EU Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall has issued a stark warning regarding potential destabilization risks looming over Europe, stating that the region could face increasing levels of chaos. In a recent guest contribution, Roswall emphasized the danger posed by global instability, predicting that the long-term consequences could be catastrophic for the European economy, the green energy transition, food security, and fundamental technologies such as semiconductor manufacturing.
According to Roswall, recent events have plainly demonstrated how global supply chains can be weaponized in an increasingly hostile world. While these shocks largely occurred outside the direct control of the EU, their repercussions were, in her view, completely predictable.
Drawing lessons from this instability, Roswall outlined two critical demands for the union’s future direction. First, Europe remains excessively dependent on fossil fuels-gas, oil, and oil derivatives. She urges the continent to overcome this “toxic dependence” noting that the cheapest oil is the kind that is never used at all. Secondly, to mitigate supply chain disruptions, the EU must prioritize the recovery and reuse of critical and strategic raw materials rather than simply discarding them.
The Commissioner called for a significant acceleration in the pace of these transitions, arguing that current progress is both too slow and too sporadic. Roswall highlighted that the European industry possesses substantial untapped capacity and is capable of rapidly scaling up production. She insists that reviving this capacity would build resilience into businesses, making them less susceptible to the uncertainties posed by geopolitics and global market fluctuations.
In conclusion, she urged all stakeholders to adopt a radical perspective, viewing the circular economy not merely as an environmental mandate, but as a genuine opportunity for prosperity-a vital investment in Europe’s future and a crucial buffer against the next inevitable crisis.