Energy & Environment
Rural innovation
Rural areas in Europe face particular challenges: lower median income than big cities, lack of social and cultural life, lack of internet infrastructure, and depopulation. By mid-2021, the European Commission wants to articulate a new long-term vision for rural areas, saying they have a special role to play in the transition to a green and sustainable Europe.
Plastic waste management
The European Commission launched a circular plastics alliance in 2018, with an initial pledge of reaching 10 million tonnes of recycled plastics used in products by 2025. Can the industry rise to the challenge?
Recycling of e-waste plastics
Electric and electronic scrap represents a growing share of plastic waste, but most of it is currently not recycled because of inappropriate collection schemes and difficulties in dealing with the harmful chemical substances they may contain.
The EU’s carbon border adjustment mechanism
When she took office in December last year, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced ambitious new climate goals for Europe and a new border levy aimed at ensuring fair competition with countries that do not impose a carbon...
Fluorinated gases
F-gases, a family of refrigerants commonly used in fridges and air conditioners, are being phased out in order to prevent global warming from spinning out of control. But efforts to gradually ban the refrigerant have also created a thriving black market, which the European Union is struggling to contain.
Forests and climate change
With its 2030 climate plan last month, the European Commission has put the spotlight on forests as Europe's main "carbon sink," saying their ability to store carbon dioxide must be preserved in order to reach the bloc's climate goals.
Preserving biodiversity in Europe: Is sustainability the answer?
While most of the world is focusing on climate change and the steps needed to curb it, another critical environmental aspect - that of biodiversity - is failing to get the attention it deserves.
Nonwovens target more sustainable future
The nonwovens sector is planning to inject more sustainability into its mix, with issues like new EU rules, a greater focus on recycling and the coronavirus pandemic all set to influence the future of the industry.
Critical raw materials
The European Commission has launched a fresh attempt at securing access to minerals like lithium and rare earth elements, saying those will be critical to underpin Europe's growth in digital and green industries.
Navigating the road ahead for battery tech
Europe's climate agenda and willingness to tag its virus-recovery efforts to green objectives mean that electric-battery technology is due for a great decade.
Energy efficiency services
With the EU's building renovation wave coming soon to your local town hall, has the time finally arrived for the energy services industry? In this special report, EURACTIV gives an overview of the challenges and opportunities facing the sector.
Circular economy in Spanish agri-food sector
The Spanish agri-food sector is taking a central role in the uptake of the circular economy, by reusing raw materials and reducing waste in both agriculture and food production.
Europe’s new Climate Law: Leaving no-one behind?
When she took the European Commission's helm in December, Ursula von der Leyen pledged to deliver the EU's first Climate Law within the first 100 days after taking office. The proposal, due on 4 March, aims to enshrine into hard legislation the bloc's objective of becoming the world's first climate-neutral continent by 2050.
Europe’s flat glass sector: An industry profile
After losing the solar PV market to China, Europe's flat glass industry is concentrating on its strongholds: chiefly buildings, and automotive. But it also has its eyes set on the next generation solar panels as well as high-tech digital applications.
Bioeconomy in the CAP’s nine objectives
Bioeconomy will play a crucial role in delivering the European Union's environmental and climate neutrality agenda. The farm sector is no exception and at least half of the nine objectives of the post-2020 EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) relate directly to this concept.
Ukraine gas transit: What’s at stake
By building the Nord Stream 2 and Turkish Stream gas pipelines, Russia is seeking to circumvent Ukraine for the transit of billions of cubic meters of gas bound to European countries. EURACTIV looks at the issues Europe faces with gas transit at its border.
Raw materials in the EU economy
Securing access to critical raw materials has become a strategic objective for the European Union as the bloc moves towards ever-more digitalisation and green, high-tech products. In this special report, EURACTIV looks at some of the essential building blocks of the 21st century economy.
COP25: Countries pressed to deliver
The COP is meant to pave the way for countries to raise their climate ambition before the end of crucial year 2020. Climate negotiators know that they are under tight scrutiny from stakeholders, first and foremost cities, businesses, and Fridays for Future.
COP25: Is transport decarbonisation pragmatic enough?
Stakeholders will be meeting in Madrid for the COP25 Climate Change Conference over the next two weeks (2-13 December), and transport decarbonisation is expected to take centre stage in the discussions.
Sustainable finance: Going green’s crucial ingredient
The scale of the energy transition required in Europe and the wider world is huge, as is the financial bill attached to the shift. Companies are already starting to align their business models around green policies but is there appetite...
Polluted air: the invisible killer
The European Environment Agency estimates that 374,000 Europeans die prematurely every year due to air pollution.
Raw materials: Aiming for sovereignty
In face of fierce global competition, how can Europe secure access to key raw materials for the future of its industry?
Energy supply and end-use integration (sector coupling)
Sector coupling is the new energy buzzword in town. In essence, it means bringing energy supply closer to large consuming sectors such as transport, buildings and industry in search of greater efficiency, more renewables and lower carbon emissions.