In a world grappling with escalating geopolitical tensions and the undeniable impacts of climate change, Elina Bardram from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Climate Action (DG CLIMA) offers a candid and compelling perspective on Europe’s precarious position and its determined path forward. During her visit to Athens as the head of the European Climate Pact, Bardram paints a picture of a continent caught between the immediate crises of war disrupting energy flows and the long-term imperative of a green transition. It’s a striking irony, she observes, that the very instability fueling higher energy prices also strengthens the argument for accelerating the shift away from imported fossil fuels. “The only way we can be strategically independent is for us to be harmonized, electrified,” she emphasizes, highlighting a crucial link between energy security and climate action. While acknowledging the sobering reality of intensifying climate impacts like extreme heat, droughts, fires, and floods, Bardram brings a glimmer of hope by noting that the world has indeed made progress since the groundbreaking Paris Agreement. This accord marked a pivotal shift from a handful of nations taking action to a global commitment, with countries now contributing through their nationally determined contributions. Before Paris, we were on a dangerous trajectory towards a 4-degree Celsius warming by the end of the century; now, this has been significantly altered, though not enough to meet the ambitious 1.5-degree target. Current projections, she admits, still place us between 2.8 and 3.2 degrees, demanding considerable readiness and preparation. Yet, within this challenging landscape, there’s genuine momentum. Decarbonization is not just an idea; it’s actively happening, gaining traction with electrification spreading rapidly in both major and emerging economies. Bardram proudly points out that solar power, for the first time last year, generated more electricity than fossil fuels, a clear testament to the ongoing transition. The real challenge, she states, is not if we transition, but how quickly we can double our efforts and align with the latest scientific understanding.
Europe’s strategic response to this complex reality, Bardram explains, revolves around two core priorities. The first is an unwavering commitment to emissions reduction. With leaders recently agreeing on a 90% emissions reduction target by 2040, the focus now shifts to crafting the legal framework that will bring this ambition to life. This framework is vital, not just for ensuring predictable investment and consistent policymaking, but also for signaling a steadfast commitment to businesses that have already made significant strides in decarbonizing. It’s about staying the course and implementing the agreements made. The second priority, which directly addresses the uncomfortable truth of our warming planet, is preparing societies and economies for the inevitable worsening of physical climate conditions before they begin to improve. This means proactively building resilience into the fabric of our communities, designing systems that can withstand wildfires, droughts, and floods before they become disasters. It’s about ensuring that the places we raise our children, conduct business, and maintain essential services are robust enough to endure the challenges ahead. This shift in thinking, from reactive repair to proactive design, is fundamental to safeguarding our future livelihoods and prosperity.
When talk turns to adaptation and resilience, Bardram stresses that these efforts are most effective at the local level, where climate impacts are directly felt. She highlights existing successful initiatives like “Mission Adaptation” and “Mission Cities,” which empower local communities with the tools, technical capacity, and forward-thinking scenario planning needed to develop resilient pathways. This isn’t just about handing down directives; it’s about providing resources, climate models, decision-making tools, and pilot projects that can be scaled up to fit specific local needs. A crucial element here is fostering a shared understanding across all levels of governance—from Union to regional to local and national—about the probable future reality. This shared vision ensures that anticipatory planning becomes the norm, allowing for credible policies built on current realities rather than outdated historical assumptions. However, she readily acknowledges two significant hurdles, particularly in Greece: access to reliable, granular data for local decision-making and securing finance for adaptation and systemic resilience. The EU is actively working on these, developing sophisticated yet user-friendly scientific models that can be adapted to local contexts – because, as she aptly puts it, the implications of warming in Sweden will differ drastically from those in Greece.
Financing, a perennial challenge, is not left to local authorities alone. Bardram emphasizes a multi-level approach, crucially involving the private sector through public-private partnerships. The sheer scale of the climate challenge, she asserts, is too vast for any single entity to tackle alone. The European Commission’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) proposal already incorporates an “earmarking principle” and “resilience by design,” meaning funds are specifically allocated and projects are inherently structured to consider climatic circumstances and other threats. This ensures that public money is invested in policies that are verifiably robust and sustainable in the long term, making climate resilience an integral design feature for all projects, be it in agriculture or transport. Despite difficult negotiations within the EU, especially amid the focus on defense and security due to global conflicts like the war in Ukraine and the situation in Iran, Bardram remains optimistic. She articulates a powerful argument: the decarbonization agenda is not in conflict with national security but is, in fact, a cornerstone of strategic autonomy and energy independence. By freeing Europe from its reliance on volatile fossil fuel imports, the green transition prevents rogue states from weaponizing energy supplies, thereby bolstering overall security.
Therefore, the ongoing geopolitical landscape, far from being a distraction, actually reinforces the logic behind the green transition. Bardram believes that the increased focus on defense and security can serve as a catalyst for the green agenda, by highlighting the crucial link between electrification and energy security. A strategically independent EU, she argues, is an electrified and harmonized EU, one that fosters innovation and builds global market share in green technologies. This foresight is critical, especially as other major economies like Japan, South Korea, India, and China rapidly advance their own decarbonization efforts and develop cutting-edge technologies. The EU, she warns, must unite and lead, or risk being left behind in this global race. While market competition is natural, the EU also seeks collaboration with trusted partners that share its values of social justice and environmental integrity, a principle reflected in its “made in EU” initiatives. Bardram also addresses the disturbing rise of disinformation targeting climate policy. She believes these attacks are often aimed not just at the climate agenda itself, but at destabilizing democratic institutions. Combating this is complex, as the disinformation machinery is sophisticated and often algorithm-driven. The best defense, she believes, is to consistently provide facts, evidence, and compelling narratives that showcase the undeniable value and logic of the transition, empowering the public to make informed, fact-based decisions.
In conclusion, Bardram reflects on the unprecedented external shocks Europe has faced in recent years—from the pandemic and the war in Ukraine to energy crises and shifting geopolitical allegiances. Yet, she finds confidence in the enduring solidarity and strength of the EU, its ability to align agendas, and its capacity for compromise. Looking ahead, the coming months will be crucial for the European project, requiring solutions that satisfy the legitimate concerns of industry regarding regulations and energy prices, address citizens’ worries about well-being and prosperity, and reassure a youth deeply troubled by the future. Her final message is a resounding call to action: “We cannot afford to drift into defeat. Where there is a will, there is a way.” By aligning our collective best efforts, she asserts, we can indeed move towards a more resilient, climate-compatible future that not only secures prosperity and competitiveness but also safeguards livelihoods and well-being for generations to come. It’s a powerful reminder that in the face of daunting challenges, collective determination remains our greatest asset.