European Green Deal
A carbon border tax on fertilisers? Think twice, EU told
The fertiliser industry is increasingly cited as an ideal testing ground for the EU’s upcoming carbon border levy, due to be tabled in June. But industry figures warn this risks causing an increase in food prices that could trigger social unrest.
Hungary brings coal exit forward by five years, to 2025
The country’s last coal power plant will be shut down in 2025 instead of 2030, Hungary’s secretary of state for EU affairs announced earlier this week.
The New Bauhaus: culture as a path to a better Europe
The New European Bauhaus initiative aims to use the creativity of Europe to meet the European Green Deal targets. It encourages us to think outside of the box for a better Europe, write Mariya Gabriel and Domènec Ruiz Devesa.
Portugal seeking ‘clarification’ on environmental standards before EU-Mercosur trade deal
The Portuguese Foreign Minister has said that the Portuguese presidency of the Council of the European Union is working with Mercosur countries on "additional clarification" on environmental standards in the trade agreement negotiated with the EU.
Not quite over yet: EIB spent €890 million on fossil gas since phase out, activists say
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has invested €890 million in gas projects since it pledged to phase out investments into fossil fuels by 2022, contradicting the bank’s "gas is over" narrative, activists say.
Unlocking electrification through rebalancing levies and taxes
The EU needs to look at rebalancing taxes and levies on electricity to match falls in its carbon intensity and incentivise people to transition to more environmentally friendly energy, writes Jan Rosenow.
What next for ocean energies in Europe?
The European Commission’s offshore energy strategy, presented in November, set the bar high for tidal and wave power, aiming for a total installed capacity of 1 GW by 2030 and 40 GW by 2050. The industry is now rolling up its sleeves to try and deliver on that promise.
Renewable industry coalition launches ‘policy charter’ to scale up green hydrogen
The renewable hydrogen coalition has launched its policy charter, showing the steps needed to boost green hydrogen in Europe and give the continent an edge in the race for sustainable energy.
Fertiliser industry execs: ‘We see ammonia as a battery for hydrogen’
Ammonia has until now been used chiefly in the fertiliser industry as a way to return nitrogen to the soil. But it also has potential in boosting renewables – both as a replacement for hydrogen in long haul shipping and as a way of storing and transporting hydrogen.
Brussels opens in-depth investigation into Germany’s coal phase-out plan
The European Commission has expressed doubts about a planned €4.35 billion compensation scheme for German energy companies, agreed as part of the country’s plan to phase out coal by 2038, saying the sums involved are “likely to constitute state aid” under EU law.
‘New economic model’ needed to deal with climate change, EU presidency says
Europe's current economic model "has no future" and does not respond to "major environmental challenges", Portugal's prime minister António Costa said on Friday, calling for the adoption of new models such as the circular economy and sustainable bioeconomy.
Climate pledges for 2030 put world far off 1.5C goal, UN warns
Updated plans to reduce emissions, submitted so far by about 75 nations ahead of November's COP26 summit, barely make a dent in the huge cuts needed to meet global climate goals, the UN climate chief said on Friday (26 February), calling for redoubled efforts.
Soft drinks industry aims for 100% recycled or renewable plastic by 2030
European soft drink makers unveiled their new vision for 2030 on Monday (22 February), announcing plans to reach 100% recycled or renewable materials in plastic bottles by the end of the decade.
EU unveils data-driven climate adaptation strategy, drawing green criticism
More and better data is needed to improve knowledge of how to adapt to climate change, according to the European Commission's new adaptation strategy, which immediately came under fire from green activists for missing binding targets.
Wind provided 16% of EU electricity in 2020, despite COVID delays
Wind energy provided 16.4% of EU and UK power in 2020, bringing the industry closer to its objective of producing 50% of the bloc's total electricity by 2050. But permitting issues, lockdowns and changing regulations threaten to slow down further deployment, the industry warns.
Global gas firms target industrial ‘clusters’ for first hydrogen clients
Gas companies in Europe and America are looking at using the existing gas network to serve industrial “clusters” of hydrogen users in sectors like chemicals, cement and steelmaking, adopting a “phased approach” endorsed by the European Commission.
The EU adaptation strategy is everybody’s cup of coffee
The EU Adaptation Strategy presents not only priorities for action, but a vision of how adaptation to climate change should take place, writes Richard J. T. Klein.
NGOs call for stricter reporting requirements for European companies
By the end of March, the European Commission wants to present a revised version of the so-called non-financial reporting directive (NFRD). A coalition of European NGOs is calling for greater transparency and stricter reporting requirements for companies in sustainability matters. EURACTIV Germany reports.
EU countries back green building renovations, but quiet on binding standards
European Union countries will rally behind the bloc's plan to massively expand building renovations to cut emissions, according to a draft document, but it did not explicitly endorse using legally-binding energy performance standards to do it.
EU advisors and Poland’s PGE increase pressure over gas in green finance rules
The European Commission came under new pressure on Monday (22 February) from Poland's biggest power producer, PGE, and its own advisors, over whether to include gas power in EU rules on sustainable finance.
Plugging into the Green Deal: Europe needs charging infrastructure
It is vital to ensure that electrified vehicles have access to a sufficiently developed network of charging and re-fuelling infrastructure. This requires a pan-European effort with binding and measurable targets, writes Oliver Zipse.
Europe’s adaptation strategy to tackle human cost of climate change
The EU's climate adaptation strategy, due to be unveiled on Wednesday (24 February), will aim to tackle the human cost of climate change, both within Europe and around the world, amid calls from trade unions to reinforce protection for the most exposed workers.
Why the Commission is getting it wrong on climate number-crunching
The European Commission's cost-benefit analysis for its upcoming 'Fit for 55' package of green laws for 2030 is outdated, assuming an eye-watering 10% cost of capital for climate action, writes Brook Riley.
A new, climate-innovation led industrial strategy for Europe
Europe is an undisputed global leader in clean technologies like offshore wind. But to ensure European companies and workers can compete in a global economy that will be increasingly fuelled by climate innovations, much more needs to be done, argue Peter Sweatman and Thomas Pellerin-Carlin.