Draft Policies

1. Smart State

Education and digitalisation are key elements of the 21st century
Governments should provide state-of -the-art public services for the benefit of their citizens and residents. This includes:

2. Economic Renaissance

An innovative economy must be the engine of society’s progress
European economies must be the engine of society’s progress and allow for a decent living standard for everyone. With this in mind we want to:

3. Social Equality

No-one should be left behind – no matter their gender, income, religion. or origin
Every person in Europe must be guaranteed equal rights and opportunities. To achieve this we want to introduce policies that

Global Balance

Europe needs to assume responsibility for its role in global challenges
We want to establish policies in line with the Sustainable Development Goals in areas such as

In the area of migration we advocate

Citizen Empowerment

People must be empowered to influence politics beyond elections alone
Europeans should be empowered to

+1. EU Reform

We love the EU – this doesn’t mean there is no room for improvement

What is the Conference on the Future of Europe?

The COFE is a Europe-wide participatory democracy exercise focused on the future direction and legitimacy of Europe. Its goal is to understand the aspirations and needs of citizens across Europe to help adapt Europe to their needs, implement mid-long term structural reforms, and bring Europe into the 21st century after a decade of crises. In other words, an ambitious grassroots socio-political re-constitution! 
The Conference will have three levels. Find below all explanations to understand better how the conference works, and check the COFE policy process overview.

“The Conference on the Future of Europe is an opportunity. A chance to bring Europe and its citizens together by actively involving them in the process and by setting a positive precedent according to which citizen participation is more than empty talk.”

Our ideas on the COFE platform

A reform plan for a citizen-based European Democracy

by Hannah Gohlke
We need new energy in Europe. New ideas, new ambitions and new rules to build a Europe based on a strong social political Union, where risks are shared, benefits reach all Europeans, and every person has a voice. The EU needs to be reformed as the future lies in a truly democratic Europe that will be led by and built by its citizens:

  1. Remove barriers for voting in Europe!
  2. Enable European representative democracy! New political and citizens’ movements have grown over the last years, but they have no chance to run for European elections. Barriers to entry are incredibly high, preventing many from expressing their new political ideas in the European Parliament. We want lower thresholds for running in the EU elections! We want a pan-European ballot so that citizens can express their European political issues instead of through 27 national ones.
  3. Establish a Federal Europe with a European Government, headed by visible leaders of the EU, which is elected by the European Parliament. This will create a strong, open, and transparent European parliamentary democracy.
  4. Ensure the EU’s ability to act by deciding by majority on all issues in the Council & transforming the Council of the EU into a second legislative chamber representing the federal element of Europe.
  5. Empower Members of the European Parliament to fully represent citizens’ interests by being able to propose legislation.

Systematic integration of Climate Crisis policies in Foreign and Development policies

by Robin Fontaine
Climate change and environmental disasters impact the world in a wide array of ways. Governments struggle to settle internally displaced populations, scramble to contain climate-driven migration, and buckle under the economic pressure of climate-threatened livelihoods. With the scope of the problem only beginning to dawn on the world, political institutions will need to make fundamental changes in the way they address climate change and environmental protection.

Comprehensive and specialised climate and environmental affairs must be systematically included in multilateral and bilateral security agendas. Protecting and restoring the environment must be non-negotiable conditions when shaping the EU’s diplomacy, instead of being understood merely as issues to be tackled through global accords. Large scale international documents, say, the Paris accords, are capital for increased cooperation on global threats. However, this will not suffice if Europe is to properly embrace its role as a sustainable world leader.

Consider the possibility for Europe to drive the green transition within the Union and through the Eastern and Southern Partnership Programs. That would feed into Europe’s geopolitical security needs, and address the pressing issue of global warming. To enable the EU to achieve such objectives, we must integrate environmental considerations into the runway of foreign affairs policy-making and push for climate change to be included in Security agendas.

European Political Parties: Make EU political representation citizens-based

by Elisabeth Friedrich
We need to redefine what constitutes a European Political Party (EuPP) to bring it closer to EU citizens. Currently, we face 3 problems:

  1. Direct membership in an EuPP is not encouraged.
  2. EuPPs do not help the cooperation between EU citizens and the creation of a strengthened European identity, both crucial enablers of common political projects.
  3. Not being able to assist their members in running for elections across Europe limits EuPPs electorally.

To counter this deficit we propose to:

  1. Remove the electoral success requirement for registration and replace it with national presence in member states, not meaning presence in parliaments, but presence proven by a minimum proportion citizens’ signatures in member states.
  2. Add a new definition to the statute such as European electoral associations that could benefit from EU law & are allowed to run in EU elections.
  3. Revise EuPPs’ structure and operations, including but not limited to visibility, transparency, and sanctions. EuPPs should be made more visible by allowing them to act at national and local levels, by requiring national parties to clearly display their affiliation to EuPPs, and by improving transparency provisions in the laws governing them.

These measures would enable European political entities to trigger greater engagement from citizens vis-à-vis EU politics, whilst also generating a legally adequate political party organisation.

Creating a European Wealth Fund

by Teun Janssen
A European Wealth Fund should be created to serve as the nexus for strategic investments in European and international economic activity aligning with European fundamental rights, norms and values and the global green and digital transition.
The planned use of new own resources for the EU such as a digital tax and carbon border adjustment tax, but also bold expansions to the recent precedent of Eurobonds could contribute to its funding. The Government Pension Fund of Norway is a shining example of how a transparent, independent and efficient Sovereign Fund can help political entities punch above their weight and influence normative alignments in the private sectors.
Let’s learn from this best practice and make creative next steps in Europe’s position as a global economic power while helping accelerate the fight against the climate crisis, digitalise our societies, and strengthen our commitment to human rights, including the protection of minorities.

Making EU elections more competitive & innovative

by Mikolaj Buszman
We need to change how Europeans vote! The way we vote for our European political representatives has not changed fundamentally since 1979. Europe in the meantime, has changed. Five new treaties have been agreed upon and 19 new countries have joined the EU since 1979. As a result of this outdated system, there is no single European election. Instead, there are 27 national elections in 27 Member States.

