The European Green Deal is the best way to make the real changes Europe needs to be able to recover from the COVID-19 crisis, writes a group of 700 elected representatives and citizens from all sectors of civil society.

The following open letter was co-signed by more than 700 politicians, climatologists, economists, unionists, entrepreneurs, students, citizens and elected representatives at local, national and European level. The full list of signatories is available at the bottom. 

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To Mrs. von der Leyen, President of the European Commission,
To the Heads of State and of Government of the EU,

Our society is facing a brutal shock. The priority is to save lives, of course, as well as jobs, but this crisis should not make us forget the climate emergency. More than ever, it is time to build a new European Pact for Climate and Jobs.

The last weeks were totally sinister, but we all had drinking water in our homes, businesses and hospitals… What will happen if climate change worsens and if, in 15 or 20 years’ time, the water table in some major cities is empty for several months?

The European Green Deal is the best way to make the real changes Europe needs to be able to recover from the COVID-19 crisis, to generate millions of jobs, and to create the most resilient economy possible. For this to happen, the Green Deal needs real funding.

We are students, climatologists, economists, unionists, entrepreneurs, citizens and elected representatives at local, national and European level, (former) Members of Parliaments and (former) (Prime) Ministers, from very different backgrounds. We are convinced that the ecological transition is not only a matter of survival, but also a moral obligation and an opportunity for Europe to reinvent itself as it recovers from the COVID-19 crisis.

The Climate emergency requires that we insulate all buildings, boost public transport and renewable energies, transform our agricultural model, protect biodiversity, protect and clean forests and the ocean, and develop adaptation and even reparation policies. All these projects are facing the same obstacle, however: who will pay?

When working on a scenario of a 40% emission reduction target for 2030, the European Commission “has estimated that achieving the current 2030 climate and energy targets will require €260 billion of additional annual investment” (Green Deal Communication, 12/2019). Already in 2016, it was estimated that the investment gap would be as high as €529 billion per year starting in 2021 (public and private), based on a scenario implying -47% of emissions for 2030. Today, with an increased target, the investment need must be increased accordingly.

The commitments from the European Commission to finance the Green Deal fall far short of such amounts – the “Sustainable Europe Investment plan” would provide around €100 billion per year and,alarmingly, it is not even certain that this can actually be mobilised. The Green Deal has so far been promised far too few financial resources (between 2 and 10 times too few) to ever see it succeed. It must have the means the deliver on its promises.

In order to win the climate battle, we solemnly call on you to include, as one of the main pillars of the recovery plan that you have announced, credible solutions to finance a real Green Deal and to recognise the state of climate emergency.

In order to create international momentum, the EU must agree on an increased 2030 climate target, in line with science, equity and the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C objective, well in advance of COP26. For Member States to agree on this, how this transition will be paid for must be identified.

To this end, we are proposing three solutions we believe can reach a broad consensus:

1. In order to drastically reduce our consumption of fossil fuels, stop all fossil fuels subsidies and investments. The European Climate Law must lead to prohibit all Member States from continuing to subsidise fossil fuels. It must also guarantee that all banks (private and public) and insurance companies operating in Europe are transparent about their activities and organise the progressive end of fossil investments. In 2010, Barack Obama’s FATCA Law closed the US market to banks that did not provide the US tax authorities with full transparency. Similarly, to fight climate change, we need a FATCA-Climate Law that reserves the EU market for banks and insurance firms that have redirected their investments to be consistent with the climate emergency.
2. The European Central Bank has created €2,600 billion since 2015. Only 11% of these colossal amounts of money have gone into the real economy, whilst the vast majority has been used for speculation. In 2020, besides the hundreds of billions it will create to face the COVID-19 crisis, the ECB will create another 240 billion. It is essential this money is invested in climate and jobs. These billions must feed a Climate and Biodiversity Bank, which will provide interest-free loans to each Member State (up to 2% of its GDP each year for 30 years, ie, €300 billion).
3. If every family, every small company and every territory is to invest in a deep zero carbon transformation, zero interest loans will not suffice, as the payback is limited or uncertain. For a catalytic effect, loans must be complemented with public subsidies. The average corporate tax rate in Europe has fallen by half over forty years (falling from 45% to 19%). A 5% European profit tax on large companies (adjusted according to their carbon footprint), combined with other own resources, would bring in €100 billion per year to feed a real EU Climate-Biodiversity Budget. This additional 100 billion would allow us to pass the threshold of 50% of the European budget devoted to climate and assist both the public and private transition.

These three solutions would provide sufficient money to finance a just transition that would be fair for workers, communities and citizens. They would enable the EU Green Deal to create more than 5 million jobs in Europe, as well as improving the livelihoods of millions of families and boosting investments in the carbon free economy. In the face of the climate emergency, whatever our political leanings, we must all strive for its success.

The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said last July that she was inspired by “the passion, conviction and energy of those millions of young people who have made their voices heard in our streets and found the way to our hearts”. She added, “It is the duty of our generation not to disappoint them”.

The European Union was born with coal and steel. It can be reborn with a European Pact for climate and jobs.

