About: fossil fuels Archives

Over this special series on the UN climate action summit (23-25 September), EURACTIV gives you a glimpse into the goings on in New York and what is driving the conversation there. In this edition: An angry Greta Thunberg, a technical Angela Merkel, a passive Donald Trump and four ambitious EU member states.

When shares in Saudi Aramco eventually go public, there will doubtless be a feeding frenzy on what promises to be the largest initial public offering ever seen. More significantly, the move would also signal Saudi Arabia’s recognition that sunset for fossil fuel is just over the horizon, writes Jonathan Gornall.

Germany intends to invest €100 million annually into the research of hydrogen technologies. This could be the business of the future, as well as the country's next top export. However, the future of green gas is still extremely shaky. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Pope Francis said on Friday (14 June) that carbon pricing is “essential” to stem global warming – his clearest statement yet in support of penalising polluters – and appealed to climate change deniers to listen to science.

The European Union's investment arm risks torpedoing the bloc's commitment to abide by the Paris climate goals by financing billions of euros worth of new natural gas infrastructure projects, new analysis said Thursday (13 June).

As Germany is gradually phasing out nuclear and coal energy, Berlin is increasingly considering gas as key in bridging the gap between a fossil-fuels based and a low carbon economy.

Norway’s $1tn oil fund, the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, is to plunge billions of dollars into wind and solar power projects. The decision follows Saudi Arabia’s oil fund selling off its last oil and gas assets. EURACTIV's media partner, The Guardian, reports.

Debate over the cost merits of fossil fuels against renewable power generation has traditionally focused on the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE), which has dropped dramatically in the case of wind and solar power. But that ignores the upfront capital costs, which are still up to seven times higher for renewables, writes Mike Parr.

The European Parliament voted on a proposed classification for sustainable assets on Thursday (28 March), voting to exclude nuclear power from receiving a green stamp of approval on financial markets.

As the European Investment Bank (EIB) holds a meeting in Brussels today (25 February) to consult the public on its new energy policy, Wendel Trio reflects on the role the EU’s bank should have in tackling the climate crisis.

The European regional development fund currently amounts to €200 billion. German environmental organisations have criticised the fact that its new version sets the wrong priorities. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Progress in the Long Term Strategy for 2050 and at the climate conference in Katowice will be for nothing if European ministers allow disputes over the size of the next EU budget to roadblock important moves towards funding a zero-emissions energy transformation, write Raphael Hanoteaux and Markus Trilling.

Environmental organisations are calling on Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron to coordinate their countries’ climate and energy transitions. EURACTIV Germany’s media partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.

Church leaders urged governments around the world to ramp up their climate action efforts on Friday (26 October), calling for “ambitious implementation” of the Paris Agreement.

The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) shows keeping global warming below 1.5°C is necessary, feasible and beneficial. Rich countries must now commit to ensure their economies reach net zero emissions before 2050, writes Nick Mabey.

Figures compiled by the environmental pressure group Greenpeace highlight the lack of transparency about the amount of cash disbursed by national governments to support back-up power plants – mainly fossil fuels and nuclear.

Germany’s coal commission will not give any recommendation regarding mining-owner RWE’s plans to continue clearing forest for the planned extension of the Hambach lignite mine in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. In its third meeting, the commission heard experts’ views on the implications of the country’s climate goals for the coal sector. EURACTIV's media partner Clean Energy Wire reports.

One of Bulgaria’s cornerstone coal mines has been forced to shut down, raising questions over the future of energy production and employment in the region, as well as coal’s future in the country, write Violeta Keremdchieva and Ellen Baker.

Ireland committed to divesting public funds from fossil fuel companies on Thursday after parliament passed a bill forcing the €8.9 billion Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) to withdraw money invested in oil, gas and coal.

Each year, at least US$100 billion goes to support the production and consumption of oil, gas and coal, according to a major new study published on Monday (4 June). That is despite a promise from all G7 and G20 members to stop subsidising fossil fuels by 2025.

The decarbonisation of electric power, and the electrification of energy, is unstoppable. Whether it will be rapid enough to prevent the coming climate crisis is uncertain and will demand vision from politicians, industry leaders and energy providers, writes Andrew Steer.

The International Energy Agency has wrongly guided governments into decisions about oil, gas and coal use that are inconsistent with the long-term climate objectives of the Paris Agreement, according to a new report out on Thursday (5 April).

The EU Council's proposal for double or even multiple counting of advanced biofuels and green electricity consumption will increase Europe's dependency on fossil fuels to cover "real" energy needs, something which conflicts with the principal objective of the RED II legislation.

A motion introduced by the Green group to oppose “projects of common interest” based on fossil fuels was rejected by a large majority of MEPs last week (March 14), but among those who supported it were MEPs who traditionally support Russia.