Energy Archives

More than 150 business leaders and investors have urged EU countries to set higher climate goals for 2030, backing a draft European Commission plan to aim for a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the end of the decade.

The European Commission plans to withdraw free allowances given to polluting industries under the EU’s emission trading system (ETS) in order to clear the way for their inclusion in the bloc's upcoming carbon border adjustment mechanism, the EU executive's vice-president, Valdis Dombrovskis, said on Monday (14 September).

Google aims to power its data centers and offices 24-7 using solely carbon-free electricity by 2030, its chief executive said, building on its previous goal of matching its energy use with 100% renewable energy.

Ambitious climate policy in the EU can underpin a sustainable economic growth that supports the development of a competitive, modern economy that delivers benefits for all, and acts as a beacon of inspiration to the rest of the world, writes Dan Jørgensen.

The shipping industry has railed against plans to expand the EU carbon market to the maritime sector ahead of a crucial vote in the European Parliament on Tuesday (15 September) that risks putting lawmakers on a collision course with shippers.

Since Jacques Chirac first proposed a carbon border tax, French presidents have never let go of the idea. Now, the European Commission plans to integrate it into its recovery plan, much to the irritation of Beijing, just as an EU-China summit opens on Monday (14 September). EURACTIV France reports.

The European Commission will argue this week in favour of a 55% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and push for higher shares of renewable energy as part of an ambitious plan to achieve net-zero emissions by mid century, EURACTIV has learned.

The European Union will press China to aim for climate neutrality by 2060 or eventually face punitive carbon tariffs during a summit on Monday (14 September) aimed at concluding a bilateral trade agreement by the end of the year.

France and Germany intend to become the world champions for green hydrogen together and are already planning to set up a "gigafactory" with state support. But the two could butt heads over nuclear power. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Poland moved a step closer to formally endorsing the EU’s 2050 climate neutrality goal this week when its climate ministry presented an update of the country’s 2040 energy roadmap during an online event hosted by EURACTIV.

French energy company Engie is teaming up with aerospace firm the ArianeGroup to steal a march on its rivals in the hydrogen production business, by drawing on expertise gained through Europe’s space programme.

PKN Orlen, Poland's largest oil refiner and retailer, this week became the first oil company in central Europe to commit to climate neutrality by 2050, with plans to invest billions in energy efficiency, solar, wind, and hydrogen.

Europe’s largest and most influential political faction, the European People’s Party (EPP), has rallied behind an EU objective of curbing greenhouse gas emissions 55% by 2030, anticipating an announcement next week by the European Commission.

Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called on Wednesday (9 September) on Germany to halt the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, as Warsaw sees the project as a threat to the stability of the region. Nord Stream 2, an …

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her economy minister on Tuesday (8 September) played down the possibility of halting the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany as part of any sanctions imposed on Moscow due to the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

Poland wants to speed up phasing out coal and spend billions to build renewable and nuclear power infrastructure to address challenges related to climate change and ensure stable power supplies, the government said on Tuesday (8 September).

Road transport should not be top of the list when the European Union expands its carbon market into new sectors, the bloc's climate policy chief said on Tuesday (8 September).

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will not rule out consequences for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project if Russia fails to thoroughly investigate opposition leader Alexei Navalny's poisoning, her spokesman said Monday (7 September).

Considering the limited amount of green hydrogen available, the European Commission should prioritise its use in sectors that cannot decarbonise through other means like electrification, write Miriam Dalli and Mohammed Chahim.

The 1991 Energy Charter Treaty must be profoundly overhauled in order to remove all “obsolete” provisions protecting fossil fuel investments and hindering climate action, lawmakers from across Europe said on Tuesday (8 September).

Major economies promised to recover green after COVID-19 and accelerate climate action during a virtual ministerial meeting hosted by Japan on Thursday (3 September). EURACTIV's media partner, Climate Home News, reports.

The European Union should include a “solidarity clause” in its climate law to ensure that member states most burdened by the EU's new carbon reduction targets are compensated for the additional costs of purchasing allowances under the EU Emissions Trading System, writes MEP Anna Zalewska.

The European Commission has reiterated its ambition to roll out at least one million public electric vehicle charging stations over the next 5 years. But how can the EU ensure that consumers really benefit wherever they are in Europe? One of the keys to success lies in e-roaming, argues Kristof Vereenooghe.

Big oil producers are pinning their future growth on the world's insatiable appetite for plastic, researchers said Friday (4 September), in a "bet" on society's failure to tackle disposable consumption that risks stranding billions of dollars in petrochemical investments.