About: energy and environment
Abolition of energy-saving incentives worries French building sector
The €2 billion of financial aid to boost energy renovation in France's COVID recovery plan may not be enough to compensate for the abolition of financial assistance provided to households under the so-called “energy saving incentives” – or what the French ministry has branded "coups de pouce isolation". EURACTIV France reports.
‘Mistakes were made’ when vaccines were ordered, EU’s Timmermans admits
The European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans has admitted that mistakes were made in Brussels when COVID-19 vaccines were being ordered and suggested taking stock "at the end of the pandemic" of what went wrong and what was done right. EURACTIV's partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.
Toulouse stadium to invest in fight against climate change
The largest stadium in the French city of Toulouse that hosts mostly football and rugby matches announced its partnership last month with Time for the planet, an initiative that allows citizens, investment funds, banks, and companies to invest as little as €1 in the fight against climate change. EURACTIV France reports.
French MPs recommend more use of washable masks as pollution concerns rise
Faced with the boom of single-use masks in France, the country's National Assembly set up a "flash mission" on the topic and concluded that the wearing of washable facemasks should be recommended to the public. EURACTIV France reports.
French climate expert: We’ve made much progress in implementing Paris Agreement
In an exclusive interview with EURACTIV France, Paul Watkinson, president of the UN Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice at COP24 and COP25, discussed why the 'rulebook' on implementing the Paris Climate Agreement still has not been ratified.
Germany submits climate plan to EU after six-month wait
With a delay of six months, Germany submitted its national energy and climate plan to the European Commission this week. The plan contains a lot of new, daring and sometimes questionable promises on renewable energies, EURACTIV Germany reports.
Agriculture has fundamental role to play in fighting climate change, says French socialist MEP
In an interview with EURACTIV's partner Le Journal de l'environnement, French socialist MEP Éric Andrieu (S&D) said that climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic make it necessary to put agriculture back at the heart of the debate and to change the agricultural model with targeted tools and resources.
Merkel reaffirms support for raising EU’s 2030 climate target to 50-55%
Chancellor Angela Merkel has insisted that the European Green Deal must be the driving force behind Europe's economic recovery plan. However, Germany has, so far, bailed out its fossil fuel industry like no other EU member state - and it's still a long way away from presenting its national climate plan. EURACTIV Germany reports.
COVID-19 crisis upsets Germany’s coal phase-out timetable
In Germany, the coronavirus health crisis is keeping politics on tenterhooks as many legislative proposals are being postponed. Will the country's coal phase-out carry on as planned? EURACTIV Germany reports.
European Green Deal vague on pesticides, genetic engineering
The Green Deal presented by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday (11 December) avoided two controversial agricultural issues: genetic engineering and pesticide limits. EURACTIV Germany reports.
The report that could relaunch France’s nuclear sector
The former CEO of PSA Peugeot Citroën published a report on the third-generation pressurised water reactor design known as EPR, detailing the weaknesses of France's nuclear sector, while giving the government and EDF reason to justify building nuclear power plants. EURACTIV's partner La Tribune reports.
German environmental groups: PtX-tech not ‘necessarily’ climate-friendly
So-called Power-to-X (PtX) technologies are seen as a good way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions because their potential for storing energy could stabilise the electricity grid. However, German environmental groups BUND and the Öko-Institut have criticised the technology. EURACTIV Germany reports.
French government makes progress on energy and climate bill
French energy and climate bill’s new draft sets carbon neutrality as the main objective for domestic energy policies and sets ambitious goals for the future. NGOs of the Climate Action Network (CAN) are less impressed by the new draft as concrete short-term measures appear to be lacking. EURACTIV’s partner le Journal de l’Environnement reports.
Japanese village hits 81% recycling rate, aims for 100% by 2020
A Japanese village aims to be the first zero waste municipality in the world by 2020 and has already reached an 81% recycling rate. A member of the Japanese Zero Waste Academy told EURACTIV that the feat is replicable elsewhere.
Nations agree on Paris Agreement rulebook, fail on climate ambition
Three years and three days after the Paris Agreement was adopted, the 197 signatory countries gathered in Katowice, Poland, agreed Saturday (15 December) on a rulebook for its implementation but failed to raise their ambition to keep global warming "well below 2°C".
German coal commission pressed to deliver as country fails to cut emissions
A new government report detailing Germany’s failure to cut emissions increases pressure on the country’s coal commission to agree on a speedy phase-out plan. Its members enter a critical stage this week as they focus on tangible proposals. EURACTIV’s media partner Clean Energy Wire reports.
Parliament rubber-stamps Europe’s 2030 clean energy laws
The European Parliament voted on Tuesday (13 November) a set of three clean energy laws for 2030, including binding targets for renewable energies, an indicative objective on energy savings and a separate text on the governance of the Energy Union.
European leaders urged to act on soil sustainability
Soils play a key role in regulating the earth's climate, sustaining agriculture and preserving biodiversity. Yet they have fallen down the EU policy agenda even though tools exist to reverse that trend, according to a new report published today (26 September).