About: Bas Eickhout
MEPs put pedal to metal and boost car CO2 limits
Carmakers will have to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 45% by 2030, according to members of the European Parliament’s environment committee, who voted on Monday night (10 September) to tune up a European Commission proposal.
Questions raised over EU’s proposed advanced biofuels list
Not all second-generation biofuels listed by the European Commission are sustainable, critics warn, urging policymakers to use the indirect land use change (ILUC) factor to “clean up” the list.
EU’s car emission goals for 2030 stir up ‘tech neutrality’ debate
The European Commission’s latest proposal on car's CO2 emissions for 2030 has started a fresh debate about whether Brussels has actually dropped its long-standing “technological neutrality” stance in favour of electric cars.
MEPs raise ambition on transport with ‘sustainable’ biofuels
Contrary to the European Commission's initial proposal, the European Parliament voted on Tuesday (28 November) to increase targets for sustainable energy and reintroduce a sub-target for transport, by using "sustainable" biofuels.
Emissions trading deal fails to impress
EU negotiators from member states and the institutions reached a compromise on an Emissions Trading System (ETS) reform early on Thursday (9 November). But green groups have criticised the deal for ditching flagship climate policy status for a fossil fuel subsidy.
Commission’s new clean transport rules may lack ambition
The European Commission will unveil a package of legislation regulating environmental aspects of transport on Wednesday (8 November), amid concerns from NGOs and some MEPs that it may lack ambition in setting targets for the car industry.
Green MEP: Sustainability criteria will distinguish ‘good’ and ‘bad’ biofuels
Sustainability criteria are needed to make a clear distinction between “bad” biofuels like palm oil and “good” ones like some ethanol, MEP Bas Eickhout told EURACTIV in an interview.
EU scientists ‘Trump-et’ need for evidence-based policies
It’s an age-old question: policy-based evidence, or evidence-based policy? While the answer has traditionally been left to policymakers, scientists and their supporters are marching around the world on Saturday 22 April to demand political leaders enact evidence-based policies.
VW’s bestselling Audi under microscope after EU emissions tests
Audi's top-selling model released excessive toxic diesel emissions in results from lab tests run by the European Commission, raising suspicions of wrongdoing at Volkswagen's luxury division.
Petrol cars allowed to exceed pollution limits by 50% under draft EU laws
New European cars with petrol engines will be allowed to overshoot a limit on toxic particulates emissions by 50% under a draft EU regulation backed by the UK and most other EU states. Our partner The Guardian reports.
Forty-five MEPs join inquiry committee to probe dieselgate emissions scandal
Forty-five MEPs were voted into the European Parliament's new inquiry committee tasked with uncovering potential failures of EU institutions to disclose information related to the dieselgate emissions scandal.
Parliament establishes committee of inquiry into Dieselgate scandal
The European Parliament voted Thursday (17 December) to launch a committee of inquiry into the Volkswagen emissions scandal, with a mandate to investigate the failures of the European Commission and member states to enforce EU legislation.
Environment MEPs rebuff member states on diesel emissions
The European Parliament's Environment Committee voted yesterday evening (14 December) to reject a controversial proposal from the European Commission, and member states, on new emissions testing standards for diesel cars.
MEP: Idea EU is leading ‘ambition coalition’ at COP21 is nonsense
The idea that the European Union is leading the so-called ‘High Ambition Coalition’, which is pushing for a stronger deal at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris is nonsense, Green MEP Bas Eickhout has told EURACTIV.
MEPs block Commission proposal to recycle hormone disrupting plastics
The European Parliament overwhelmingly rejected the Commission's plans to allow the recycling of PVC plastics containing DEHP, a hormone disruptor banned in the EU since February 2015. Our partner Journal de l'Environnement reports.
To build a bio-economy, Europe needs to cut bioenergy
Europe urgently needs to rethink its bioenergy policies to account for their true impact on the climate, biodiversity and food scarcity, writes Bas Eickhout.
North Sea Grid will prove EU is serious about Energy Union
There is cross-party support and a common vision for a North Sea Grid as part of the Energy Union project. But it must be prioritised by policymakers, write Bas Eickhout and Ian Duncan.
EU agrees to €5bn carbon permit giveaway
The European Parliament's environment committee on Wednesday (24 September) narrowly upheld plans to give billions of euros worth of carbon allowances to heavy industries for free, in order to help them compete in global markets.![Bas Eickhout [GroenLinks, Margot Scheerder / Flickr]](https://www.euractiv.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/09/bas_eickhout_2012.jpeg)
Lawmakers to vote on EU’s €5bn carbon permit giveaway
European lawmakers will vote next week on whether to force the European Commission to rethink giving billions of euros worth of carbon allowances away for free to heavy industries, after a senior Green member lodged an objection. VideoPromoted content
Eickhout: Days of economy vs. ecology are over
The buildings sector is one of the largest contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, buildings account for about 40% of the total amount of energy consumption in the EU. The European Commission acknowledged this in its Energy Efficiency Directive stating that "the greatest energy savings potential lies in buildings". The chemicals sector has already significantly reduced its emissions, but there is still potential to reduce them further. VideoPromoted content