Analysis
Ursula von der Leyen did speak at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2020 and described the European Green Deal as a comprehensive strategy for green and digital transition. However, other continents, notably China, had already launched broad, state‑backed green and digital programmes (e.g., China’s "Ecological Civilization" policy and its "Digital Silk Road" initiatives) before 2020. Thus, the statement that Europe is the first continent with such a plan is not factually accurate, making the claim misleading.
Background
The European Green Deal was unveiled by the European Commission in December 2019 as a roadmap for making the EU climate‑neutral by 2050 while investing in digital technologies. At Davos 2020, von der Leyen highlighted the plan’s ambition. Meanwhile, China announced extensive green and digital policies in 2015‑2018, and the United States has also pursued large‑scale climate and digital strategies, though not under a single unified plan.
Verdict summary
The claim that Europe is the first continent to present a comprehensive green‑and‑digital transformation plan overstates the uniqueness of the EU’s initiative.