We invite every citizen of Europe to join this Call, like 1 million already did in just 1 week, on the website Climateandjobs.eu, where the original version of this Call, as well as the sources of the different figures provided in this Call are also available.

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Signatories:

Young climate activists

• Adélaïde Charlier, Youth for Climate Belgium,
• Anuna de Wever Van Der Heyden, Youth for Climate Belgium,
• Ewa Madina, Fridays for Future Poland,
• Luisa Neubauer, Fridays for Future Germany,
• Jakob Blasel, Fridays for Future Germany,
• Mădălina Scarlat, Fridays for Future Romania,
• Mathis Fidaire, Youth for Climate France,
• Elijah McKenzie-Jackson, Youth for Climate England,
• Leonarda Šmigmator, Fridays for Future Croatia,
• Adrian Hiss, Fridays for Future Austria,
• Vít Springorum, Fridays for Future Czech Republic,
• Anna Dovha, Fridays for Future Ukraine,
• Elina Arpala, Fridays for Future Finland,
• Jonah Krieger, Fridays for Future Ireland,
• David Wicker, Fridays for Future Italy,
• Lina Stratilatpvaite, Fridays for Future Lithuania,
• Alexandros Nicolaou, Core team member, Tesura Cyprus,
• Markéta Byrtusová, International Relations Coordinator, Czech Scouting – Junak,
• Lise Lerche, The Green Student Movement, Denmark,
• Maximilian Bruch, CliMates Austria,
• Amanda Krijgsman, Youth4Nature,
• Joris Overmeer, Vice-Chairman Government & Politics, Jonge Klimaatbeweging, Netherlands,
• Baptiste Thevelein and Romain Olla, Vice-Presidents, Animafac, France,
• Franziska Pezzei, Generation Earth, Austria,
• Margot Duvivier, President, REFEDD (Réseau français des étudiants pour le développement durable),
• Tove Lönneborg, Chairperson, Fältbiologerna (Nature and Youth Sweden),
• Sam Butler-Sloss, Organiser, Economists for Future,
• Hugo Viel, Secretary General, CliMates,
• Côme Girschig, Vice-president, Young Ambassadors for Climate,
• Nathan Metenier, External Relations Officer, Youth and Environment Europe,
• Zoltán Lehoczki, Vice-President, International Young Naturefriends,
• Alex Canal, Secretary General, Generation Climate Europe,
• Alvaro Gonzalez Perez, Vice-president, European Students’ Forum (AEGEE),
• Lucija Karnelutti, Board member, The Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU),
• Carina Autengruber, President, European Youth Forum,

Climate scientists

• Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, Climatologist, former Vice-Chair IPCC, Professor, UCLouvain,
• Filippo Giorgi, Former Vice Chair IPCC, Nobelist 2007, Head of the Earth System Physics (ESP) section, ICTP,
• Jean Jouzel, Climatologist, former Vice-Chair of the IPCC Working Group 1, Académie des sciences,
• Stefan Rahmstorf, Climatologist, Head of Earth System Analysis, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research,
• Hervé le Treut, Climatologist, former Director of Institut Pierre-Simon-Laplace (IPSL),
• Edouard Davin, Climatologist, ETH Zurich,
• Hervé Douville, Climatologist, Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques,
• François Gemenne, Director, the Hugo Observatory, President, Climate Voices, lead author, IPCC,
• Philippe Ciais, Physicist, Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement (LSCE),
• Heike Hübener, Meteorologist and climate modeller, Member, Scientists for Future,
• Bernard Legras, Director of research, Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique (LMD),
• Soeren Thomsen, Ocean and climate scientist, Professor, Sorbonne University,
• Bruno Turcq, Director of research, Laboratoire d’Océanographie et du Climat (LOCEAN),
• Erik Buitenhuis, Senior researcher, The Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and University of East Anglia,
• Mathilde Cannat, Marine geosciences scientist, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP),
• Sophie Godin-Beekmann, Senior scientist, Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS),
• Pascal Mailier, Senior scientist, Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium,
• Marc Jacobson, Professor of civil and environmental engineering, Stanford University,
• Christophe Cassou, Research Director, CNRS, Lead Author, IPCC,
• Ernst von Weizsäcker, Founding president, Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy,
• Valérie Daux, Professor of Earth Sciences, Versailles University, Researcher, Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement (LSCE),
• Pierre Friedlingstein, Chair, Mathematical Modelling of Climate Systems, University of Exeter, Co-chair of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) Carbon Feedbacks in the Climate System,

Foundations and think tanks

• Laurence Tubiana, CEO, European Climate Foundation,
• Lord Adair Turner, Chairman, Energy Transitions Commission, first Chairman, Committee on Climate Change,
• Céline Charveriat, Executive Director, Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP),
• David Rinaldi, Director of Studies & Policy, Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS),
• Philippe Pochet, Executive Director, European Trade Union Institute (ETUI),
• Gustav Horn, Scientific Director, Hans Böckler Stiftung,
• Geneviève Pons, Director Gheyeneral, Notre Europe – Institut Jacques Delors,
• Susan George, President, Transnational Institute,
• Wojciech Szymalski, CEO, Institute for Sustainable Development Foundation, Warsaw,
• Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Co-chair, The Club of Rome,
• Roland Moreau, President, The Club of Rome – EU Chapter,
• Lola Vallejo, Climate Programme Director, IDDRI,
• Mathilde Dupré, Co-Manager, Veblen Institute, France
• Fernando Rocha, Director of Studies, Fundación 1° de Mayo,
• Bernard Mazijn, Managing Director, Instituut vóór Duurzame Ontwikkeling,
• Bertrand Piccard, Initiator and Chairman, Solar Impulse Foundation,
• Ulrike Guérot, Founder, European Democracy Lab,
• Olivier Sidler, Co-founder, négaWatt,
• Lucie Solem, President, EuroCité,

International CSOs

• Wendel Trio, Director, Climate Action Network Europe,
• Jorge Riss, Director, Greenpeace European Unit,
• Ester Asin, Director, WWF EU,
• Bill McKibben, Founder and senior advisor, 350.org,
• Patrick ten Brink, Director of EU policy, European Environmental Bureau,
• Andrea Lichtenecker, Executive Director, Naturefriends International
• Anna Lisa Boni, Secretary General, Eurocities,
• Wolfgang Teubner, Regional Director Europe, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability
• Laura Sullivan, Executive Director, WeMove Europe,
• Jérémie Fosse, President, EcoUnion,
• Stanislas Jourdan, Executive Director, Positive Money,
• Sabine Frank, Executive Director, Carbon Market Watch,
• Joan Marc Simon, Executive Director, Zero Waste Europe,
• Francisca Sauquillo, President, Solidar,
• Thomas Brose, Executive Director, Climate Alliance,
• Frédéric Boyer, Project Manager, Energy Cities, Convenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy,
• Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Chair, GoodPlanet Foundation, France
• Alberto Alemanno, Director, The Good Lobby, EU Law Professor,
• Rupa Mukerij and Bernd Steimann, Helvetas,
• Guillaume Prache, Director, Better Finance (European Federation of Investors and Financial Services Users),
• Eamon O’Hara, Executive Director, ECOLISE – community-led initiatives in climate and sustainability,
• Lorenzo Marsili, Director, European Alternatives,
• Sergi Corbalán, Executive Director, Fair Trade Advocacy Office,
• Gunnar Boye Olesen, Coordinator, Réseau international d’accès aux énergies durables – Europe,
• Magdalena Heuwieser, Coordinator, Stay Grounded Network,
• Lutz Ribbe, Director, EuroNatur Foundation, Member of the EESC,
• Michel Genet, Former Chair, Greenpeace Europe,
• Luke Cooper, Co-founder, Another Europe is Possible,
• Thibault Larose, Executive Director, Convergences,
• David Sanchez, Director, Food & Water Action Europe,
• Anna Leidreiter, Director Climate & Energy, World Future Council,
• Steven Vanholme, Program manager, EKOenergy,
• Thomas Loew, Member of the core team, Scientists for Future,
• Poul Kattler, Spokesperson, Back on Track,
• Fabien Chevalier, Président, Sauvons l’Europe,
• Lena Hartog, Director, CollAction,
• Catherine Howarth, Chief Executive, ShareAction,
• Justin Wilkes, Executive Director, Ecostandard,
• Katharina van Bronswijk, Spokesperson, Psychologists for Future,
• Iliyana Gräbner, Programme Coordinator Civic Europe, MitOst,
• Pierre Bernard, Chairman of Board, Friends of Sustainable Grids,
• Daniela Vancic, European Programme Manager, Democracy International,
• Roger Casale, Secretary General, New Europeans,
• Tony Venables, Founder, ECIT Foundation (on European Citizens’ Rights, Involvement and Trust),
• Álvaro Vasconcelos, Founder of Forum Demos, former Director, European Union Institute of Security Studies,
• Kumi Naidoo, Former International Executive Director Greenpeace International, Former Secretary General, Amnesty International,

