Frédéric Simon
EU clarifies fossil fuel stance: ‘No lock-in into natural gas’
When European Union leaders signed off on a pledge to reach “climate neutrality” by 2050, they also eventually rang the death knell of the natural gas industry as we know it.
EU to name and shame climate plan laggards ‘in the coming days’
Just over half of European Union countries have submitted their final national energy and climate plans (NECPs) to the European Commission by the 1 January deadline, a senior official has said, warning that the EU executive will soon publish the full list of countries online.
‘Jury is still out’ on EU’s carbon border tax, Hogan says
The European Commission will not reveal its approach on the EU’s proposed carbon border tax until late 2020 or early 2021, when it concludes a detailed feasibility analysis, said Phil Hogan, the EU’s trade commissioner.
Billions to be wasted on ‘unnecessary’ gas projects, study says
Europe does not need new gas infrastructure to safeguard security of supply, according to a new study by industry consultants Artelys, which warns that there is a risk of €29 billion being wasted on 32 mostly “unnecessary” gas projects.
Oil and gas sector ‘losing its social licence to operate’, UK boss warns
Tim Eggar, chairman of the UK's Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), sent shockwaves through the industry on Wednesday (15 January) when he said growing public awareness about climate change was putting the sector's very survival at stake.
EU plans ditching carbon cost refund for seven industrial sectors
The European Commission has proposed removing mining activities and fertiliser manufacturing from a list of heavy industries eligible for state aid, arguing EU climate policies no longer puts them at risk of relocating production outside Europe.
EU to unveil trillion-euro ‘Green Deal’ financial plan
The European Commission will propose on Tuesday (14 January) how the EU can pay for shifting the region's economy to net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050 while protecting coal-dependent regions from taking the brunt of changes aimed at fighting climate change.
Massive rise in EV charging points needed to reach EU climate goals, analysis finds
Europe needs fifteen times more electric vehicle public charging points by 2030 to support the EU’s goal of becoming “climate neutral” by mid-century, according to new research published today (8 January).
EU plans ‘big increase’ in green gas to meet climate goals
Production of biogas, biomethane and “green” hydrogen will have to skyrocket by at least 1,000% over the next three decades in order to reach the EU’s climate neutrality objective for 2050, an EU official has said.
2020: A test year for Europe’s much-vaunted Green Deal
Ursula von der Leyen, the new president of the European Commission, surprised even environmentalists when she announced she would make climate policy the “hallmark” of her five-year mandate. Now comes the hard part: the delivery.
As wind and solar power rise, EU seeks more grid ‘flexibility’
An integrated electricity market, with more grid interconnections and storage solutions “of all types” are at the centre of EU plans to build a more resilient electricity system able to deal with growing shares of variable wind and solar power.
Athens claims advantage over Poland on Just Transition Mechanism
The Greek government plans to take advantage of Poland staying away from the new Green Deal to push forward its own priorities since the very start of the talks about the Just Transition Fund, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has said.
EU seals deal on green finance in breakthrough for climate goals
Lawmakers in the European Parliament have approved a compromise on the EU’s proposed sustainable finance rulebook, ending a bitter fight with EU member states on whether to recognise nuclear power as “green”.
EU ‘confident’ €100bn green transition fund will see the light
A draft €100-billion “Just Transition Mechanism” outlined by the European Commission as part of its Green Deal last week will eventually see the light in January, EU officials have said. The amount of “fresh money” under the new fund is however expected to be limited.
No EU funds for Poland if climate goals aren’t agreed, Macron warns
Poland would not be eligible for funds available under the European Green Deal if it does not sign up to the EU’s climate objectives, French President Emmanuel Macron warned at the closure of an EU summit on Friday (13 December).
UK’s Brexit election explained: ‘There will be one less pro-climate vote in the EU’
With Germany’s dwindling leadership on climate, Britain’s departure from the European Union could have “potentially huge” consequences for climate policy, says Sandrine Dixson-Declève.
The Brief, powered by BP – A green bridge over the EU’s East-West divide?
A grand bargain is on the table to persuade Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic to sign up to the EU’s 2050 climate neutrality goal. It’s an offer they would be foolish to refuse. Here’s why.
France, UK block green finance deal in setback for climate goals
Led by France and Britain, EU states yesterday (11 December) blocked a set of new rules governing which financial products can be called "green" and "sustainable", fearing it would prevent investments in nuclear and gas projects.
EU Commission unveils ‘European Green Deal’: The key points
The European Commission unveiled its hallmark European Green Deal on Wednesday (11 October), outlining a long list of policy initiatives aimed at putting Europe on track to reach net-zero emissions, and a pollution-free environment, by 2050.
Europe’s solar PV sector reports 104% growth in 2019
With a growth rate of 104%, Europe’s solar photovoltaic industry is experiencing a “boom in installations,” according to statistics published on Tuesday (10 December) by SolarPower Europe, an industry association.
Worries over ‘fresh money’ as EU cooks up energy transition fund
Eastern EU countries, backed by trade unions, are putting pressure on EU leaders to come up with “fresh money” to support the energy transition in coal-dependent regions as part of a Green Deal due to be unveiled this week.
‘Do no harm’: Nuclear squeezed out of EU green finance scheme
European Greens claimed victory on Thursday (5 December) after EU negotiators reached agreement on a green finance taxonomy aimed at channelling billions of private investor’s money into clean technologies. Coal, and – in principle – nuclear power, are out.
Revolt brewing against EU’s ‘unrealistic’ climate goals
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has threatened to veto Europe’s goal of becoming the first climate neutral continent in the world by 2050, adding his voice to a growing chorus of discontent as EU leaders prepare for heated climate discussions at a summit in Brussels next week.