Energy & Environment
Poland’s multi-billion-euro clean air quest in peril
A €25 billion clean air programme launched by the Polish government is in danger of losing EU support. Warsaw has until Friday (21 June) to prove its commitment, according to a letter sent by the European Commission and seen by EURACTIV.
EU leaders to back carbon neutrality ‘by 2050’, come up short on final deal
The European Council is set to agree on Thursday (20 June) that the EU economy should be carbon neutral by 2050, according to the latest batch of draft conclusions. However, leaders will bide their time and hold off on finalising an agreement until "early 2020".
A question of legacy: EU must step up and lead on climate
As leaders of island states, every day our people are confronted with the harsh realities of climate change.
Austro-German road-charging debacle reignites pan-EU toll debate
After the EU Court of Justice ruled against Germany's plans to introduce a highway toll, the debate about an EU-wide motorway toll has once again been ignited. An analysis by Herbert Vytiska.
Powering today’s world with tomorrow in mind
Twelve years. According to the latest IPCC report, that’s how long we have left to make sure global warming doesn’t increase beyond 1.5C. Waiting any longer or allowing temperatures to rise above this limit risks “irreversible impacts.”
Europe’s youth want climate action. Elected leaders should give it to them
European voters have delivered a green mandate. It’s up to our governments to use it, writes Caio Koch-Weser.
Statistics are at the heart of achieving SDGs, says gender equality advocate
In an interview with EURACTIV France, Fatiha Hassouni, head of the gender equality unit of the intergovernmental organisation Union for the Mediterranean, spoke about statistics being a crucial tool for assessing sustainable development goals (SDGs), especially with regards to gender equality.
Climate Summit opens in Bonn as EU edges closer to carbon neutrality deal
A few days before the EU Summit, climate diplomats are gathering in Bonn to agree on rules for trading CO2 certificates and financial mechanisms designed to support developing countries, two agenda items from the Paris Agreement that remain unresolved. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Banks to include CO2 emission measures in shipping loan decisions
A group of leading banks will for the first time include efforts to cut carbon dioxide emissions in their decision making when providing shipping company loans, executives said on Tuesday (18 June). International shipping accounts for 2.2% of global carbon...OpinionPromoted content
Green new deal for housing will ease climate and social crises
The EU’s strategic agenda for the coming five years needs to prioritise investment in our buildings, if leaders hope to overcome the main challenges facing Europe today.
Only eight EU countries plan to phase out coal by 2030
The EU said Tuesday (18 June) that eight of its 28 member countries aim to phase out coal-powered electricity by 2030, triggering charges it is missing the mark under the Paris climate deal.
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.OpinionPromoted content
To enable Europe’s clean energy future, we need to buckle up and couple up
The theme for this year’s EU Sustainable Energy Week is ’Shaping Europe’s Energy Future’ - that future holds plenty of potential and must rest on further integration across sector and policies to ensure we optimize our energy systems for optimal performance and efficiency.
Europeans have chosen to protect the environment and EU leaders should listen
The European Council should take the result of the European elections seriously and ensure that the EU's goals and budget are future-oriented, with a particular emphasis on sustainability and environment, write Dr Raphael Weyland and Konstantin Kreiser.
Funding a just energy transition in Europe
As negotiations on the EU's next long-term budget continue, EU countries are jockeying for funding opportunities to assist them in the transition to clean energy. A number of schemes are being envisaged to ensure the transition leaves no-one behind as industrial sectors such as coal and automotive face closures or deep restructuring.
Climate cash cow: Where EU countries can get their funding
Europe’s green ambitions will largely hinge on being able to finance a transition away from polluting energy sources. But where will the money actually come from?
Slumped economic growth will mean oil oversupply next year, IEA says
Slower oil demand growth in 2019 is expected to lead to a glut of oil next year, which could have significant impacts on energy prices in Europe.
Is Madrid really about to kill Europe’s most successful clean air zone?
Madrid’s clean air zone could be axed by the city’s new mayor, despite the reported benefits. Jens Müller urges the new leadership to take a look at the hard facts.
Erdogan says drilling off Cyprus to continue despite warning
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sunday (16 June) said Turkey would not back down from gas exploration in Cyprus after southern European leaders urged Ankara to stop.
18 EU countries now support 2050 carbon neutrality goal
Germany, Greece, Italy and Slovenia have added their names to a growing list of EU countries supporting a carbon neutrality objective for 2050, increasing the chances that a deal will be struck at an EU summit later this week, according to documents seen by EURACTIV.
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.
Natural gas: Part of the problem or the solution?
When the G20 Energy Ministers meet in Japan, they will stick to the old mantra that gas is a bridge fuel and is needed for the energy transition. This is not good news for the climate, writes Luca Bergamaschi.