Energy & Environment
Space experts: Cheaper ‘real-time data’ needed for earth monitoring services
Satellites can help track things like extreme weather, forest stocks and methane emissions, but more and cheaper "near real-time data" is needed for next generation applications to emerge, say Miguel Bello and Ricardo Conde.
EU chance for ‘Brussels moment’ on human rights reporting, says leading lawmaker
The European Commission is set to propose legislation making it compulsory for companies to ensure that their supply chains are free of human rights and environmental abuse and corruption. And the direction of the debate among national and EU lawmakers, and among companies, is only going one way, says MEP Heidi Hautala.
EU official: Road digitalisation will lead to safer and greener highways
EU funding is supporting member states to integrate digital technology into European highways, making travelling by road smarter. Intelligent Transport Systems have the potential to increase road safety and efficiency, cutting emissions and potentially saving lives, says Pieropaolo Tona.
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.
Polish climate minister: ‘It is critical that EU legislation on hydrogen is colour-blind’
Poland has welcomed the inclusion of hydrogen infrastructure in the European Commission’s recast regulation for cross-border energy networks. “It is critical for our region that this legislation is colour-blind and does not discriminate between different ‘types’ of hydrogen,” says Michał Kurtyka.
Sustainability should be ‘underlying principle‘ of digital policy: German minister
Digital innovations should be used as a tool for environmental protection and climate action, but we must act now, Germany's minister for the environment, Svenja Schulze, told EURACTIV in an interview.
Sinkevicius: ‘There can be no return to business as usual’ after the pandemic
There can be no return to business as usual after the pandemic and no amount of economic pressure should force us to compromise on people’s health and the health of our planet, Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius said in an interview.
MEP Canfin: EU’s carbon border adjustment mechanism ‘is not a tax’
The European Union’s future carbon border adjustment mechanism must mirror the EU’s own carbon market price and structure in order to be compatible with WTO rules, says Pascal Canfin.
Everyone should respect the environment, says PSG keeper Criscione
In an exclusive interview with EURACTIV France, Arianna Criscione, goalkeeper and women's sponsorship manager at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), talks about her green commitments.
French climate expert: We’ve made much progress in implementing Paris Agreement
In an exclusive interview with EURACTIV France, Paul Watkinson, president of the UN Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice at COP24 and COP25, discussed why the 'rulebook' on implementing the Paris Climate Agreement still has not been ratified.
Jan Huitema MEP: EU must tackle price gap between secondary and virgin plastics
Jan Huitema, who is in charge of guiding the circular economy strategy through the European Parliament, says his report will include requirements for products to contain a minimum amount of recycled material.
TAP pipeline meets 12% of Italy’s gas demand
Before the Trans-Adriatic pipeline (TAP) was built, Italian businesses were paying a higher price for energy compared to their European peers, said Vugar Veysalov, head of external affairs at TAP. The new pipeline, which will also supply Greece and Bulgaria, will bring greater flexibility of prices, he told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.
Dutch MEP: We have to close the gap between rural and urban areas
Innovation in agriculture and beyond is vital to close the widening gap that leads to polarisation and tension between rural and urban areas, says Jan Huitema MEP. Rural development plans must be made with the local community and not just in Brussels offices, he argues.
Sinkevicius: Batteries are essential to Green Deal ambitions
The European Union has ambitious plans to corner a significant chunk of the global battery market but how does a new strategy aimed at regulating chemicals management affect those objectives? Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius shared his views.
MEP Canfin: EU countries must face sanctions for non-compliance with climate goals
As negotiations on the EU's proposed climate law enter the home straight, Pascal Canfin highlights the European Parliament's red lines in talks with EU member states.
Airline exec: EU should incentivise production of green fuels
Airlines are at the forefront of changes made to the way the aviation industry does business. When it comes to what to fuel aircraft with, carriers are increasingly turning to greener options. EURACTIV spoke to an airline executive about that fuel shift.
Renewable energy opportunity for EU-China development cooperation
Cooperation in the renewable energy sector, such as hydropower, wind power and photovoltaic, between China and countries along the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) or third countries has significantly grown in recent years. A senior scientist suggests an EU-China partnership could benefit all involved.
IRENA chief: EU geothermal capacity could grow eight-fold by 2050
Geothermal is competitive with wind and solar technologies and can work together with them to create a reliable supply of renewable energy, according to Francesco La Camera, who sees geothermal capacity as growing up to eight-fold in the EU by mid-century.
Recycler: Simpler EU laws would help recycle e-waste plastics
Around half of e-waste plastics are not recycled in Europe but rather shipped abroad where they often end up being dumped or burnt. Simpler laws on recycling in Europe would help keep those materials at home and recycle them, argues Chris Slijkhuis.
Busoi MEP: ‘A total ban on HFCs would not be realistic’
As long as greener alternatives to hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants are not available at a competitive price, they should not be banned, says Cristian Bușoi.
EU aviation blending mandate needed to green flights, says MEP
Futuristic flight technologies like battery-power and hydrogen are on the radar but sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) are an already-available option that should be utilised more, MEP Elsi Katainen told EURACTIV.
Official: EU taking first steps to bring forestry into carbon market
The first step to bring forestry under the EU’s emissions trading scheme is to ensure that every tonne of carbon dioxide in the forest is counted so that a certification system for carbon removals can be put in place, Artur Runge-Metzger told EURACTIV.
EU’s Sefcovic: Europe must be ‘much more strategic’ on raw materials
The European Union “cannot achieve” climate neutrality without critical raw materials like lithium and rare earths, says Commission vice-president Maroš Šefčovič. It now needs to be “much more strategic” in relations with supplier countries in order to ensure the bloc's “strategic autonomy,” he argues.