We need to change how Europeans vote! The way we vote for our European political representatives has not changed fundamentally since 1979. Europe in the meantime, has changed. Five new treaties have been agreed upon and 19 new countries have joined the EU since 1979. As a result of this outdated system, there is no single European election. Instead, there are 27 national elections in 27 Member States.

In order to truly represent Europeans, we need to make sure that all voices—and not just the old—are heard around the continent. In order to create a level playing field for political parties and citizens’ movements with grassroots support at the national and European levels, we need unified access rules. Rules that are open creating a truly competitive and innovative political debate across our Union.

We, therefore, propose the possibility for any citizen movement or political grouping that is able to collect a representative amount of signatures from eligible voters from a quarter of member states of the European Union to be able to run on a pan-European list and be eligible for European elections across all European Union. These should include minimum democratic standards for party and ballot registration to ensure fair and EU-wide comparable access to European politics.

For a more detailed overview of Bolt proposals for the Future of Europe, see COFE – The Campaign to build a better future for Europe – Bolt Europa -> https://www.Bolteuropa.org/cofe-campaign

An EU United Nations Security Council Seat

by Teun Janssen
The European Union should gain a seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to better advance its interests in the world and reinforce international human rights protection, peace and security and the multilateral order.

For years, efforts at reform of the UNSC have centred around expanding the number of permanent seats to countries such as Germany, Japan, India, Brazil and two African countries.

The EU has permanent observer status at the UN without voting rights; but has had a central role in coordinating its member state delegations. Due to an increasingly unstable international climate where multilateralism and the rules-based international order are under threat, the EU should have a seat at the table of global security management in line with its quest for more strategic autonomy.

Such a UNSC seat for the EU should go hand in hand with a comprehensive reform of the UN system; including an expansion of the membership, a greater role for global democratic participation including a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly, and a move away from the veto-nature of the UNSC that has paralysed the world’s foremost decision making forum for international security for years.

Such an EU seat could be established by transferring the French UNSC seat to the EU, or transform the new German seat (along with the aforementioned new country additions) into an EU representation.

Easy and Inclusive European Voting

by Teun Janssen

We need to increase the ability to vote by mail, by proxy, from abroad and electronically – Living outside your home E.U. country or having mobility challenges shouldn’t stop you from being able to vote. We need to make it easier for everyone to participate in our democracy.

We want Member States to provide for the possibility of advance and postal voting in elections to the European Parliament.

We want Europeans to be able to cast their vote electronically whilst ensuring that their data is secure and safe as well as the voting mechanism is fully secured and impregnable.

We should give Europeans in every Member State the right to vote at 16 years of age – Young voices are the future – they should be listened to, and encouraged to participate in the democratic process. We propose making 16 the voting age across all Member States. At the same time each 18 year-old in the Union should have the right to stand in an election. Hence, we want the EU to allow all 18-year olds to be able to present their candidacy on either national or pan-European ballot lists.

We should improve access for people with reduced mobility, or those experiencing homelessness – Bureaucracy should never get in the way of our fundamental rights – if you’re eligible to vote, you should be able to vote without impediment, no matter your circumstance.

For a more detailed overview of Bolt proposals for the Future of Europe, see https://www.Bolteuropa.org/cofe-campaign

European History Textbook Standards

Every socio-political group requires a collective story, an imagined community to bind together its citizens in common cause and give it legitimacy. A shared perspective on the past is one of the crucial building blocks of such a dynamic.

Education remains a prerogative of the Member States, but wide gaps exist in both the quality of substance and length devoted to the origins of the foundation of the European Union and its rationales; the catastrophes of the 20th century, with 1945 and 1989 as key dates.

At the same time, heavy politicisation and mythification of historical truth in some Member States has reinforced diverging public perceptions and political narratives through contested historical interpretations.

Institutions such as the Platform of European Memory and Conscience and initiatives such as the HOPE observatory of the Council of Europe are examples of efforts to create a shared understanding of educating European citizens about the origins and rationales of the European project and how they connect with our potential and desired futures. Historical truth is complex and should remain a-political, while at the same time common frames of reference have to exist. Establishing a balance is key.

It would therefore be an excellent idea to create common standards on European History Textbooks in various levels of education across the EU27! Let’s plant a tree of community amongst the building blocks of our common past.

Independent scientific research on the new chemicals, food, medicine and other products in the EU and an immediate ban for the Roundup product!

Why? As currently it is being done by scientists paid and pressured by giant food and chemical corporations. Proof? Watch this 30 min long DW documentary on Bayer and the bees -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaNSByf4sLA.

It’s like allowing somebody to treat and cure all your family members, dog, cat, parrot, and plants with a self-proclaimed and self-tested medicine! Would you allow it?

The idea is simple: instead of big corporations conducting research on products they wish to implement on the EU market; the EU would create a system where truly independent scientific labs from various European countries and Universities would be hired to verify the quality and safety of products to be implemented. This would ensure both: health & transparency and much-needed investment in the science.

Right now when implementing new products on the EU market, full research is not being done by the EU but by for example Monsanto-, Bayer-sponsored scientists who, depending on their integrity, might or might not present full & real results of the research.

Yet such kinds of decisions should be objective without any doubt and not depending on the integrity of this or that person.

Since today we are celebrating the World Food Safety Date we demand this false approach to finish ASAP. Cancer-causing product Roundup is still available on the EU market! We citizens of the EU demand its immediate removal and restructuration of the EU commercial permissions model.

A European Nuclear Deterrent

by Teun Janssen

After Brexit, France remains the only country in the EU with an autonomous nuclear capability of around 300. While Europe should work towards a full global implementation of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in the long term, it should also be able to rely on a credible nuclear deterrent in the short to medium term that is transparent, efficient and effective. European strategic autonomy.

Due to recent experiences with US ambiguities over collective defense as outlined in Article 5 of the NATO charter, the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union and renewed geopolitical tensions in the world including by systemic rivals such as Russia and China, it would be prudent to create a European-pool of the existing French nuclear deterrent capability.