National CSOs

• Lavinia Andrei, President, TERRA Mileniul III, Romania,
• Ákos Éger, Executive President, National Society of Conservationists, Hungary,
• Neil Makaroff, Europe Manager, Réseau Action Climat, France,
• Khaled Gaiji, President, Friends of the Earth France,
• Francisco Ferreira, President, ZERO – Associação Sistema Terrestre Sustentável, Portugal,
• Nicolas Van Nuffel, Climate Coalition Belgium,
• Antje Paulsen, Welthungerhilfe, Germany,
• Christiaan Kuipers and Antoine Maartens, Urgenda, Netherlands,
• Heffa Schuecking, Director, Urgewald, Germany,
• Gunnar Boye Olesen, Coordinator, International Network for Sustainable Energy – Europe
• Arnaud Zacharie, Director, CNCD 11.11.11, Belgium
• Arnaud Schwartz, President, France Nature Environnement, member of the EESC,
• Freek Kallenberg, Campaigns Manager, Milieudefensie, Netherlands,
• Uku Lilleväli, Project Manager, Estwatch, Estonia,
• Mauro Albrizio, European Affairs Director, Legambiente, Italy,
• Julie Henches, Alternatiba, France,
• Frederik Sandby, Director, 350 The Climate Movement of Denmark,
• Lamya Essemlali, President, Sea Sheperd France,
• Domantas Tracevicius, Founder, VšĮ Žiedinė ekonomika, Lithuania,
• Sara Nyberg, International coordinator, PUSH Sweden,
• Thierry Libaert, Representative of the Nicolas Hulot Foundation for Nature and Mankind NGO to the EESC,
• Audrey Mathieu, German and European climate policies team leader, Germanwatch,
• Zsolt Bauer, Executive Director, Climate Reality Europe (Al Gore), Hungary
• Katerina Davidova, Project Coordinator, Centre for Transport and Energy, Czechia,
• Jean-Pascal Labille, Secretary General, Solidaris, Belgium,
• Johannes Wahlmüller, Climate and Energy Campaigner, Global 2000, Austria,
• Sylvie Meekers, Executive Director, Inter Environnement Wallonie, Belgium,
• Miljenka Kuhar, Senior Expert, DOOR (Društvo za oblikovanje održivog razvoja), Croatia,
• Angela Morgado, Executive Director, Associação Natureza Portugal,
• Reinhold Pape, AirClim (Air Pollution & Climate Secretariat), Sweden,
• Emanuele Corsico Piccolini, International Officer, FutureDem, Italy,
• Theofano Papakonstantinou, Vice President, Alternative Innovative Development, Greece,
• André Kiekens, General Secretary, WSM (We Social Movements), Belgium,
• Katharina Rogenhofer, Project Leader, Klimavolksbegehren, Austria,
• Ana Salcedo, Co-founder, Zero Waste Lab Portugal,
• Michael Ierides, Secretary General, CYMEPA – Cyprus Marine Environment Protection Association,
• Kim Le Quang and Gaëtano Boutcher, Founders, Rise for Climate Belgium,
• Clémentine Nordon, Actions and Citizens lobbying Director, Citoyens pour le Climat, France,
• Jorge Palmeirim, President, Liga para a Protecção da Natureza (LPN), Portugal,
• Evelyn Bodenmeier, Head of Climate Policy, GermanZero,
• Jonas Bane, Chairman, Klimatriksdagen, Sweden,
• Ernst-Christoph Stolper, Former State Secretary, Rhineland Palatinate, Representative of BUND in the German NGO Forum on Environment and Development,
• Luc Van Gorp, President, Alliance Nationale des Mutualités Chrétiennes/Landsbond van de Christelijke Mutualiteiten,
• Jean Hermesse, Vice-president, Alliance Nationale des Mutualités Chrétiennes/Landsbond van de Christelijke Mutualiteiten, Belgium,

Trade unionists

• Ludger Ramme, President, CEC-European Managers,
• Luca Visentini, Secretary General, European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC),
• Laurent Berger, President, ETUC, Secretary general, CFDT, France,
• Rudy De Leeuw, former President, ETUC,
• Ludovic Voet, Confederal secretary in charge of energy, climate and youth, ETUC,
• Oliver Röpke, President, EESC’s Workers Group, Head of the Brussels Office, Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB)
• Andreas Botsch, Special Adviser to the President, German Confederation of Trade Unions, Germany
• Yvan Ricordeau, Secretary General in charge of Europe, CFDT, France,
• Philippe Portier, National secretary in charge of sustainable development, CFDT, France,
• Marc Leemans, President, AVC-CSC, Belgium,
• Robert Verteneuil, President, FGTB-ABVV, Belgium,
• Miranda Ulens, Secretary General FGTB-ABVV, Belgium,
• Marie–Hélène Ska, Secretary General, AVC-CSC, Belgium,
• Felipe Van Keirsbilck, Secretary General, CNE, Belgium,
• Anne Demelenne, Former Secretary General, FGTB, Belgium,
• Estelle Ceulemans, Secretary General, FGTB Brussels,
• Cristina Faciaben, Head of the International and Cooperation Secretariat, CCOO, Spain,

