Climate change
French students starting to mobilise against climate inaction
In Paris, it is French students rather than secondary school pupils who are mobilising for the youth climate march, a movement which is slowly gaining momentum in France. EURACTIV France reports.
EU in fresh diplomatic push to ‘raise global ambition’ on climate change
A special UN summit scheduled in New York next September will provide “an essential opportunity to mobilise political will to raise global ambition” on climate change, according to a draft EU statement due to be adopted on Monday (18 February).
Gas must be ‘completely’ decarbonised by 2050, says UK think-tank
Britain must entirely get rid of fossil-based natural gas in the coming three decades if the country is to meet its long-term decarbonisation objectives, according to a think-tank close to the ruling Conservative party.
New treaty bans commercial fishing in the Arctic for 16 years
The European Union and nine other countries, including the US and Russia, approved an international agreement on Thursday (14 February) that will prohibit commercial vessels from fishing in the Arctic in order to preserve the region's fragile ecosystem.
Renewable energy will be world’s main power source by 2040, says BP
Renewable energies will be the world’s main source of power within two decades and are establishing a foothold in the global energy system faster than any fuel in history, according to BP. The UK-based oil company said wind, solar and other...
EU renewables on the up, but 2020 target looms large
Renewable energy use in Europe is still increasing, although a slowdown in overall development has also continued. According to new data, the EU got 17.5% of its energy from renewable sources in 2017, marking a slight increase from 2016.
Logistics expert: Deep transport emissions reductions possible, urgently needed
Transport is widely accepted as a very difficult sector to decarbonise but one of the leading experts on all things freight and transport explained to EURACTIV.com how and why it needs to be done.
Europe agrees sales targets for ‘clean’ buses in cities
European Union lawmakers struck an agreement on Monday (11 February) on green public procurement rules for new buses requiring that local authorities purchase a minimum share of clean vehicles running on gas or electricity by 2025 and 2030.
Four things the EU should do to strengthen climate action before this mandate ends
EU institutions still have time for a series of concrete actions to strengthen climate policy before their mandate ends and get their successors off to a flying start, write Sanjeev Kumar and Edward Robinson.
Playing the emissions counting game
Every country in the world has to count its emissions so that global commitments to fight climate change can be kept. Now efforts are underway to ensure that this particular brand of accountancy is as accurate and effective as it can be.
Trusting the accountant: How emissions reporting is set to change
Climate targets can only function if countries, cities and companies report their emissions accurately. A new project hopes to show how reporting should be done, but building trust looks set to play a huge part in overcoming the challenge.
Aviation risks undercutting EU’s new renewables rules
The ink is barely dry on the EU’s revised renewable energy policy and already it is under threat from the aviation sector, warn Jori Sihvonen and Andrew Murphy.
Cañete sees gas as ‘a bridge’ to reach EU’s clean energy goals
Natural gas will remain “an important component” of the EU’s energy mix for decades to come, but its role will evolve by the mid-century to become a “complement” to wind and solar power, the EU’s energy chief has said in comments that has ruffled feathers in the industry.
Energy consumption continues to rise in Europe: Eurostat
Energy consumption in Europe rose for the third consecutive year in 2017, pulling the EU further away from its 2020 energy efficiency objective, according to official figures published on Thursday (7 February).
Carbon-capture ‘feasibility’ splits MEPs in 2050 planning
EU lawmakers are divided over how much the bloc’s climate planning should rely on carbon removal technologies, after a draft appraisal of the European Commission’s 2050 strategy questioned their “feasibility”.
‘It’s complicated’: EU offers political backing but no funding for CCS
The European Commission has backed carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a one of the seven key technologies to enable deep decarbonisation of Europe’s economy by mid-century. But it’s still tangled in bureaucracy when it comes to funding.
‘Blistering barnacles’ and shipping’s big gas question
Natural gas alone will not help shipping cut greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new study, which means that alternative fuels and even barnacle-resistant paint will be needed to meet ambitious climate targets.
Germany’s coal phase out plans must accelerate to meet Paris goals
Germany needs to phase out coal-fired power by 2030 in order to maximise the economic and social benefits of the zero-carbon transition, and deliver its commitment as part of the Paris Agreement, writes Nigel Topping.
UNEP chief: EU should aim for 55% CO2 reduction by 2030
The European Union needs to revise its 2030 CO2 reduction target from 40% to 55% if it wants to meet the 1.5°C global warming objective of the Paris Agreement, says Joyce Msuya.
Scientists tell Belgian school kids on climate strike: ‘You’re right!’
A group of more than 3,000 scientists have given their backing to thousands of Belgian school children who took to the streets for the fourth week in a row on Thursday (30 January) to ask for more ambitious climate policies.
Big fat Greek lignite sale burns EU climate policies
While other EU countries, such as Germany, announce plans for coal phase-out within the next 20 years in compliance with their Paris Agreement commitments, Greece’s future appears locked in carbon for decades to come, write Demetres Karavellas and Nikos Charalambides.
European Parliament votes for much greener cohesion policy
The European Parliament’s committee on regional development has voted on Cohesion policy regulation, and there is the clear intention of making Cohesion much greener from 2020. For the first time, there is also to be a ban on providing support for fossil fuels. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Cañete: ‘No way around it’, climate neutral EU is needed
EU climate Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete is in no doubt that the EU has to achieve ‘climate neutrality’ by 2050 and wants to use his final months in the job to push the bloc towards Paris Agreement-compliance.
