Climate change

EU’s Simson calls for ‘gearshift’ in nuclear power investments

The EU's energy commissioner, Kadri Simson, called for a "gearshift on investments" in nuclear power in order to extend the lifetime of existing power plants and maintain current production levels until 2050. EURACTIV France reports.

Portugal exceeds limits for all environmental categories, study finds

Portugal has exceeded pollution limits in all environmental categories like greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, according to a study released on Wednesday (1 December), which said future generations will have to emit half the amount of its predecessors.

Europe’s climate legislation must work for citizens, says Spanish lawmaker

Europe's new climate legislation needs to help citizens transition to renewable energy while protecting them from price shocks caused by volatile fossil fuel prices, according to Nicolás González Casares, a Spanish lawmaker for the Socialists and Democrats.

Europe’s emissions rose nearly a fifth as economy bounced back

Greenhouse gas emissions from EU countries jumped by 18% last spring, according to data from Eurostat, Europe's statistics office, as economic sectors recovered from pandemic shutdowns and released climate-damaging gases into the atmosphere.

INFOGRAPHIC: After COP26, world is still on track for drastic global warming

As the dust settles on the COP26 climate summit, many are left wondering whether the fanfare of pledges made in Glasgow will make any tangible difference to global warming.

LEAK: EU strategy seeks to remove carbon from atmosphere

The European Commission will reward green farming practices like afforestation and soil conservation while putting rules to identify activities that “unambiguously remove carbon from the atmosphere” under draft proposals seen by EURACTIV.

Down in a hole: Bosnia miners fear green revolution

For years, life in Bosnia's Breza revolved around its coal mine, but the global shift from fossil fuels to renewables threatens the industry that was once the pride of communist Yugoslavia.

Austria ready to sue EU over nuclear’s inclusion in green finance taxonomy

Austria’s energy and climate minister Leonore Gewessler told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview that her country was ready to go to court if the EU decides to include nuclear power into the bloc's taxonomy on sustainable finance.

Europe proposes mandatory due diligence to stop deforestation in supply chains

The European Commission tabled its plan on Wednesday (17 November) to introduce mandatory due diligence for products sold on the EU market to make sure they are not linked to deforestation or forest degradation.

Green MEP: ‘Climate adaptation and loss & damage will be the key fight at COP27’

Although the recent COP26 conference in Glasgow made progress on climate ambition, there is still a lot of work left to do to limit global warming to 1.5°C and prevent runaway climate change, according to Green MEP Bas Eickhout.

The new European Bauhaus: Bringing the Green Deal into our living spaces

The New European Bauhaus launched by the European Commission last year will see scientists, designers, architects, engineers, and students exchange ideas this week on green projects that will help put Europe on a path to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, writes Florika Fink-Hooijer.

‘A step in the right direction’: EU reacts to COP26 deal

The United Nations target of containing global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius “remains within reach, but the work is far from done,” said Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission.

UN climate agreement clinched after late drama over coal

UN climate talks ended Saturday (13 November) with a deal that for the first time targeted fossil fuels as the key driver of global warming, even as coal-reliant countries lobbed last-minute objections.

Comparing the EU’s ‘Fit for 55’ roadmap and the IEA’s net-zero scenario

While the International Energy Agency (IEA) advocates an aggressive implementation of carbon pricing mechanisms across the globe, it focuses less on affordability and social implications than the European Commission's 'Fit for 55' climate roadmap, writes Ivan Pavlovic.

Pressure mounts as UN climate negotiations enter final day

Negotiators at the UN climate summit in Glasgow are expected to lock horns on Friday (12 November) for what is scheduled to be the final day of bargaining over how to stop global warming from becoming catastrophic.

Raising climate finance alone is not enough – it must also target disaster prevention

For a growing number of populations around the world, facing a future of more frequent and extreme disasters will only be possible if more funding is channelled towards adaptation and disaster risk reduction, writes Mami Mizutori.

China, US announce deal to accelerate climate action this decade

China and the US have announced a deal to strengthen their cooperation on climate action and accelerate emissions cuts this decade, in a boost to the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, UK. EURACTIV's media partner Climate Home News reports.

German climate policy needs international scope to succeed, says economic expert council

Germany should put more emphasis on international cooperation in the fight against climate change, the country's Council of Economic Experts said in its annual report, Clean Energy Wire (CLEW) reports.

Challenge of greening agri-food system is ‘absolutely massive’, industry says

As world nations gather in Glasgow for the COP26 climate summit, efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of the food and drink industry – a vital sector of the economy – are a central part of the conversation.

COP26 draft calls for tougher emissions pledges by next year

A draft of the COP26 negotiation outcome published overnight urges countries to strengthen their 2030 greenhouse gas emissions targets by the end of next year in a recognition of the yawning gap between current pledges and the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement.

The Brief – Planning to fail

Failure to plan means you are planning to fail, the old saying goes. By all accounts, the UK’s shambolic hosting of the COP26 summit has been a masterclass in failing to plan.

Borrell meets Brazil’s Bolsonaro, welcomes pledge to end deforestation

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's government has shown new commitment to ending illegal deforestation in the Amazon and is aware it is a hurdle to improved ties with Europe, DEU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said on Thursday (4 November).

COP26 pledges could limit warming to 1.8C, says energy agency boss

Fatih Birol says ‘big step forward’ is possible only if all commitments are implemented in full. EURACTIV's media partner, The Guardian, reports.