Talking Europe sits down with one of the European Parliament’s most prominent veterans, Co-chair of the Greens Philippe Lamberts. The Belgian MEP has served in three legislatures since 2009 and says he has seen a big difference in both awareness and action on environmental issues in that time. Lamberts, who is stepping down from the EU Parliament, is characteristically outspoken on the bloc's Green Deal, the farming issue, investment in the EU economy and the various scandals that have rocked the European Parliament, such as Qatargate.

 

Lamberts talks about why Green parties are faring poorly in the opinion polls ahead of the June 9 European elections, when climate change is such an obvious issue. 

"What the Greens propose is quite a substantial change, especially in our economic model," Lamberts says. "And change is, well, making people afraid. There's an aversion to change, which I can understand. But we can't afford not to change. That's one aspect. Second – and I don't want to blame others – but we have been made the scapegoat for everything that goes wrong. The best example was the farmers' revolt. The revolt is caused by an economic model that is crushing farmers. But it was 'all the fault of the Greens'."

Lamberts is adamant, though, that the Greens' fortunes in this election can still turn around.

"Most voters decide very late in their in their thinking process," he opines. "Some decide in the last days, the last hours, the last minutes before voting. So we have to keep fighting."

Does Lamberts believe the Greens will be in opposition in the next EU parliament, or part of a majority? 

"We have a certain sense of the gravity of the situation that the European Union finds itself in. That sense of responsibility calls us to really look at options that would make for a stable, pro-European majority in the European Parliament," Lamberts affirms. "Such a majority should not only defend the gains of the European Green Deal. We have to make everything that has been adopted work. For that you need investment, not just regulation. And also, there are many areas that have been left alone by the Green Deal, starting with agriculture. So what we will want is a deepening and a widening of the Green Deal. On that condition we would be ready to support a pro-European majority in the European Parliament."

On the investment that will be needed to power the green transition, Lamberts goes against the grain of EU leaders, who keep saying that the private sector can play a big role. 

"They (the EU leaders) have this liberal ideology which says that actually the state is a factor of inefficiency in the market. So the smaller the state, the better it is. Well, the fact is that every serious study, every serious economist, is telling you that without very strong public investment, the Green Deal will not happen," Lamberts says.

 "Even in areas where you might think, 'well, it has to be private', like building renovation," he goes on. "Most buildings are privately owned. So you might say that's for private investment to fund it. But that's a bit too easy, actually. Most homeowners do not have spare capital available to pay for the refurbishment of their houses. Which means that actually, if you really want a renovation wave for a whole category of households without public investment, it won't happen. I can afford to renovate my home, but many can't."

Lamberts also has a message for former Italian premier Mario Draghi, the author of a much-awaited report on EU competitiveness. 

"When Draghi says that most of the investment has to come from the private sector – Yes, in theory, Mario, but in practice, no!"

Programme prepared by Perrine Desplats, Agnès Le Cossec and Isabelle Romero