https://arab.news/wdc8k
For many years, the theme of sustainability has been a dividing line between political parties. The left in Europe and Democrats in the US were at the helm of the agenda globally, while the conservatives in Europe and the Republicans seemed to oppose it. There was, within this policy framework, a big theme of moral superiority and giving lessons to the rest of the world. Then, the dialogue on the implementation of sustainability policies stopped completely and it became a sterile back-and-forth of lesson-giving and moral superiority.
This is now changing. First of all, there has been a backlash against how these policies are implemented and the costs they can add. Moreover, as geopolitical tensions between the US and China rise, the question of Beijing’s dominance in the renewable energy industry has come to light. Besides, many entrepreneurs complain that sustainability rules put their local businesses in difficulty, while helping their competitors in other countries.
As an example, Germany’s leading car industry association, the VDA, in June called for a reversal of the EU’s 2035 ban on new cars with internal combustion engines. This is both for economic reasons and as a means to prevent international competitors from moving in. The responses came fast and reflect the political divide: Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservatives are in favor, while their left-wing coalition partner Social Democrats are against the idea.