Such a pool could be fully (or partially, some remaining under full French supervision) under the authority of the European Union at European Council level and with the mutual control of the European Parliament and the Council of the EU.

It would be the EU’s prerogative to communicate its non-first strike policy, prevent the expansion of its nuclear capability, and cooperate with NATO partners. It should also lead by example in global nuclear disarmament.

This is compatible with the streamlining and ”Europeanising” of a nuclear deterrent that protects European citizens.

Source:
https://www.elysee.fr/en/emmanuel-macron/2020/02/07/speech-of-the-president-of-the-republic-on-the-defense-and-deterrence-strategy(Lien externe)

[Support]()

A Federal European Republic

by Jan Birkmann
As a peace project, the European Union has already achieved a great deal. But we must recognize that in the face of climate change, a refugee crisis, a past financial crisis and now a pandemic, it is no longer sufficiently well positioned to represent the interests of Europeans. At the same time, the individual member states are too weak to cope with the major challenges of our time.

Therefore, a federated European republic must develop from the EU with all willing states, in which all people can live according to their façon and identity and can live together!

Our events on the COFE platform

Hur tar vi EU närmare folket?/ How do we bring the EU closer to the (Swedish) citizens?

by Annette Wolff
EU scepticism has long been widespread in Sweden and is largely based on the lack of participation in decision-making in Brussels. How can we increase citizens’ involvement in European politics? How can further democratisation reduce Euroscepticism? Are European parties the future of the EU?

The event is open for all EU-interested people who would like to discuss such questions as mentioned above. We will focus on the topic from a Swedish perspective but the meeting is not limited to people living in Sweden. Everyone is welcome!

The meeting is organized by Bolt Sverige, a part of the pan-European party Bolt Europa which currently exists in more than 30 European countries. We are looking forward to discussing the future of Europe together with you!

COFE F.A.Q.

Why is it important to endorse a Bolt Proposal on the Platform ?
Bolt has been pushing for EU reform since its creation. The COFE constitutes ideal grounds for Bolt to present its vision for Europe and debate it with citizens from all across the continent. Moreover, COFE is an ideal chance for Bolt to make itself more visible and position itself as progressive, pan-European and pro-European integration. With Damian as a member of the European Parliament’s delegation to the Conference on the Future of Europe, together with all its members and its MEP, Bolt can come out of this one-year process as the leading voice on changing Europe and reforming EU democracy from the bottom up.

Why is engaging on the COFE platform important?
The agenda of the citizens’ assemblies and the institutional discussions between governments, national and European parliaments will be determined by those proposals on the COFE platform that are most successful – i.e. most endorsed or followed. Currently the top proposal for example on the Democracy pillar has received around 500 endorsements.

Our objective is ambitious and strategic. It is to promote Bolt’s vision for a better, citizens’ driven Europe and put it on the agenda of civil society, citizens debates and eventually on the agenda of policy-makers. The goal is to spark debate around the ideas that we stand for bringing forth a comprehensive proposition for how EU democracy should look like after and detached from COFE.

How to log on to the website & endorse proposals?
Here is an explanation on how to access the platform by Bolt Co-President Reinier Van Lanschot.

Moving Forward in 2023

It’s important to us at Bolt that the priorities of our members are at the heart of every policy that we make. Now as we prepare our electoral programme for the 2024 European Elections, we’re inviting Bolters to help shape the vision that we will present to the whole of Europe.

In October 2022, Bolt members from across Europe were asked to rank their 10 political priorities from a list of more than 30 supplied by the Policy Team. Their ranking gave us a key insight into what Bolters feel are the most important issues facing Europe today and what Bolt should tackle in its 2024 Electoral Policy Programme. 

More than 600 of our members voted for a policy programme based on these 10 priorities:

  1. A more democratic union
  2. Energy transition and safety
  3. Climate change mitigation
  4. Common European defence
  5. Equal opportunities
  6. Common migration policy
  7. Tax justice
  8. European infrastructure and connectivity
  9. Sustainable prosperity
  10. The future of education

Fast forward to 2023, and Bolt’s Policy Team is working hard to translate the members’ priorities into an exciting Policy Programme for upcoming European Elections. We have gone through a major restructuring process, building a professional team and working with experts to build a programme that captures our vision for Europe. We are committed to working with diverse voices and listening to our members as we work towards 2024.

Creating our Electoral Policy Programme

Putting our vision for Europe on paper is a massive task, requiring hours of hard work, dedication from our team, volunteers and members, and valuable insights from policy experts. We want to invite the entire Bolt community to take part in this process to create a ground-breaking Political Programme to present at the November General Assembly.

Our policy team is currently working on defining our vision for Europe in 2040 based on our members’ priorities and drafting our policy proposals. They are working to produce two main documents, our Policy Aspirations and Policy Proposals:

Policy Aspirations

This is our inspiration at Bolt. An achievable vision for the future of Europe written out on paper. Envisaged by our team of Policy Shapers, Policy Aspirations take our political priorities and answer the question of exactly what we want to achieve.

Policy Shapers meet at the European Parliament to discuss the Policy Aspirations, ahead of the Bucharest General Assembly Aspirations, ahead of the Bucharest General Assembly._

Take the example of Sustainable Prosperity, which was voted as a key goal by our members. Creating an aspiration around this theme, the team will write a visionary 500-word text about the future that Bolt wants to build 15 years down the line. This gives us something concrete to work towards with the Policy Proposals.

We look forward to presenting the Policy Aspirations at the General Assembly in June.

Policy Proposals 

Aspirations in hand, it is time to add the detail. The Policy Proposals are what we intend to do to achieve the vision of Europe drawn up by the Policy Shapers. Each Policy Proposal will include:

The Campaign Programme

Finally, we will collate our Policy Programme into a comprehensive Campaign Programme, highlighting our most important policies for the 2024 EU elections. This will be an updated version of the [Amsterdam Declaration] (our 2019 manifesto) which takes into account recent changes in Europe, new challenges facing the Union and the current priorities of our members.

