Just before the pandemic, the EU presented its Green Deal strategy, with the goal of becoming �the first climate-neutral continent� by 2050. Social democrats in Europe should use the Green Deal to formulate their own ideas about how growth can lead to more social cohesion, ecological sustainability and quality of life. Social-democratic ideas of prosperity and value creation can only survive in the 21st Century if they are sustainable, not only economically and socially, but also environmentally. While aiming for a climate-neutral Union, European social democracies have the chance to bring together key issues such as climate protection, decent work, social cohesion and economic development in a renewed drive for progress and recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic.