Emissions trading scheme
Von der Leyen’s French inspiration on climate protection
Ursula von der Leyen has great plans for environmental protection. Some of her ideas have long been propagated by France, but have been ignored by Germany so far. Can the new European Commission President change that? EURACTIV Germany reports.
Official EU petition calls for minimum carbon price
The European Commission registered an official petition on Wednesday (7 July) that calls on the EU executive to set up a minimum carbon price, “discourage the consumption of fossil fuels” and keep global warming to below 1.5 degrees.
Paying our way out of purgatory: Is carbon pricing enough?
After the Pope backed a carbon tax to stem global warming earlier this month, Louise Sunderland argues carbon taxes will be efficient and cost-effective enough only when coupled with a strategic use of the revenues.
France is a ‘good student with bad results’ when it comes to climate policy
France's independent advisory council on climate has highlighted the relevance of the country's carbon neutrality objective but considered it far from being a concrete reality as carbon emissions continue to be on the rise. EURACTIV France reports.
Researcher: Lowering electricity taxes is cheapest way of meeting EU climate goals
The energy transition will hit the poor hardest unless it's balanced by a shift in taxation, says Christian Egenhofer. The EU needs to acknowledge this and get started by lowering taxes on electricity to achieve the EU’s carbon reduction goals at least cost, he argues.
EU carbon market is having a hard time being effective
11,000 industrial sites subject to the so-called Quotas Directive are collectively reducing their emissions. However, this is not necessarily because of the European emissions trading scheme (EU ETS). EURACTIV's partner le Journal de l'Environnement reports.
Pope Francis calls for ‘radical energy transition’ to stem global warming
Pope Francis said on Friday (14 June) that carbon pricing is “essential” to stem global warming – his clearest statement yet in support of penalising polluters – and appealed to climate change deniers to listen to science.
Campaigners denounce France’s ‘double-speak’ on climate
Major long-term climate ambitions proposed in Brussels contrast with the French government's constant back-pedalling at the domestic level. This is demonstrated by the current debate surrounding France's energy and climate bill. EURACTIV France reports.
Four energy storage projects that could transform Europe
A demonstration plant in Germany that converts wind electricity into hydrogen is probably the most emblematic of a series of pilot projects that could radically transform Europe’s energy landscape in the coming decade.
Poland under pressure to ‘walk the talk’ on coal phase-out
Environmental activists are raising the pressure on Poland and other EU member states to clarify their coal phase-out plans, saying countries receiving EU energy transition funds cannot “have their cake and eat it”.
Bas Eickhout: EU carbon market needs alignment with 2050 goal
The next European Commission will have to reopen the Emissions Trading Scheme directive if it is serious about reaching carbon neutrality by 2050, argues Bas Eickhout, warning the next Commission chief will need to find a broader majority in the European Parliament than his predecessor.
Trade associations lag behind companies on climate action – report
More and more companies are transitioning to climate-friendly business practices. But a study by the British think tank InfluenceMap shows that trade associations representing them in Brussels are lagging behind. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Think tanks table key point plan for German climate cabinet
Two prominent think tanks in Germany presented a plan to help the country reach its EU climate targets for 2030. They serve as concrete proposals for Germany’s recently implemented climate cabinet, which is set to table its draft climate protection law by the summer. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Why we need more than just the EU carbon market to tackle industrial pollution
Latest data shows that the market-based solution alone is not enough to cut carbon pollution from heavy industry in line with the Paris Agreement goals. A new industrial policy mix is needed to ensure Europe is on a pathway to net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, writes Agnese Ruggiero.
BusinessEurope warms to Macron’s EU carbon tariff idea
Marking a departure from its existing policy, Europe’s biggest business lobby group said it was discussing a carbon tariff at the EU's border in order to restore a level playing field with countries like China or the US, which do not impose a pollution constraint on their industries.
Zero-emission EU industry ‘within reach’ but costly, study says
Bringing emissions from heavy industry down to net-zero by 2050 is possible but will require costly new production processes and a 25-60% increase in near-term capital investments to reach €40-50 billion per year, according to new research published on Thursday (25 April).
Commission to tease carbon tax and nuclear treaty overhaul
The European Commission will make the case later on Tuesday (9 April) for scrapping national vetoes on environmental tax changes and for finally updating the bloc’s venerable nuclear treaty, last amended in 1957.
The burden of coal at the doorstep of the Energy Union
At a time when the EU strives to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, coal still represents more than half of electricity across much of the Western Balkans and other EU neighbouring countries, writes Janez Kopač. Making things worse, coal plants are intensively supported by Chinese and US capital, without active opposition of the EU, he says.
EU bets on innovation to secure energy transition
Breakthrough climate-change-busting technologies are set to benefit from €10 billion in EU funding over the next decade, as the European Commission confirmed its punt on a major new innovation fund.
German ‘climate protection law’: Critics call for alternatives to sector objectives
Germany is at odds over the first draft of its national ‘climate protection law.’ Lessons learned from a similar French law show that one thing is important above all: agreeing on measures as quickly as possible. EURACTIV Germany reports.
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.
‘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.
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.