About: 2030 climate and energy targets
IRENA chief: Renewable energy is ‘defence policy of the future’
Renewable energy will rewrite the geopolitical map, according to the man tasked with taking clean energy global. Adnan Z. Amin also told EURACTIV that any politicians not worried by the “truly frightening” risks of climate change are not in the right job.
EU in fresh diplomatic push to ‘raise global ambition’ on climate change
A special UN summit scheduled in New York next September will provide “an essential opportunity to mobilise political will to raise global ambition” on climate change, according to a draft EU statement due to be adopted on Monday (18 February).
Energy consumption continues to rise in Europe: Eurostat
Energy consumption in Europe rose for the third consecutive year in 2017, pulling the EU further away from its 2020 energy efficiency objective, according to official figures published on Thursday (7 February).
UNEP chief: EU should aim for 55% CO2 reduction by 2030
The European Union needs to revise its 2030 CO2 reduction target from 40% to 55% if it wants to meet the 1.5°C global warming objective of the Paris Agreement, says Joyce Msuya.
EU revises energy efficiency targets in view of Brexit
The European Union revised its 2030 energy consumption objectives on Wednesday (30 January) in order to take account of the United Kingdom’s anticipated departure from the bloc.
Green transition: ECB and budgetary authorities should face their responsibilities
Reforming the rules for coordinating budgetary and economic policies in the eurozone is a necessity to conciliate economic, social and climate objectives, write Olivier Bodin and Michael Vincent.
Greece’s energy future on the line
Lignite has been the driving force of the Greek economy for the last six decades and the government intends to keep it that way, even though this most polluting of fuels is now becoming uncompetitive, writes Nikos Mantzaris.
Universal electricity access goal set to be missed, new report reveals
The international community is falling well short of providing the cash needed to ensure universal access to electricity by 2030, according to a report released Monday (12 November).
‘Most important years in history’: Major UN report sounds last-minute climate alarm
Warming beyond 1.5C will unleash a frightening set of consequences and only a global transformation, beginning now, will avoid it, according to the latest report from scientists at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). EURACTIV's media partner Climate Home News reports.
EU business lobby to champion climate status quo – leak
One of Europe's most influential business lobbies is trying to push the EU towards climate action standstill, after a leaked memo obtained by EURACTIV called the bloc’s existing 40% emissions reduction target "already ambitious".
European public banks continue financing coal bonanza
The EIB and EBRD have been channelling billions of euros in public money to fossil fuels dependent companies, hampering the international community's efforts to tackle climate change, writes Anna Roggenbuck.
Leaked memo exposes business rift on climate change
BusinessEurope, the EU employer organisation, was urged to reconsider its stance on climate change after a leaked internal memo exposed what others in the business community have now rebuked as an “extreme lowest common denominator” that does not represent their view.
Business lobby prepares pushback against EU climate goals update
A leaked internal memo, obtained by EURACTIV, gives a rare glimpse into the communication strategy of Europe's main business lobby group ahead of the COP24 conference later this year, showing how it plans to “oppose” any increase in the EU's climate ambition for 2030.
Swedes set to smash renewable target 12 years early
Sweden has made such large gains in building up renewable energy capacity that analysts believe the Nordic country will meet one of its 2030 targets this year, thanks largely to wind power.
Ex-IPCC Vice-Chair: EU contribution to Paris goals is ‘unambitious and outdated’
The European Union needs to “significantly improve its policy package” for 2030 in order to align itself with the emission trajectories of the Paris Agreement, according to renowned Belgian climate scientist Jean-Pascal van Ypersele.
Mayors urge EU to aim for net-zero emissions by 2050
The mayors of ten major European cities –including Paris, London, Milan and Barcelona – have issued a joint call for the EU to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement.
Austria unveils energy, environment work plan at EU helm
The Austrian Presidency of the EU will aim to reach agreement on two flagship pieces of legislation during its six-month stint at the EU helm – including new CO2 emissions standards for cars and vans for 2030 and a controversial reform of the electricity market.
Spain to lead the energy transition in Europe?
The creation of the new ministry for ecological transition in Spain brings fresh air not only at the national level but also at the EU level as Spain can give a push in the fight against climate change, writes Ana Barreira.
EU strikes early morning deal on energy governance bill
Negotiators from the European Commission, Parliament and Council struck a deal on the energy union governance regulation after an all-night session where they agreed to aim for a net-zero carbon economy "as early as possible," with a carbon budget and national strategies for 2050.
As it happened: Clean energy law hurdles cleared
EU negotiators meet once again this week for what promises to be final talks on two crucial energy files on energy governance and energy efficiency. Follow our liveblog for the latest developments, as well as to catch up on what has happened so far.
German think-tank: EU’s 32% renewable energy target ’still unambitious’
The 32% renewable energy target agreed by EU negotiators last week is still “much lower” than what would be needed to reach the Paris goals on climate change, argue experts at the Heinrich Böll Foundation in Germany.
The EU needs to walk the talk on the Paris Climate Agreement
The EU’s Energy Union Governance Regulation is not an EU-level invention or a bureaucratic imposition from Brussels. Instead, it is to a large extent an attempt to translate what several of the EU’s individual member states are already doing on climate and energy policy, writes Lola Vallejo.
EU countries ‘off target’ on carbon emissions: report
Most European nations are set to miss their carbon reduction pledges made as part of the Paris Agreement, according to a new ranking of “good”, “bad” and “ugly” countries published today (18 June) by Europe's leading NGO coalition on climate change.