested in projects and initiatives on the SDGs and also in relation to the European Green Deal and would be interested in getting involved if you have such existing or future project ideas for that. So get in touch with us. .

And to close if you would like to learn much more about  the SDGs and the Agenda 2030 and many more topics and cover many issues and questions posed as part of these blog posts, and learn approaches and methods to practically work with the SDGs in your local to bioregional context we encourage you  to start or re-invigorate your personal SDG journey through the upcoming online SDGs Multipliers course, starting on 20th October 2025. So check it out soon or sign up to the Gaia Education Newsletter to stay up to date on what is happening in our community and world. Take care and engage!

#Agenda2030 #2030Agenda  #SDGs #sdg #GlobalGoals #climateaction #ESD #sustainability #sustainabledevelopmentgoals #unitednations  #goal #sustainabledevelopment #europeangreendeal #egd