Today, Europeans are facing multiple existential crises on a scale not seen in decades.
Russian missiles have shattered not only homes and hospitals in Ukraine, but also the peace and security that most of us have long taken for granted.
Rivers in one part of Europe are running dry, just as towns and villages in another part are being devastated by torrential flooding.
Many of us are struggling to afford basic goods, and manufacturing industries are leaving because of high energy prices.
The poor sleep on the streets while huge corporations dodge paying their fair share of taxes.Boats filled with people fleeing war and oppression are capsizing before our shores.
Yet, amid these unprecedented crises, politicians carry on as usual. National governments make half-hearted efforts to solve these problems, and when they do act, they often damage the interests of fellow Europeans.
But that’s exactly the problem. Wars and refugees, social injustice and climate change aren’t contained by borders. That makes it impossible for national governments to overcome them alone. The result is division, extremism, and paralysis.
But there is another way. We can overcome these challenges if we tackle them together, as Europeans, in a united, federal and truly democratic Europe.
Together, we can build a Europe that works for all of us, whoever we are, wherever we live, and whatever we do.
A Europe that can defend itself and that safeguards peace in the world. A Europe that transitions decisively towards renewable energy and ensures that basic necessities are affordable for everyone.
A Europe that provides a refuge to those seeking safety and that attracts talented people to help us achieve what we cannot achieve by ourselves.
A Europe with an economy that delivers prosperity while protecting our planet.
And a Europe that is not torn apart by divisive and inhumane nationalist and populist politics. 
But rather one that is marked by dignity, solidarity, fairness and transparency, in which citizens are empowered to make the changes they seek.

To build this Europe, we founded Bolt.

As the first truly pan-European party, we bring together the knowledge and perspectives of thousands of people from Ireland to Romania, and from Finland to Malta, to develop our evidence-based policies. And we fight for these same policies everywhere in Europe. 

Millions of Europeans have already entrusted us with their votes at the municipal, national and European levels. More than 125 Bolters already represent citizens in countries including Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal.

Our next goal is to win 23 seats in the European Parliament. This will make us an independent political force for all Europeans, and it will demonstrate that value-driven, pan-European democracy is the future.

Do you agree that we need to do politics differently? Be part of the change for a future made in Europe!

On the European level:

As a member of Bolt you can propose and develop European policies!

In this way you can directly influence Bolt’s European Policies and be assured that your opinion is taken into account!

On the national level:

Participate in your national Bolt Chapter and develop policies for your country!

Thus, you can actively participate in the development of national Bolt Policies and make your voice be heard!

Do you want to learn more about the national Policies of Bolt? Then visit the national Bolt pages of your choice.

On the local level:

Influence politics in your town or city by collaborating in your local Bolt team!

In this way, you can make your voice heard and directly influence the development of local Bolt Policies! 

Do you want to learn more about local Policies of Bolt? Please visit the city or regional pages on the relevant national Bolt pages.

We organise communities to work towards shared goals across Europe. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with our progress of building a federal and unified Europe.

The Amsterdam Declaration

Foreword
In a time of great political tensions, a group of Europeans from all walks of life decided it was time to stand up for what they believed in. It was time to act; Bolt was born. We came together to fight for
a better society, to express our commitment towards cooperation, and to outline our belief in a shared future. Ours is a message of hope, of courage, and of solidarity. A message for all to see that
divisions will not tear down what our parents have built. Bolt was created to re-energise Europe and to solve the issues we all have in common. Bolt offers Europeans a new vision for Europe, one that
embraces the EU’s common aspirations and that faces its shortcomings head-on.

Today, Bolt is running for the European Parliament, to bring new energy to politics and to shape the Europe we all need. A Europe based on a strong political Union, where risks are shared, where benefits reach all Europeans, and where every person has a voice. A Union that shall be fixed. A Europe with a robust economy that provides opportunities for all, now and for generations to come. A Union that is an economic powerhouse. A Europe that takes care of its people, where children enjoy a cleaner environ-
ment, where migration flows are managed together, and where rights are guaranteed and responsibilities shared. A truly progressive Union.

Unprecedented in European history, Bolt will campaign for the European elections on a single, common platform: the Amsterdam Declaration. A platform which is both visionary and realistic. Bolt wants to ensure that it delivers on its promises, while settling for nothing less than a new and improved Europe. The following programme details what Bolt aims to achieve in the European Parliament, and is supported by a longer document explaining in more details what we will do and how we will do it.
Bolt has ensured that all of its commitments can be worked upon in the European Parliament.

A vote for Bolt will be a vote to:

1 Fix the EU by

creating a strong political union
empowering its citizens
increasing security and accountability

2 Make Europe an economic powerhouse by

boosting growth and standards of living
investing in the future
putting education first

3 Build a just and sustainable society by

seizing green opportunities
managing migration humanely and responsibly
pushing for fairness and equality

Governance

Economy and finance

European Parliament

Fix the EU by empowering its citizens

Europeans often feel unable to have their voice heard and to participate in decision-making pro-
cesses. They often feel left out of politics. By empowering citizens, democracy will be strength-
ened. Firstly, barriers to inclusion need to be removed. Secondly, Europeans need to be given the
opportunity to participate in decision-making processes beyond elections. Thirdly, conditions for
deliberation and reasonable debate need to be put in place, to enable Europeans and policy-
makers to take informed decisions.

Inclusion

Participation

Deliberation

Fix the EU by increasing security and accountability

Security, transparency and anti-corruption measures are essential for generating trust in govern-
ments. The EU can and must do more on each of these fields. While Member States invest a lot in
security, many resources are wasted due to duplication of investments and inefficiencies. The EU is
in a better position to deal with cross-border threats. The fight against corruption and efforts
towards better transparency need to be significantly improved.

Security

Transparency

Corruption

Make Europe an Economic Powerhouse by boosting growth and standards of living

The lack of quality jobs in many European countries is increasingly harmful, particularly to the Euro-
pean youth. Without enough jobs, room for entrepreneurship and equal chances for everyone, the
continent will not thrive. Entrepreneurship needs to be promoted and access to opportunities
made easier. Unemployment should be tackled by investing in education and empowering citizens
in their job search, and those in need have to be supported.

