BRUSSELS — Soaring fossil fuel prices caused by the war in the Middle East show that the European Union’s climate efforts are vital for its independence and security, the new chair of the European Parliament’s environment committee said. When Italian center-left lawmaker Pierfrancesco Maran was elected committee chair last month, he described the bloc’s Green Deal as a “freedom deal” — and he feels vindicated in this argument following the American and Israeli strikes on Iran.  The outbreak of