Academics and researchers

• Jacques Dubochet, Biophysicist, University of Lausanne, Nobelist 2017,
• Gérard Mourou, Physicist, Nobelist 2018,
• Ann Pettifor, Director, Policy Research in Macroeconomics (PRIME),
• Tim Jackson, Professor of sustainable development, University of Surrey,
• Kate Raworth, Author of Doughnut Economics,
• Emmanuel Saez, Professor of Economics, University of California,
• Gaël Giraud, Chief economist, Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Director, Energy and Prosperity Chair,
• Stéphanie Monjon, Professor of economics, Paris Dauphine University,
• Pablo Servigne, Researcher and author,
• Gilles Raveaud, Economist, Paris St Denis University – Institut d’Études Européennes,
• Denis Dupré, Researcher and Professor, Economics, Ethics, Finance and Ecology, Grenoble University,
• Sophie Swaton, Researcher and Professor, Institute of Geography and Sustainability, Lausanne University (UNIL),
• Dominique Bourg, Professor, Faculty of Geosciences and Environment of the University of Lausanne,
• Philippe Waldteufel, former Director, French Ministry for Research,
• Aurélien Barrau, Astrophysicist, Laboratoire de Physique Subatomique et de Cosmologie, CNRS, France,
• Luc Abbadie, Professor of Ecology, Sorbonne University,
• Denis Couvet, Professor, National Museum of Natural History Paris,
• Nadine Gouzée, Economist, Honorary member of the Federal Planning Bureau, Belgium,
• Paul Jorion, Anthropologist, Sociologist,
• Stefan Luther, Ecological Economist, Vienna University,
• Sigrid Stagl, Professor, Ecological and environmental economics, Founder, Institute for Ecological Economics,
• Georg Gratzer, Professor, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna,
• Joël Guiot, Research Director, Centre for Research and Teaching in Environmental Geoscience,
• Edouard Delruelle, Professor of philosophy, University of Liège,
• Jean Gadrey, Economist,
• Nicolas Metzl, Oceanographer, Senior scientist, Laboratoire d’océanographie et du climat (LOCEAN)
• Dominique Méda, Sociology Professor, Univesity Paris Dauphine,
• Carlo Ginzburg, Historian and author,
• Natacha Gondran, Professor of Urban and Industrial Ecology, Mines Saint Etienne,
• Stefano Zamagni, Professor of Economics, University of Bologna,
• Dominique Gauzin-Müller, Architect and author,
• Phoebe Koundouri, Professor of economics, Athens University of Economics and Business,
• Corinne Morel Darleux. Researcher and author, Regional councilor of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes,
• Dirk Buschle, Professor of European Energy Policy, College of Europe,
• Lucrezia Reichlin, Professor of Economics, London Business School, Chairman, Now-Casting Economics,
• David Vieites, Research Scientist, Spanish Research Council – CSIC, Head scientist, BioCoRe,
• Markus Gabriel, Director, International Center for Philosophy and Center for Science and Thought, Professor, University of Bonn,
• Vera Negri Zamagni, Professor of Economic History, University of Bologna, Former Vice President of the Emilia-Romagna regional government and co-founder of the European Review of Economic History,
• Jordi Cortina i Segarra, Professor of Ecosystem Management and Biodiversity, University of Alicante and Society for Ecologic Restoration Europe
• Richard Murphy, Professor of Practice in International Political Economy, University of London, Director, Corporate Accountability Network, Co-Founder, The Green New Deal,

Businesses

• Philippe Dumas, Secretary General, European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC),
• Etienne de Callatay, Chief Economist, Orcadia Asset Management,
• Arthur ten Wolde, Director, Circular Future,
• Sandra de Lassus, Director, Ben & Jerry’s France,
• Bernard Bayot, Director, Financité, President, NewB,
• Fabrice Bonnifet, Sustainable Development Director, Bouygues corporate,
• Sophie Bodin, CEO, Lilo.org,
• Jacques Crahay, CEO, Cosucra,
• Amandine Albizzati, CEO, Enercoop,
• Laetitia Van de Walle, CEO, Lamazuna,
• Philippe Lévêque, Founder and CEO, Ecofrugal Project,
• Karine Niego, CEO, Yes We Green,
• Noel Bauza, CEO, Zéro Eco Impact,
• Gustave Alfsen, COO, UrbiseKo,
• Catherine Dubisson, PR Director, Nutergia,
• Sandra Legel, CEO, BiomParis,
• Morgane Baudin, Co-Founder, Pixetik,
• Marc Lemaire, Coordinator, Coalition Kaya,
• Sebastien Ortega, Founder, MetaStrat,
• Manfred Muehlberger, Chair, Ecopreneur EU,
• Martin Stuchtey, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, SYSTEMIQ Ltd, Professor, Innsbrück University,
• Pascal Vermeulen, Managing Partner, Climact,
• Michel Frémont, CEO, IDEE – Initiatives pour le Développement de l’Efficacité Energétique,
• Jean-Yves Wilmotte, Manager, Carbone 4,
• Christine Wörlen, CEO, Arepo Consult,
• Katharina Reuter, CEO, Entrepreneurs for Future,

Artists

• Cyril Dion, Actor, director and guarantor of the French Citizens’ Convention for Climate,
• Cécile de France, Actress,
• Carole Scotta, Director,
• Emma de Caunes, Actress,
• Philippe Geluck, Cartoonist and comedian,
• Cédric Klapisch, Director and producer,
• Stanislas Nordey, Theater and opera director,
• Fabrice Murgia, Director, Wallonia-Brussels National Theater,
• Josiane Balasko, Actress,
• Marion Vernoux, Director,
• Mantas Meškerys, Founder, Strings of Earth Orchestra,
• Elphège Kongombe Yamalé, Actress,
• Thomas Gasser, Anthropologist, Actor at The Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richard,
• Julien Vidal, Youtuber, Founder, Ça commence par moi,
• Olivier Py, Director, Avignon Theater Festival,
• Laurent Baheux, Photograph,
• Natalie Dessay, Lyrical artist,
• Vincent Niclo, Tenor,
• Camille Cottin, Actress,

