Articles related to "Energy efficiency action plan"

Bulgaria plans to boost its power efficiency and support green energy to fight climate change and achieve European Union environment targets, Economy and Energy Minister Traicho Traikov said on Monday (23 November).

The European Commission plans to impose binding energy-efficiency targets on EU member states, according to a draft of the EU's revised Energy Efficiency Action Plan obtained by EurActiv.

EU energy ministers met yesterday (23 July) to discuss ways to reach the EU's energy efficiency objectives, prompting Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs to suggest that the Commission could table proposals for a binding 20% target soon.

A report by the Stockholm Environment Institute, entitled 'A European Eco-efficient Economy', will provide a basis for discussions during an informal meeting of energy and environment ministers in Åre on 23–25 July.

The European Commission yesterday (17 June) agreed with the US Environmental Protection Agency to set more stringent energy standards for computers, copiers and printers that qualify for the EU-US 'Energy Star' label.

The European Parliament's industry committee yesterday (21 April) voted on two resolutions to block the introduction of new energy labels for household goods such as fridges and television sets.

The European Commission will re-evaluate its "insufficient" energy efficiency policy this year and look into funding options, EU officials stated this week.

Even if the EU is successful in building a low-carbon economy with a strong portfolio of renewables, dependence on energy imports will remain high and requires "management", according to a draft of the European Commission's second strategic energy review seen by EurActiv. 

The French EU Presidency is pushing for greater emphasis to be placed on energy efficiency standards in households and buildings as a "cornerstone" of the EU's climate change policy, ahead of a meeting of energy ministers on Friday (10 October).

EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs called for a partnership between producing and consuming countries to bring the price of oil per barrel to a "two-digit" figure, speaking at a summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday (22 June).

While Europe's appliance manufacturers are pushing for a numerical energy performance label and mandatory phase-outs of inefficient machines, EU member states are severely behind in implementing energy efficiency legislation, particularly in the buildings sector. 

Parliament's Committee on Industry has backed a report by MEP Fiona Hall, which charges that Commission and EU member states have largely failed to realise their own commitments to reduce energy consumption.

European consumers will probably have to wait another year before they see the prices of energy-saving light bulbs fall, following a Commission decision to extend anti-dumping duties on imports from China rather than scrap them immediately.

France and Britain have announced their support for reduced value-added tax rates for cars, efficient light-bulbs and other consumer products that are less environmentally damaging. But the issue promises to provoke controversy, as changes to EU tax rules must be agreed unanimously by all 27 member states.

Only Finland, the UK and Denmark have met a 30 June deadline for submitting national action plans on energy-efficiency and the European Commission recently reported that environmental policies are the most poorly implemented across the EU.

European lamp makers on 5 June proposed a phase-out of the least efficient lamps in homes by 2015. The Commission reacted favourably to the industry initiative, while Greenpeace criticised the timeline as being too long. 

OECD countries and key developing nations should agree on a common approach to energy efficiency, Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs told a ministerial meeting of the International Energy Agency.

Heads of states and government have urged the Commission to "rapidly submit proposals" to scrap ordinary light bulbs across Europe within two years and to improve efficiency standards in office equipment and street lighting.

The Australian government's decision to ban traditional incandescent light bulbs has inspired German lawmakers to propose similar measures for their country, but the EU has no intention to introduce similar measures in its energy-savings action plan.

The Commission's energy and climate change package, presented on 10 January, received a lukewarm welcome in industry and NGO circles. EurActiv provides a comprehensive positions overview.

EU regions and local governments have pledged to increase the share of renewable energies in their overall mix and to boost energy efficiency.

The energy action plan, set to be adopted on 19 October, foresees more than 75 actions to achieve a 20% reduction of Europe's energy consumption by 2020. But several energy experts question whether more efficiency automatically leads to less energy consumption.

After several delays which led to concern from the Finnish presidency, the Commission seems ready to present its action plan on energy efficiency in the third week of October.

The Commission's postponement of the adoption of the action plan on energy efficiency has raised questions about its commitment to one of the main priorities of the new European energy policy.

EurActiv has seen a draft of an ambitious energy-efficiency plan to be unveiled by the Commission that includes a binding target to slash fuel consumption in cars.

Commissioner Piebalgs and European energy ministers have committed to fully exploiting existing EU legislation on energy efficiency in buildings. According to insulation manufacturers, €270 billion euro a year can be saved.

EU car manufacturers sold cars that produce on average 160 grams of CO2 per kilometre in 2005, down only 1% on the previous year, according to green NGO Transport and Environment (T&E)

On Wednesday 8 March, Commissioner Piebalgs will present the new Green Paper on European Energy Policy, outlining some major challenges for a future common European approach to questions related to security of energy supply and climate change.

As prices of heating fuel hit a high, new research shows better housing insulation could save the EU's newest members billions and shelter them from a looming environmental and social crisis.

Worried about the negative effects of high energy prices on Europe's economy, Energy Commissioner Piebalgs presented a five-point action plan to counter rising oil prices.

Buildings account for over 40% of the EU's final energy demand and are a major source of greenhouse-gas emissions, making energy-savings there a key element of the European climate change strategy.

The "distinctly unglamorous subject" of energy efficiency is being overlooked in the current EU debate on energy and climate change, argues Marie-Hélène Fandel, a policy analyst at the European Policy Centre.

Boosting the energy efficiency of industry can achieve meaningful cuts in carbon dioxide emissions, writes Claude Mandil – Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) – in a July 18 article for the Environmental Research Web.