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How can we become a better world after the coronavirus pandemic?
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A Green New Deal will facilitate relations within the European Union (EU)

While the virus is far from over or annihilated in Europe, this sort of international cooperation expected from the EU may very well trickle into its announced efforts of their own Green New Deal.

The Argument

In a post COVID-19 existence, a Green New Deal will facilitate relations within the European Union (EU). The European Union collaborated to do their best in slowing COVID-19’s march across the world by closing borders, boosting European solidarity, and working on economic protection. While the virus is far from over or annihilated in Europe, this sort of international cooperation expected from the EU may very well trickle into its announced efforts of their own Green New Deal.[1] Europe now aspires towards a bloc-wide goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and a 50%-55% cut in emissions by 2030 (compared with 1990 levels).[2] This effort towards collaborating towards a morally and ethically sound goal will unite the European Union in the coming decades as they strive towards a better world and recover from COVID-19.

Counter arguments

The Green New Deal will fail to facilitate relations within the European Union as once it becomes clear how citizens' lifestyles will be affected, disinterest in the Green New Deal will expand beyond borders. “The green agenda will meet more and more opposition as voters start to realise it will make them poorer and affect their lifestyles, and they will worry about Europe becoming less competitive than, say, India and China, which won’t be going carbon-neutral,” says Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform think tank. “This will increase the electoral strength of populists.” Furthermore, Europe has routinely struggled with an imbalance of power within the European Union. The efforts towards carbon neutrality will be yet another example of stronger countries (France, Germany) dictating efforts and policies of weaker ones.

Proponents

Premises

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/coronavirus/10-things-against-covid-19/
  2. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/09/what-is-the-european-green-deal-and-will-it-really-cost-1tn
This page was last edited on Wednesday, 7 Oct 2020 at 15:46 UTC

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