Former EU and UN officials

• Karl Falkenberg, Former Director-General for Environment, European Commission,
• Olivier de Schutter, Former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Professor, UCLouvain,
• Franz Baumann, Former UN assistant secretary-general, UN Special adviser on Environment and Peace Operations,
• Svein Tveitdal, Former UN Environmental Director, Director, Klima2020,

Former (Prime) Ministers, former European Commissioners

• Enrico Letta, Former Prime Minister of Italy, (PD, S&D), Dean, Paris School of International Affairs
• Petre Roman, Former Prime Minister of Romania,
• Jaume Bartumeu, Former Prime Minister of Andorra (SDP, S&D),
• Rosen Plevneliev, Former President of Bulgaria,
• Philippe Busquin, Former European Commissioner for Technology, Belgium, (PS, S&D)
• Corina Creţu, Former European Commissioner for Regional Policy, MEP, Romania (PRO Romania, S&D),
• Pascal Lamy, Former European Commissioner for Trade, Director, Jacques Delors Center Berlin, (PS, S&D)
• Janez Potočnik, Former European Commissionner for Environment, Slovenia, Co-Chair of UN International Resource Panel,
• László Andor, Secretary General, Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS), Former European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, Hungary, (MSZP, S&D)
• Philippe Henry, Minister of energy and climate action, Wallonia, Belgium (Ecolo, Greens/EFA),
• Jean-Luc Crucke, Minister of finances and budget, Wallonia, Belgium (MR, Renew Europe),
• Alain Maron, Minister of environment and energy, Brussels-capital region, Belgium (Ecolo, Greens/EFA)
• Denis McShane, Former Minister for European Affairs, UK (Labour, S&D),
• Carlo di Antonio, Former Minister of environment, Wallonia, Belgium (cdH, EPP),
• Benoit Lutgen, former Minister of environment, Member of the European Parliament, Belgium (cdH, EPP),
• Joëlle Milquet, Former Minister of the Interior, Belgium (cdH, EPP),

Leaders of political parties

• Cristina Narbona, President, Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party,
• Olivier Faure, First Secretary, French Socialist Party,
• Paul Magnette, Chair, Belgian Socialist Party,
• Evelyne Huytebroek, Former Environment Minister, Co-Chair of the European Green Party, Belgium,
• Rajae Maouane and Jean-Marc Nollet, Co-Chairs, Ecolo Party, Belgium,
• Gérard Deprez, President, Humanist Democratic Centre (Centre Démocrate Humaniste), Belgium,
• Sergei Stanishev, President, Party of European Socialists, Former Prime Minister of Bulgaria, MEP,
• Giórgos Papandréou, President, Socialist International,
• Alicia Homs Ginel, President, Young European Socialists, 

Leaders of political groups in the European Parliament

• Iraxte García Pérez, Member of the European Parliament, Chair, S&D Group, Spain (PSOE, S&D),
• Philippe Lamberts, Member of the European Parliament, Vice-Chair, Greens/EFA, Belgium (Ecolo, Greens),
• Manon Aubry, Member of the European Parliament, Co-President, GUE/NGL, France (LFI, GUE/NGL), 

Members of the European Parliament (MEP)