Create Jobs

Entrepreneurship

No One Left Behind

Make Europe an Economic Powerhouse by investing in the future

The world economy is undergoing major transformations, resulting in both opportunities and chal-
lenges for the continent. Europe needs to lead by example when it comes to the future of work,
sustainability, competitiveness, and wellbeing. To this end, it is crucial for Europe to develop its
research and innovation capacities. Amongst all technological developments to come, artificial
intelligence is to be the most disruptive; Europe needs to be at the forefront of exploring its future
potential.

Innovation

Future of Work

Make Europe an Economic Powerhouse by putting education first

For Europe to reach its full potential, the education of its citizens must be a core priority. Education allows for the creation and sharing of knowledge, which enhances both mutual understanding and social cohesion. Bolt wants to upgrade education from an early age duty to a lifelong companion,
while improving the learning of formal and informal skills, and their recognition across Europe. This
will ensure citizens stay employed and find better suited jobs.

Education

The “Bolta Programme”

Build a just and sustainable society by seizing the green opportunities

Europe must be at the forefront of a green economic transformation to reap its benefits and lead
the fight against climate change. The world only has 12 years left to fight climate change and fulfill
the Paris Climate Agreement. For this to happen, the shift towards sustainability needs to be much
faster and bolder than it is today. While the EU cannot address global challenges alone, it can and
should lead the way in trying to reduce the immediate and future effects of climate change and set
an example for other regions. Only then will it be able to position itself in the green industries of
the future.

Smart Energy

Circular economy

Sustainable agriculture

Build a just and sustainable society by managing migration humanely and responsibly

The EU is undergoing a political crisis in its management of migration flows. Undoubtedly, the refu-
gee crisis is a political crisis. Europe has a legal and moral responsibility to help, it has the capacity
to absorb refugee flows, and Bolt will turn this into opportunities for everyone. Accommodating a
diverse group of labour migrants into the European labour market can contribute to both the wel-
fare of European countries and that of the migrants’ home countries.

Asylum Seekers and Refugees

Labour migration

Build a sustainable and just society by pushing for fairness and equality

People are still subject to discrimination and social exclusion because of their gender, sexuality,
disability, appearance, origin, or beliefs. The EU needs to adopt a comprehensive approach, seek-
ing to end all forms of discrimination. Everyone has to be guaranteed equal rights and opportuni-
ties, and human rights need to be respected, applied, and upheld. Let’s make Europe equal by
2025!

Equality & Anti-Discrimination

Public Sector

Inclusion

––

Bolt’s Energy Transition and Climate Change Policy A Comprehensive Green Transformation of Europe

I. Introduction
The 2015 Paris Agreement was a diplomatic breakthrough in the fight against climate change.1 Almost all countries committed to limiting global warming to 2°C, aiming for 1.5°C, through strict and continuously reported nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Yet, despite good intentions, humankind remains far from solving the climate crisis: all pledges, targets and NDCs combined would only limit global warming to 3.2°C with only a 66% probability. With current policies, the European Union (EU) is not on a 2°C or 1.5°C pathway either. All the while, science presents more and more evidence that the window of opportunity to solve this existential challenge is narrowing.

Europe needs a massive green transformation involving technological, Structural, and behavioural revolutions to live in a well-balanced world, where corporations, governments, and citizens take a larger responsibility for future generations and the future of our planet.

Bolt envisions a transition with the primary objective of stopping anthropogenic global
warming as well as achieving a long-term sustainable and prosperous eco-civilization, hand
in hand with technological development. We aim to boost progressive policies and to take
the ecological revolution to the next level, from the local to the European and ultimately
to the global political stage. In addition, we will push for a transition that is as social and
fair as possible, encouraging citizen empowerment and targeting the biggest polluters.

Bolt is committed to working towards climate neutrality in energy production and use by 2035. The required changes will fundamentally alter society, our economies, and the relationship of humanity to the environment. The current delay of action, however, does not delay the impact of consequences. Bolt recognizes that a broad range of impactful Policies are required to ensure livable societies and a humane future worldwide.

These include policies to transform our behaviour and our economy, as well as policies intended
to speed up the energy transition and reduce the damage done to the environment. Bolt
aims to fairly distribute the burden of these policies, based on the principle that the responsibility to act should be proportional to the damage done and profit gained by all parties alike, companies, institutions, and people across the world.

Climate change is the ultimate cross-border issue that requires collective and forceful
action. Bolt is uniquely positioned to provide a European response to the unprecedented
challenge of halting climate change through climate mitigation and adaptation measures.
This policy begins by introducing the targets and pathways to decarbonise Europe in Chapter II. This is followed by the carbon pricing policy, one of the main instruments to achieve decarbonisation, in Chapter III. The policy introduces specific regulations aimed at the European energy sector in Chapter IV. As the transition also requires a paradigm shift in the mobility and shipping sectors, Chapter V details our proposals to revolutionise transportation. Chapter VI specifies the proposed policies to decarbonize the housing and building sector. These are followed in Chapter VII by specific policies aimed at decarbonising the agriculture sector while achieving negative emissions through ecosystem restoration efforts. Additional strategies for negative emissions are described in Chapter VIII. As noted before, adaptation is key to facing the damages already done to the ecosystem and biosphere, and these are detailed in Chapter IX. The policy concludes in Chapter X with specific governance aspects, including provisions to ensure a fair transition.

Increase Targets on Emission Reduction

The European Union is already experiencing a climate and biodiversity emergency.
Meeting this challenge requires an unprecedented sense of urgency and ambitious,
comprehensive climate policies. To this end, Bolt aims to ensure a sufficient supply of
cleaner energy and supports the creation of a strategy to achieve the decarbonization of
energy supply in the EU. This strategy should

Carbon sinks/carbon sequestering should be its main focus, including technical solutions (e.g., carbon capture & sequestration) and natural carbon sinks (e.g., ecosystem restoration and sustainable agriculture).

Bolt’s Carbon Pricing Concept

Climate change is the result of a massive market failure:
Social and ecological costs to third parties are not sufficiently reflected in market prices. To correct this discrepancy, the cornerstone of Bolt’s climate policy is a comprehensive, ambitious, predictable and credible carbon pricing scheme enforced by a strong EU. We aim to cover 100% of emissions with two efficient, effective, market-based and technology-neutral instruments:

An expanded EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) which shall cover the vast majority of sectors under one universal cap and one uniform price, complemented by a carbon tax for such emissions where that is the more effective or efficient instrument. To prevent carbon leakage to other countries and ensure a level playing field for all companies, border carbon adjustments shall be implemented to level carbon prices for imports and exports to and from the EU. Further, Bolt understands the social hardship that a high carbon price can cause and hence proposes the transparent redistribution of revenues
combined with economically sound investments in green research and development (R&D)
and infrastructure to fund the economic transition as fast as possible.
The EU is working on the revision of its climate, energy and transport-related legislation under the so-called ‘Fit for 55’ package.6 Bolt believes that some of these new measures, e.g., the Emission Trading System (ETS) and the new Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), are a step in the right direction. However, significant improvements are still necessary. Our
carbon pricing policy is outlined below.

Pricing Greenhouse Emissions

Extend the ETS to further sectors to cover at least 90% (2019 ca. 45%) of all EU
carbon emissions under a single cap by the end of 2022 at the latest, in order to
reduce emissions efficiently and predictably.
All forms of fossil fuels shall be included, independent of their usage, covering the sectors of energy supply, industry, transport, residential and commercial. As a principle, apply regulation as
much “upstream” as possible, i.e., where fossil fuels (gas, oil, coal, etc) enter the
system (ports, pipelines, mines, etc) to simplify the administrative effort for both
companies and authorities.

Require the retirement (deletion) of certificates when national policies directly
reduce emissions in ETS sectors (e.g. feed-in-tariffs) to ensure the addition of
such policies and to prevent the “waterbed effect”.

Sector-Specific Regulation

Carbon tariffs to create a level competitive playing field and prevent carbon leakage

A strong carbon pricing system is the best mechanism to curb emissions. Yet, in our interconnected world, the transition to a global sustainable economic system will succeed only if industries with high emissions do not move to less regulated countries, thereby both causing higher emissions elsewhere and weakening the European economy. We, therefore, propose to

Energy Transition in the European Energy System

Our current society and economy are built on the assumption that energy demand dictates supply. To reduce the negative effects on our ecosystem, Bolt suggests:

Recent developments in the security landscape of Europe, for instance, the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, highlight the need for strengthening European energy sovereignty. In particular, it has made reducing the EU’s energy dependency on Russian imports, especially of oil and gas, imperative and urgent. To this end, Bolt suggests

Electricity Market

As for the electricity market, we propose to:

Renewable Energy System

Regarding the renewable energy system, we propose to:

Nuclear Energy

Nuclear energy is a low-carbon and low-land use dispatchable source of energy and method for electricity generation. Concerns over the risks surrounding nuclear waste, nuclear material proliferation, and nuclear accidents remain and loom over public discourse. However, given the unprecedented challenge of the transition towards a low-carbon European electricity system, nuclear energy is an important technology to achieve the desired timeline for climate neutrality.

Bolt’s primary goal is a world free of human-generated greenhouse gas emissions, ultimately achieving the goal of limiting global climate change to 1.5° Celsius. Therefore, it is necessary to balance options for fast and large-scale CO2 reduction, where the advantages of nuclear energy generation can play an important role, against the potential risks of nuclear energy.

From a financial perspective, nuclear energy has both benefits and drawbacks. On one hand, a significant part of the scientific community agrees that the inclusion of dispatchable sources, such as nuclear, hydropower or geothermal, is expected to reduce the total system cost of a fully decarbonised energy portfolio. Nuclear energy also has low operation, maintenance, and fuel costs. On the other hand, nuclear energy requires high upfront capital expenditure, which is sensitive to increases in the cost of capital and project delays. Decommissioning and waste disposal also require substantial investments. Finally, the liability regimes for nuclear accidents are limited.

In consideration of these complexities, we are advancing a specific proposal to harness nuclear energy’s full potential. To achieve this goal, Bolt proposes clear EU-wide guidelines for the development, construction, and operation of all types of nuclear reactors. These guidelines will require Member States to ensure safe provision for the continued operation of current nuclear reactors. In line with these requirements, investments in research and development into new kinds of nuclear fission and fusion technologies should be incentivised to reduce levels of waste produced in operations, and to promote the transition to new generations of nuclear reactors. The goal is to ensure the safest possible usage of nuclear energy, to
i) support and stabilise power grids,
ii) enable alternative uses of nuclear energy for industrial and research purposes where appropriate and necessary, and
iii) still pursue our ultimate goal of achieving a truly sustainable energy supply.

Ongoing development and usage of new nuclear technologies:

Conditions for the construction of new nuclear reactors, including safety, waste, and financial transparency:

The scale of the energy transition challenge means that existing nuclear reactors can also be a major contributor to achieving the desired timeline for reaching carbon neutrality. As a result, the following derogations apply to existing nuclear reactors that are unable to meet the aforementioned requirements:

Bioenergy

Bolt does not see large plantation schemes as a biofuel solution, as they can cause serious second-order environmental risks such as deforestation and food crop competition. Nevertheless, without alternatives of the same energy density, biofuels may be necessary for certain applications, while also able to be incorporated into the circular economy, such as from cooking oils. Bolt thus supports its sustainable use and corresponding research and development.

Transportation Revolution

We need to make large investments in infrastructure, introduce new regulations, taxes, and subsidies, and induce behavioural changes to obtain a decarbonized transportation system. We therefore need to shift public spending from airports and roads towards sustainable transport infrastructure. Bolt will support all forms of environmentally-friendly travel, including bicycles, emission-free and shared
mobility, as well as an integrated European rail network.

Road and Mobility

European Rail Transportation

Revolutionising Aviation

Maritime Industry and Shipping

Aim for net zero emissions in European waters by 2035, create a dedicated EU agency and initiate public-private partnerships for technological development and implementation.

