Section: Climate & Environment

Climate & Environment 23-11-2016

The EU finally has new air pollution rules – now, let’s enforce them

EU governments have been too weak on air pollution. Brussels must step in to ensure member states protect their citizens, writes Louise Duprez.

Trade & Society 22-11-2016

MEPs’ sad games undermine the Parliament's due rights

In their attempt to fast-track the EU-Canada agreement, some MEPs are reversing years of progress in democratising the European Union, warn MEPs Anne-Marie Mineur, Bart Staes and Pavel Poc.

Future EU 21-11-2016

The future's bright, the future's green

Europe and the wider world face a number of daunting challenges. But there is hope. Monica Frassoni insists that Europe’s greens will play a full part in changing things for the better.

Climate & Environment 18-11-2016

What local and regional government leaders at COP22 can teach the world

As COP22 begins to draw to a close, Gino Van Begin calls on all involved parties to roll up their sleeves and start implementing climate action immediately.

Climate & Environment 15-11-2016

How Trump can quit the Paris Agreement

The idea that the Paris Agreement will survive the election of Donald Trump is politically naïve, writes Klaus Dingwerth.

Climate & Environment 10-11-2016

Time for an EU climate policy 2.0?

The European Commission will soon release its second annual report on the State of the European Energy Union. This is a pivotal moment in the EU's political calendar, write Teresa Ribera and Thomas Spencer.

Climate & Environment 09-11-2016

Marrakesh climate conference: A litmus test for the Paris Agreement

The international community must tie its Paris Agreement commitments to the SDGs if it takes climate change seriously. The COP22 is the first test of our leaders’ resolve, write Steffen Bauer and Clara Brandi.

Science & Policymaking 07-11-2016

Auditors' report on biofuels calls for return to common sense

Will the report of the EU Court of Auditors (ECA) regarding the EU system for the certification of sustainable biofuels spark an outbreak of common sense within the Commission, asks Dick Roche.

Energy 07-11-2016

Carbon footprint of solar panels under microscope

As the COP22 opens this week in Marrakesh, recent news about solar power has been positive, with record-breaking tariffs reflecting the fast-declining price of solar electricity. But even solar plants can come with a heavy environmental footprint, writes Andreas Wade.

Climate & Environment 04-11-2016

Climate action after Paris: Tailwinds, headwinds and wild cards

As the Paris Climate Agreement enters into force, it is time to reflect on how the politics of climate change are evolving, writes Nick Mabey.

Climate & Environment 04-11-2016

Only strong international cooperation can protect the ocean and climate

As the COP22 Climate Conference gets into full flow in Marrakesh, Commissioner Karmenu Vella warns that global rules for the oceans have to be dragged into the 21st century.

Agriculture & Food 04-11-2016

Let’s ‘meat’ in the middle on climate change

The contribution of animal-source foods to global warming cannot be ignored. But encouraging everyone to become vegetarian or even vegan can’t be the silver bullet solution envisioned by some, argues Polly Ericksen.

Transport 03-11-2016

Vans: Falling through the cracks of Europe’s transport policy

Light commercial vehicles are increasingly being used as a means to dodge social legislation and taxes, writes Samuel Kenny.

Climate & Environment 31-10-2016

Carbon Capture and Storage - EU climate policy's gaping hole

Carbon Capture and Storage has suffered numerous setbacks in Europe, but its deployment is essential to keeping CO2 levels within manageable levels and to the attainment of the Paris climate goals, warns Chris Davies.

Climate & Environment 31-10-2016

COP21 goals: An alternative path to success

Managing carbon emissions by imposing a refundable excise duty on the extraction of fossil fuels rather than on their emissions is an alternative and much more advantageous solution to reaching the objectives of the COP21 Agreement, argue Jacques de Gerlache and Romain Ferrari.

Trade & Society 28-10-2016

Changing track on trade

A potential CETA trainwreck was narrowly avoided this week, but the chaos surrounding the EU-Canada trade deal has been long in the making and may not be over yet, warns Pieter de Pous.

Trade & Society 28-10-2016

The EU must learn from CETA shambles

After Wallonia finally agreed to not block CETA, Greenpeace’s Jorgo Riss argues that to start rebuilding its credibility, the EU must stop CETA because the deal cements the supremacy of trade above social, health and environmental concerns.

Climate & Environment 27-10-2016

Saving our wildlife requires radical policy change

Cute animals are social media stars. Facebook and Twitter are peppered with them. Beyond this fun factor though, animals rarely get the attention they deserve. Hopefully, this will change, writes Geneviève Pons, as WWF launches its Living Planet Report.

Energy 26-10-2016

Is Appliance-gate on the horizon?

Ahead of the annual review of Ecodesign and Labelling measures by the college of Commissioners, the executive was asked by political leaders and NGOs to unfreeze the Ecodesign and Labelling process, stalled for over a year, and to expand the scope of regulated products, Dr Yamina Saheb analyses the issue.

Climate & Environment 20-10-2016

Fighting climate change needs multi-dimensional capacity building

Capacity building is a concept that emerged in international development circles during the 1990s, in order to address the obstacles that inhibit people, governments and NGOs from realising their development goals, writes Dr Mike Cherrett.

Social Europe & Jobs 20-10-2016

Corporate accountability: Is the EU ready to listen?

The European Commission should start listening to its citizens and come out with concrete plans to enhance corporate accountability, at home and abroad, urge Jerome Chaplier, Urs Rybi and Sandra Cossart.

Energy 19-10-2016

The EU’s dangerous biomass delusion

Bioenergy advocates claim that Europe’s forests are well managed and don’t contribute to global warming. Yet, biomass production in Europe is projected to rely more and more on materials that have a high risk of increasing greenhouse gas emissions, writes Linde Zuidema.

Climate & Environment 18-10-2016

Europe must step up its game to reach Paris climate goals

Business as usual is not good enough anymore. For the EU to stay at the top of the class on climate action, it urgently needs to review its targets and boost its post-2020 efforts, writes Wendel Trio.

Climate & Environment 29-09-2016

A call on Vice-President Timmermans to free the Nature Directives

If the Commission wants to change its image as a shadowy lobbyist’s paradise, approving the Birds and Habitats Directives would show that the EU executive is in touch with its citizens, not in the pocket of powerful corporations, writes Ariel Brunner.