• Eider Gardiazabal Rubial, MEP, Spain (PSOE, S&D),
• Katalin Cseh, MEP, Hungary, (Momentum, Renew),
• Margarida Marques, MEP, Portugal (PS, S&D),
• Rasmus Andresen, MEP, Germany (Die Grünen, Greens/EFA),
• Javier Moreno Sanchez, MEP, Spain (PSOE, S&D),
• Brando Benifei, MEP, Italy (PD, S&D),
• Michal Wiezik, MEP, Slovakia (SPOLU, EPP),
• Erik Bergkvist, MEP, Sweden (Arbetarepartiet – Socialdemokraterna, S&D),
• Karima Delli, MEP, France (Europe Ecologie, Greens/EFA),
• Frédérique Ries, MEP, Belgium (MR, Renew),
• Domènec Ruiz Devesa, MEP, Spain (PSOE, S&D),
• Biljana Borzan, MEP, Croatia (SPH, S&D),
• Anna Cavazzini, MEP, Germany (Grünen, Greens/EFA),
• Delara Burkhardt, MEP, Germany (SPD, S&D),
• Bas Eickhout, MEP, Netherlands (GroenLinks, Greens/EFA),
• Niels Fuglsang, MEP, Denmark (Socialdemokratiet, S&D),
• Pascal Durand, MEP, France (Renew),
• Pedro Silva Pereira, MEP, Portugal (PS, S&D),
• Monika Vana, MEP, Austria (Grüne, Greens/EFA),
• Gabriele Bischoff, MEP, Germany (SPD, S&D),
• Adriana Maldonado, MEP, Spain (PSOE, S&D),
• Ville Niinistö, MEP, Finland (VL, Greens/EFA),
• Pascal Arimont, MEP, Belgium (CSP, EPP),
• Marc Tarabella, MEP, Belgium (PS, S&D),
• Anna Júlia Donáth, MEP, Hungary (Momentum, Hungary),
• Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz, MEP, Poland (SLD, S&D),
• Agnes Jongerius, MEP, Netherlands (PvdA, S&D),
• Tanja Fajon, MEP, Slovenia (Socialni demokrati, S&D),
• Alfred Sant, MEP, Malta (PL, S&D),
• Mohammed Chachim, MEP, Netherlands (PvdA, S&D),
• Juozas Olekas, MEP, Lithuania (LSP, S&D),
• Simona Bonafè, MEP, Italy (PD, S&D),
• Eleonora Evi, MEP, Italy (M5S, N-A),
• Attila Ara-Kovaks, MEP, Hungary (DK, S&D),
• Martin Buschmann, MEP, Germany (Partei Mensch Umwelt Tierschutz, N-A),
• Damien Carême, MEP, France (Europe Ecologie, Greens/EFA),
• Dietmar Köster, MEP, Germany (SPD, S&D),
• Margrete Auken, MEP, Denmark, (SF, Greens/EFA),
• Robert Biedroń, MEP, Poland (Wiosna, S&D),
• Carles Puigdemont i Casamajó, MEP, Spain (Junts per Catalunya, N-A),
• Alviina Alametsä, MEP, Finland (VL, Greens/EFA),
• Elisabetta Gualmini, MEP, Italy (PD, S&D),
• Marie Toussaint, MEP, France (Europe Ecologie, Greens),
• Sándor Rónai, MEP, Hungary (DK, S&D),                
• Eric Andrieu, MEP, France (PS, S&D),
• David Cormand, MEP, France (Europe Ecologie, Greens),
• Paul Tang, MEP, Netherlands (PvdA, S&D),
• Michèle Rivasi, MEP, France (Europe Ecologie, Greens/EFA),
• Sirpa Pietikäinen, MEP, Finland (K.K., EPP),
• Tiemo Wölken, MEP, Germany (SPD, S&D),
• Martin Hojsik, MEP, Slovakia (Progresívne Slovensko, Renew),
• Maria Noichl, MEP, Germany (SPD, S&D),
• Marcos Ros Sempere, MEP, Spain (PSOE, S&D),
• Tilly Metz, MEP, Luxembourg (Déi Gréng, Greens/EFA),
• Estrella Dura Ferrandis, MEP, Spain (PSOE, S&D),
• Lina Galvez Muñoz, MEP, Spain (PSOE, S&D),
• François Alfonsi, MEP, France (Régions et peuples solidaires, Greens/EFA),
• Benoit Biteau, MEP, France (Europe Ecologie, Greens/EFA),
• Milan Brglez, MEP, Slovenia (Socialni demokrati, S&D),
• Anna Deparnay-Grunenberg, MEP, Germany (Grünen, Greens/EFA),
• Sara Cerdas, MEP, Portugal (PS, S&D),
• Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield, MEP, France (Europe Ecologie, Greens/EFA),
• Saskia Bricmont, MEP, Belgium (Ecolo, Greens/EFA),
• Evelyn Regner, MEP, Austria (SPÖ, S&D),
• Sylvie Brunet, MEP, France (Modem, Renew),
• Nicolás González Casares, MEP, Spain (PSOE, S&D),
• Isabel Santos, MEP, Portugal (PS, S&D),
• Cornelia Ernst, MEP, Germany (Die Linke, GUE/NGL),
• Kim van Sparrentak, MEP, Netherlands (GroenLinks, Greens/EFA),
• Petar Vitanov, MEP, Bulgaria (BSP, S&D),
• Mounir Satouri, MEP, France (Europe Ecologie, Greens/EFA),
• Daniel Freund, MEP, Germany (Grünen, Greens/EFA),
• Javi López, MEP, Spain (PSOE, S&D),
• Salima Yenbou, MEP, France (Europe Ecologie, Greens/EFA),
• César Luena, MEP, Spain (PSOE, S&D),
• Tsvetelina Penkova, MEP, Bulgaria (BSP, S&D),
• Claude Gruffat, MEP, France (Europe Ecologie, Greens/EFA),
• Tiziana Beghin, MEP, Italy (M5S, N-A),
• Irena Joveva, MEP, Slovenia (LMS, Renew),
• Francisco Guerreiro, MEP, Portugal (Pessoas-Animais-Naturaleza, Greens/EFA),
• Petros Kokkalis, MEP, Greece (Syriza, GUE/NGL),
• Alessandra Moretti, MEP, Italy (PD, S&D),
• Jutta Paulus, MEP, Germany (Grünen, Greens/EFA),
• Monica Silvana Gonzalez, MEP, Spain (PSOE, S&D),
• Caroline Roose, MEP, France (Alliance Ecologiste Indépendante, Greens/EFA),
• Ivo Hristov, MEP, Bulgaria (BSP, S&D),
• Daniela Rondinelli, MEP, Italy (M5S, N-A),
• Henrike Hahn, MEP, Germany (Grünen, Greens/EFA),
• Fabio Massimo Castaldo, MEP, Italy (M5S, N-A),
• Petra de Sutter, MEP, Belgium (Groen, Greens/EFA),
• Mario Furore, MEP, Italy (M5S, N-A),
• Cristina Maestre, MEP, Spain (PSOE, S&D),
• Clara Ponsatí Obiols, MEP, Spain (Junts per Catalunya, N-A),
• Yannick Jadot, MEP, France (Europe Ecologie, Greens/EFA),
• Massimilliano Smeriglio, MEP, Italy (PD, S&D),
• Thomas Waitz, MEP, Austria (Grüne, Greens/EFA),
• Günther Sidl, MEP, Austria (SPÖ, S&D),
• Eugenia Rodríguez Palop, MEP, Spain, (Podemos, GUE/GNL),
• Chiara Gemma, MEP, Italy (M5S, N-A),
• Pierre Larrouturou, MEP, France (Nouvelle Donne, S&D),
• Patrizia Toia, MEP, Italy (PD, S&D),
• Giuliano Pisapia, MEP, Italy (PD, S&D),
• Inma Rodrígues Piñero, MEP, Spain (PSOE, S&D),
• Marc Angel, MEP, Luxembourg (POSL, S&D),
• Kira Marie Peter-Hansen, MEP, Denmark (SF, Greens/EFA),
• Nora Mebarek, MEP, France (PS, S&D),
• Andreas Schieder, MEP, Austria (SPÖ, S&D),
• Tonino Picula, MEP, Croatia, (SPH, S&D),
• Olivier Chastel, MEP, Belgium (MR, Renew),
• Rovana Plumb, MEP, Romania (PSD, S&D),
• Ernest Urtasun, MEP, Spain, (Catalunya en Comú, Greens/EFA),
• Laura Ferrara, MEP, Italy (M5S, N-A),
• Antoni Comín i Oliveres, MEP, Spain (Junts per Catalunya, N-A),
• Sylvie Guillaume, MEP, France (PS, S&D),
• Elena Yoncheva, MEP, Bulgaria (BSP, S&D),
• Sheila Ritchie, Former MEP, UK (Liberal Democrat, Renew),
• Martine Roure, Former Vice-President of the European Parliament, France, (S&D),
• Magid Magid, Former MEP, Mayor of Sheffield, United Kingdom (Green, Greens/EFA),
• Molly Scott Cato, Former MEP, United Kingdom (Green, Greens/EFA), Professor of economics,
• Jo Leinen, Former MEP, Germany (SPD, S&D),  
• Benedek Jávor, Former MEP, Hungary (Párbeszéd Magyarországért, Greens/EFA).

