Energy & Environment Archives

With a growth rate of 104%, Europe’s solar photovoltaic industry is experiencing a “boom in installations,” according to statistics published on Tuesday (10 December) by SolarPower Europe, an industry association.

If Europe wants to transition towards a circular economy model, the practices have to be mainstreamed and all actors should be involved in the process, experts warned during an event hosted by EURACTIV.

As negotiators in Madrid are trying to break the impasse on global climate finance governance, tectonic shifts in the real economy are signaling changing tides for the oil & gas industry. Far from being separate adjustments, these changes are part of a one, large movement where Europe is at the fore-front. MEP Bas Eickhout explained to EURACTIV why.

Within the framework of the current COP25, 24 Turkish cities and municipalities committed themselves to the Paris Climate Agreement yesterday (9 December). Turkey is the only G20 country that has not yet ratified the Paris Agreement. EURACTIV Germany reports.

The fate of the climate negotiations at the COP25 climate summit in Madrid depends heavily on Europe. And civil society, the financial and private sector are asking for more. EURACTIV France reports.

Luxembourg will implement a levy of €20 per tonne of carbon from 2021, as part of its efforts to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by the end of the next decade.

This conference covered relevant research supported by the European Research Council (ERC) and provided a networking forum for ERC-funded researchers as well as policy-makers.

Ankara’s moves in the Mediterranean Sea reflect President Erdoğan’s ambitions to make Turkey a leading country. But its unilateralism is unnecessarily aggravating tensions in the region and, as usual, leaves it to Brussels and Washington to sort it out, writes Henri J Barkey.

As UN climate negotiations enter their second and decisive week, EURACTIV gives you a glimpse into the goings on of the 25th climate conference in Madrid (COP25) and what is driving the conversation there. In this edition: train ride, ray of the day, reality check-point, and climate finance big time.

In 2005, unemployment in Germany reached 11.7%. At the end of 2019, the figure more than halved to 5%. This means it is increasingly difficult for companies operating in Germany to find skilled workers and fill vacancies.  And it has an impact on sales revenues, as well as Germany’s and Europe’s ability to achieve carbon neutrality goals.

Launched in February 2007 to fund investigator-driven frontier research, the ERC is a key component of the EU’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.

Becoming the world's first climate-neutral continent is Europe's biggest challenge of the next decade. That success depends of the success of our global partners. Partnerships based on mutual ownership and shared responsibility, a new generation of trade agreements consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals, a Carbon Border Tax and a carbon price are key elements of a stronger European climate diplomacy, writes Margarida Marques.

Batteries that do not meet rigorous green standards could be banned from the European market, Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič warned on Monday (9 December), as the EU executive approved €3.2 billion of state aid for some home-grown projects.

Austria's Green party is expected to join the government for the first time, with negotiations already underway. After Sebastian Kurz's ÖVP party governed alongside the Eurosceptic far-right group FPÖ from 2017-2019, this could now prompt a change in Austria's foreign and EU policy. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Urgent UN talks on tackling the climate emergency are still not addressing the true scale of the crisis, one of the world’s leading climate scientists has warned, as high-ranking ministers from governments around the world began to arrive in Madrid for the final days of negotiations. EURACTIV's media partner, The Guardian, reports.

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.

Because there is still a small number of nations blocking progress in implementing the Paris Agreement, and cities already feel their impact of climate change, they are ready to take the lead in fighting global warming, Milan's mayor and C40 network Vice-Chairman Giuseppe Sala told EURACTIV in an interview. 

A €9-million report on the state of species and natural habitats in Bulgaria, paid for with EU taxpayers’ money, may in fact be a sham, Valia Ahchieva reports.

It’s the new Commission’s first weeks in office and climate is in the spotlight, with a European Green Deal expected to be tabled on 11 December. To succeed, the deal needs to enshrine increased climate ambition for the next decade, align the EU budget accordingly and boost EU support to developing countries, writes Wendel Trio.

Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) officially elected Saskia Esken and Norbert Walter-Borjans as the new chairmen at a national conference on Friday (6 December). There was no vote about remaining in the Grand Coalition with the CDU/CSU conservatives, but the new leadership appears to have 'declared war' on them. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Whether €5 billion or €35 billion, the EU’s upcoming Just Transition Fund alone is unlikely to be enough to pay for the energy transition of Europe’s remaining coal countries. Nor is it necessary, argue Pieter de Pous and Rebekka Popp.

With thousands of fans travelling to matches and giant stadiums being built, football has a considerable climate impact. Some clubs are increasingly aware of this and try to limit their carbon emissions. A club from the small city of Mainz has been leading the movement for a decade.

After having represented the interests of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) for four years, Ulrike Rabmer-Koller takes stock, in an interview with EURACTIV Germany, of her successes and discusses her ambitions looking forward in the fight against climate change.