Energy & Environment

EU agrees $60 Russian oil price cap after Poland backs deal

EU member states agreed on Friday (3 December) on a $60 per barrel price cap on Russian seaborne crude oil, after holdout Poland dropped its objections, paving the way for formal approval over the weekend. EU ambassadors had wrangled for...

LEAK: Long-awaited EU rules on renewable hydrogen expected 15 Dec

The rules that will govern the requirements for hydrogen to be certified as renewable, so-called additionality rules, are expected to be unveiled on 15 December by the EU-executive, which may leave little time for consultation.

MEPs question fisheries Commissioner’s commitment to fisheries

Lawmakers of the majority groups in the European Parliament lambasted EU fisheries Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius for prioritising environmental protection to detriment of the economic and social sustainability of the fisheries sector.

Analysis: Europe wary of Turkish hub to hide gas ‘made in Moscow’

Putin's plan to make Turkey a hub for Russian gas in theory could allow Moscow to mask its exports with fuel from other sources, but that might not be enough to persuade Europeans to buy, analysts and sources said.

German strategy paper targets China trade dependence

Germany's economy ministry recommends excluding using components from providers from authoritarian states in critical infrastructure and imposing stricter requirements for firms doing business with China in a strategy paper seen by Reuters.

EU tentatively agrees $60 price cap on Russian seaborne oil

European Union governments tentatively agreed on Thursday (1 December) on a $60 a barrel price cap on Russian seaborne oil – an idea of the Group of Seven (G7) nations – with an adjustment mechanism to keep the cap at 5% below the market price, according to diplomats.

Tesla hoping its electric Semi will be heavy-duty ‘game changer’

US automaker Tesla on Thursday (1 December) delivered its first battery-powered heavy duty truck, dubbed "Semi," and built to tackle long hauls with the handling of a sporty sedan.

Italy approves decree to place Lukoil refinery under trusteeship

Italy's government on Thursday (1 December) laid down a scheme to place a refinery owned by Lukoil in the hands of trustees in an effort to avoid it being shut down because of a looming embargo on Russian seaborne oil.

No electricity price increase in 2023 for Slovak households

While heat and gas prices will increase by approximately 15%, electricity prices will not change, the Slovakian government announced Thursday (1 December).

New EU supply chain law makes waves in Austria

The EU’s due diligence law is causing discontent among Austrian industry associations and conservative politicians, prompting Vienna to abstain from voting on Thursday (1 December), provoking strong reactions from social and green activists.

Biden, Macron vow unity on Ukraine and move to end subsidy tensions

Joe Biden on Thursday (1 December) used the first state visit of his presidency to demonstrate unity with France's Emmanuel Macron on Ukraine, show willingness to speak to Russia's Vladimir Putin and assuage European anger over US subsidies.

German parliament ratifies CETA, urges other countries to follow suit

The Bundestag has officially ratified the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which has been under provisional application since 2017.

EU ministers exclude finance from due diligence law in victory for France

After a flurry of last-minute negotiations among member states, EU ministers agreed on a common negotiating position for the due diligence law on Thursday (1 December).

Clean Tech Europe, the EU’s answer to the Inflation Reduction Act?

Ahead of EU-US consultations, Single Market Commissioner Thierry Breton has launched a platform to take stock of the challenges facing Europe’s clean tech industry. Far from concrete, it promises neither funding nor legislation.

EU Global Health Strategy lacks ambition on climate change, says expert

Giving climate change a more clear role in the EU Global Health Strategy is necessary to plan for future health threats, Alan Dangour, director of climate and health at the Wellcome Trust said.

Gas crisis driving heat pump boom in Europe, IEA says

Global heat pump sales surged by nearly 15% last year, led by the European Union where energy security concerns caused by Russia’s war in Ukraine are driving demand even further this year, according to a new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA).

France’s EDF in the running to build new Czech nuclear plant

France's EDF, South Korea's KHNP, and US-Canadian group Westinghouse Electric have made initial bids to build a new unit at the Czech Republic's Dukovany nuclear power plant, Czech utility ČEZ said on Wednesday (30 November).

Call to phase out ‘forever chemicals’ gains investor momentum

Investors managing $8 trillion in assets have written to the world's biggest chemicals companies urging them to phase out the use of so-called forever chemicals that can accumulate in the environment and remain hazardous for generations.

Italian government tries to remedy hydrogeological instability following tragedy

After eight people lost their lives in a landslide that destroyed a village on the island of Ischia, the government is announcing major measures to remedy hydrogeological instability.

Dutch confident about reaching 2023 gas storage targets

The Netherlands is confident that it can reach national gas storage targets set by the European Commission to ensure the security of supply next winter.

EU packaging law proposal branded ‘unworkable’ by food industry

A new EU packaging law proposal has sparked major concerns among the EU food industry, who warn it is unworkable for food business operators - but NGOs slammed heavy industry lobbying for watering down the proposal.

EU Commission wants farmers, landowners to lead carbon removal push

With a newly proposed regulation, the European Commission aims to set EU-wide standards for certifying the removal of carbon from the atmosphere, including so-called carbon farming measures. But critics warn the text leaves important gaps.

Brussels tables new reuse and recycling targets to slash packaging waste

The European Commission on Wednesday (30 November) tabled proposals to tackle rising amounts of packaging waste in the EU by introducing new targets for reuse and recycling.

EU carbon market reform ‘progressing at snail’s pace’ ahead of final talks

Negotiations to reform the EU's Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), which prices CO2 pollution from the power sector and industry, are currently stuck ahead of a final round of talks scheduled on 16 December.