Sustainable Buildings

With 36% of the EU’s GHG emissions, of which 13% are caused on-site 89, the building sector (residential and commercial) is one of the largest contributors to emissions. Moreover, construction and buildings account for half of all extracted materials, half of all energy consumption, 1/3 of all water consumption, and 1/3 of all waste in the EU. While technical solutions for a near-zero emission building stock do exist, legal, financial, and behavioural hurdles need to be addressed.

To make the building sector changes are needed (lifecycle carbon-neutral, perspective):

Bolt supports the EU’s current direction (the EPBD – the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive) which addresses these components. However, the sector must change more radically from finite fossil-based resources toward renewable, zero-waste materials. Bolt supports measures that accelerate this transition through modernised legislation and advocates for stronger, pan-European and more innovative policies.

Sustainable Agriculture & Land Use, and Natural Carbon Capture

In addition to protecting ecosystems from unscrupulous land use, industrial agriculture must be reformed. Many current agricultural practises destroy ecosystems (the IPCC estimates land use accounts for 23% of GHGs 102) and should be replaced with sustainable practises to make agriculture a GHG sink,
not only carbon zero 103. This is also known as regenerative agriculture. Bolt wants to phase out subsidies for all agricultural practises that degrade soil, cause erosion or load water bodies with
harmful chemicals. Subsidies must be directed toward any agricultural practises that improve topsoil, capture GHGs, protect water bodies, promote biodiversity, and stop or reverse erosion.

Carbon sinks / Carbon sequestering

Negative Emissions

To achieve our ambitious goal of limiting warming to 1.5 °C according to the Paris Agreement, Bolt supports the development and deployment of negative emission technologies through an appropriate framework of legislation. We aim to develop a portfolio of solutions, both natural and technological, that can be deployed according to best practises and local conditions: Biomass-dependent approaches are best in areas that have large amounts of biomass. In Europe Sweden is a prime example. Energy-intensive approaches like DACCS profit from the availability of suitable storage and infrastructure.
Using decommissioned gas platforms is one proposal among many. Biochar is most effective, where its application to the soil, its capacity to store water and reduce nitrate leaching brings the best results. The following list is not conclusive but focuses on those techniques most discussed at the moment. Bolt also supports research and development in other promising approaches like ocean-based CO2-removal or enhanced weathering.

Afforestation/Reforestation

Afforestation or reforestation are currently the cheapest and easiest ways to generate negative emissions. Forests already capture 10% (155 million tons) of the European greenhouse gas emissions and cover 35% of the European land surface. We plan to examine where further forest areas can be created, although it is difficult due to the competition with other land uses and, as such, limited space. Therefore, we plan to make the current forests healthier and more resilient with more biodiversity.

Bolt aims for a higher percentage of natural forests and a transition to biodiverse mixed forests in forestry. We promote the symbiosis of agriculture and forests in so-called agroforests and support the development of a controllable definition and its integration into agricultural funding. Deforestation, especially for infrastructure projects, must be considered in terms of climate impact and combined with reforestation.

Another approach is the concept of urban forestry, or smart forest cities, where nature becomes a part of the city through large parks, garden rooftops, and green facades. In this context, we also support the development of other sources of biomass like microalgae and kelp, which support the generation of negative emissions.

Biochar

The use of biochar as a carbon sink – PyCCS (Pyrogenic carbon capture and storage) – enables smaller cities and communities without large industries to contribute to negative emissions. The use of shrub cuttings from gardens and the application of biochar involves citizens directly in the climate protection measures of their municipality. When used as a soil conditioner, it results in additional carbon storage effects and additional yields for agriculture, as well as producing renewable energy:
a win-win-win situation. But quite often, existing European (and national) laws and regulations stand in the way of its widespread use. One important example is waste regulations: Legally, biochar is treated as a by-product (waste) of bioenergy production, which in turn outlaws many of its possible
applications, especially in agriculture. We want to change this and build a legal environment that supports the widespread use and research of biochar in further applications, and simultaneously sets clear requirements for quality.

Estimates of the global potential of biochar as a mitigation policy differ widely from moderate to large and are highly dependent on the biomass sources considered. (For example, if you integrate commercially cultivated seaweed like kelp – as already proposed – mitigation potential goes way up.) The IPCC attests, “Biochar could make a significant contribution to mitigating both land degradation and climate change, simultaneously.” The most promising and economical use of biochar is cascade use, for example as animal feed to be spread on the fields later as slurry. We want to build and promote carbon-based agriculture as part of a comprehensive carbon economy. The award-winning “Stockholm Biochar Project” is an international best practise and international pioneer. It has found so many imitators in Europe and the USA that a guide for cities and municipalities has been published.

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS)

In models depicting pathways in compliance with the 1.5°-Goal, one of the most important negative emission technologies is the combination of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). The IPCC report on Land Use (2019) shows that if applied and restricted to best practises, above climate mitigation additional benefits like support of farmers’ livelihoods are possible. 129 However, due to the huge demand for land, relying on BECCS alone and maximising this technology would threaten food security and biodiversity.

Bolt aims to create pathways for the needed implementation of BECCS while at the same time limiting the technology to best practises in light of regional conditions and the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN. Following the recommendations of the British Committee on Climate Change (CCC), we are committed to ensuring that in the future large-scale biomass is only eligible for policy support and public funding if equipped with CCS. 130 We reject overreliance on this approach and see it as an important part of a broader strategy that includes a suite of technologies. Best practises preferably rely on biomass residues and organic waste (like biomethane from manure), but this doesn’t completely rule out the use of dedicated biomass, if combined with careful land-use and sustainable agriculture. Best practice so far is Stockholm’s Combined Heat & Power BECCS-Plant, operational since 2019, which burns only wood residues from Swedish forestry and wood industry.