Members of National Parliament

• Juan López de Uralde, Chair, Ecological Transition Committee, Spanish Congress of Deputies (Podemos, GUE),
• Lukas Hammer, Chair, Environment Committee of the Austrian Parliament (Grüne, Greens/EFA),
• Matthieu Orphelin, Member of the French National Assembly (Ecologie),
• Vanessa Matz, Member of the Belgian Federal Parliament, (cdH, EPP),
• Marek Kossakowski, Member of the Polish National Council, (Zieloni, Greens/EFA).

Local and regional elected officials

• Gergely Karácsony, Mayor of Budapest, Hungary,
• Philippe Close, Mayor of Brussels, Belgium,
• Fernando Medina, Mayor of Lisbon, Portugal,
• Eric Piolle, Mayor of Grenoble, France,
• Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, France,
• Leoluca Orlando, Mayor of Palermo, Italy,
• Virginio Merola, Mayor of Bologna, Italy,
• Luigi de Magistris, Mayor of Naples, Italy,
• Juan Espadas, Mayor of Sevilla, Spain, Chair, European Committee of the Regions’ Green Deal Working Group,
• Arianna Censi, Vice-Mayor of Milan, Italy,
• Karl-Heinz Lambertz, President, Parliament of the German-speaking community of Belgium,
• Isolde Ries, First Vice-President of the Saarland Parliament, Member of the Committee of the Regions,
• Gaetano Armao, Vice-President and Regional Minister for Economy of the Region of Sicily, CoR member,
• Christophe Cleargeau, Member of the Pays-de-la-Loire Regional Council, CoR member,
• Silvia Roggiani, Secretary General, Partito Democratico di Milano, CoR member,
• Roby Biwer, Member of the Bettembourg Municipal Council, Coordinator of ENVE commission in the CoR,
• Guillaume Cros, Vice-President of the Regional Council of Occitanie, CoR member,
• Christophe de Beukelaer, Member, Brussels-capital region Parliament.

Others

• Lilian Thuram, Former football player, Winner of the 1998 FIFA World Cup,
• Bishop Marc Stenger, Co-president, Pax Christi International,
• Bishop Bruno-Marie Dufé, Climate advisor to Pope Francis; Secretary, Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development,
• Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, President, Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the EU (COMECE),
• Princess Esmeralda of Belgium.