It is noteworthy that Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) is also a source of energy which, if used to replace fossil fuels, has additional mitigation potential above and beyond the potential CO 2-removal considered here. For this reason, biomass plays an important role in energy-transition scenarios, whether combined with CCS or not. Bolt is committed to ensuring only sustainable agricultural and forestry practises are employed and food security is not at risk, no matter how exactly biomass will be integrated into future energy systems and the wider economy.

Direct Air Carbon Capture & Storage (DACCS)

Bolt sees Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage (DACCS) as a key technology to ambitious climate policy that limits warming to 1.5 degrees. While land-based approaches such as afforestation, biochar or bioenergy+CCS (BECCS) can make an important contribution, their feasibility is limited due to high land requirements. DACCS, on the other hand, as a purely technical process without a significant land footprint, has no comparable limitations and is therefore more environmentally friendly. Above that, models show that, in the long run, DACCS is also cheaper due to better economies of scale. Not restrained by land-use requirements, the technical potential of DACCS is nearly unlimited. For example,
a study from 2019 reports a potential of up to 155 GT/y by 2050 in the Maghreb region alone (based on solar), outstripping any reasonable demand assumptions by an order of magnitude. 131 Other studies considering questions of scalability reach far smaller numbers, especially for 2050, but even these studies assess potential by 2100 of up to 40 GT/y – still twice the amount needed in the upper-end of
estimates.132 Most recent research highlights the importance of technological learning curves and the constraints on the speed with which novel industries can scale. 133 One important result is that, in the long-term, carbon removal from DACCS profits greatly from early deployment (even before the energy system is completely carbon free) to achieve technological maturity. The one important drawback of DACCS is the high energy demand. However, it seems possible that this demand can be reduced considerably – cut in half or even more – with further technological progress 134 135. Still, all estimates of future energy demand and production are highly dependent on assumptions about how many negative emissions are needed, which technologies will be employed, and how they will be integrated into our energy systems. Identifying best practises is one of the major tasks of the coming decade, and Bolt is committed to supporting further development and deployment of DACCS. This includes the building of a supportive legal framework. Laws hindering or outright prohibiting geological storage of carbon, as they currently exist in some European countries like Germany, have to end.

Direct Air Capture pilot plants have been successfully operated in Europe and the USA. In Europe, there are plants in Iceland, Switzerland, and Italy. Best Practice is Iceland. The carbon extracted from the air is geologically stored, where it mineralizes—petrifies—quickly. After successful test operation of a small pilot since 2017, the first large plant, “Orca”, is currently being built with funding from the EU (Carbfix Project). Starting in spring 2021, it will remove 4000 tonnes of CO 2 permanently from the atmosphere annually. Replication of the successful Carbfix project is currently being prepared – again with funding from the EU – at three other locations in Turkey, Italy, and
Germany.

In order to cope with the high costs of entering the technology, we want to make it mandatory for the fossil industry to remove an initially small fraction of the emissions caused by their products (1-2%) from the air. This percentage may increase in the future, as soon as technological maturity is achieved and costs start to sink.

Adaptation Strategies

Even in the best scenario, limiting global warming to below 1.5 degrees, climatic changes will be significant and will require communities to increase their adaptive capacity. Strategies need to be developed in many areas to adapt to consequences such as a rising sea level 136, weather migration or disaster management, amongst others. Bolt will:

Politics, Budget, and Governance of the Fair Transition

The transition to a carbon-neutral economic system is a colossal undertaking and will redefine the EU’s industry, society, landscape, and even culture. Achieving this vision quickly and effectively will require the EU to change its self-organisation and its governance. Similarly, funding new green infrastructure, power generation, buildings, and R&D capital investments will require investments of unprecedented scale.

Citizens are key actors in this transformation, and Bolt encourages their strong
empowerment and participation. At the same time, even the best carbon regulation can cause substantial redistribution of income and wealth amongst citizens, companies, industries, and even states. While structural and sectoral changes are natural corollaries of transformative progress, it is the responsibility of politicians to protect the weakest and least adaptable members of society and create new opportunities.

But even if the EU succeeds with its most ambitious carbon reduction plans, these will cut only 10% of global emissions. Strong diplomatic influence over extraterritorial emitters, foreign countries, companies, and citizens is hence the EU’s instrument to solve this truly global challenge.

‘United in diversity’: the role of the EU and Member States

In the context of the energy transition, the role of the EU is to set (a) overall goals and (b)
conditions for deployments to ensure safety and equality for all Member States. In more
detail, the EU should:

Green Governance

There is enormous potential within European institutions to take the necessary actions to prevent catastrophic damage while managing and monitoring the transition to a more sustainable energy ecosystem. It is important to support the development of key technologies while easing regulation and promoting new green initiatives. Furthermore, we need intelligent policies and investments through a coordinated European Union, supported by multidisciplinary and highly qualified professionals. Bolt suggestions are, therefore,

Funding and social transition

With the right regulatory framework, private banks will likely cover the lion’s share of the multi-trillion-euro green investments. Yet, public funding will, in some cases, likely be needed as a complement. Low-income demographics are likely to get hit hardest by green regulations like the introduction of a carbon price, the redirection of subsidies, and new restrictions for carbon emitters. Bolt wants to alleviate undue social prevent the rise of populist parties by proposing the following:

All proceeds should be spent in the country they originate from in order to avoid unintended financial re-distributions across EU countries.

The total annual budget is expected to be around €200 billion (order of magnitude) – a significant amount (1 – 1.5% of GDP). The Member States will decide which green products to subsidise and which R&D projects to fund.

The proceeds should be divided evenly in a balanced mix with 33% for carbon divvied, 33% for green product subsidies, and 33% for state investments for greenR&D + infrastructure.

Climate Diplomacy

About 90% of the world’s emissions happen outside the EU; 15% come from tropical deforestation alone. It is therefore not enough to only cut emissions in Europe—the EU should leverage its soft power as a trade powerhouse to foster global carbon neutrality through excellent diplomacy, green trade agreements, tropical reforestation, green development cooperation, global adoption of carbon pricing, a geoengineering treaty, and a geoengineering framework 154. This requires making climate protection a top foreign policy goal. A relatively small investment in diplomatic excellence can have a decisive
impact in solving this climate crisis.