About: Paris Agreement

Reindeer herders and lavender farmers launch legal case against EU climate efforts

Lawyers acting for a group including a French lavender farmer and members of the indigenous Sami community in Sweden have launched legal action against the EU’s institutions for failing to adequately protect them against climate change. EURACTIV’s partner The Guardian reports.

Europe’s attempts to spark an electric vehicle revolution

Transport is one of the EU’s few sectors where emissions are actually growing. Brussels believes that electric vehicle uptake is one of the main solutions to halt this trend but what steps are being taken to decarbonise our roads?

From COP to COP into climate collapse

Climate conferences see a lot of talk, some agreements are reached but little is implemented. Seemingly, the world slides from conference to conference directly into climate collapse. However, with COP24, changes are to come. EURACTIV Germany reports.

EU, Cuba build ties in face of US pressure

The EU and Cuba signed a renewable energy deal on Tuesday (15 May), a step towards normalising relations in defiance of Washington's continuing hardline stance on Havana.

Bonn negotiations stall on climate finance

The Bonn Climate Conference (30 April-10 May) has made little progress on negotiations, particularly on the subject of financing. As a result, a supplementary preparatory meeting for the COP24 will be held in Bangkok in September. EURACTIV.fr reports.

New round of climate negotiations in Bonn

The Bonn Climate Change Conference is meeting from 30 April to 10 May in preparation for COP24 in Katowice (Poland). During the Bonn Conference, the two key subjects will be: increasing countries’ climate ambitions and actions and drafting the operating manual for the Paris Agreement. EURACTIV's partner le Journal de l'Environnement reports.

Seven EU countries call for stronger climate action in Europe

The ecology and environment ministers of seven European countries met in Paris on 25 April and called for a more ambitious climate strategy for the EU. EURACTIV.fr reports.

Carbon prices seen hitting €55 in 2030, hastening ‘major’ coal-to-gas switch

EU carbon prices are set to double by 2021 and could quadruple to €55 a tonne by 2030 if the European Union aligns its emissions targets with the Paris Agreement on climate change, according to a new report published on Thursday (26 April).

Mayor of Ghent: Climate targets ‘almost impossible’ to meet without cities and regions

As the European Commission gets ready to come up with a climate strategy for 2050 and ongoing energy talks approach the finish line, Mayor of Ghent Daniël Termont told EURACTIV that cities and regions should not be relegated to a mere consultation role in this crucial planning phase.

Demand for cooling could outstrip heating as Earth warms

A burgeoning middle class and a warming world will result in energy demand for cooling overtaking that for heating by the middle of the century, researchers have predicted. EURACTIV's partner The Guardian reports.

EU Parliament’s energetic day in Strasbourg

In the shadow of French President Emmanuel Macron’s speech in Strasbourg on Tuesday (17 April), MEPs signed off on a number of important energy laws, as the EU took a small step towards the finalisation of the Clean Energy Package.

Without ambitious energy efficiency goals, the EU will fail Paris targets

The Paris Climate Agreement’s entry into force has clearly not yet spurred policymakers to charge toward the goal of limiting climate change to “well below 2°C” and targeting 1.5°C, warn Dr Jan Rosenow and Stefan Scheuer. Energy efficiency remains the key to success.

‘No Europeans can be left behind’ by energy transition, says Polish power sector boss

Europe’s energy transition is well under way but every EU country differs in terms of energy mix, economic situation and natural resources. So how fair is the energy transition on countries like Poland, which have a somewhat negative image when it comes to fossil fuel use?  

Over 100 corporate giants align with UN climate goals

L'Oreal and Electrolux today (17 April) joined the likes of McDonald’s and Sony in aligning their emission goals with the 2°C target of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Energy transition goals lack ambition, local projects lead the way, study suggests

Energy transition in Europe is proceeding too slowly and Brussels is lacking ambition to fulfil the requirements of the Paris Agreement – those are the conclusions of the recently published "Energy Atlas" of the German Heinrich-Böll-Foundation. EURACTIV Germany reports.

UN draft calls on international shipping to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2050

A working group of the UN's International Maritime Organisation (IMO) released an interim strategy on 6 April, which calls on international shipping to reduce total annual greenhouse gas emissions from 2008 levels by at least 50% by 2050.

New climate strategy will set out a pathway to meet higher targets

Last week, EU leaders sent a clear message to the European Commission to ramp up its work to implement the Paris Agreement and accelerate the ongoing transition away from fossil fuels, writes Wendel Trio.

Breaking the glass ceiling of EU climate policy

The request from EU leaders to see an update of the European Commission's 2050 low-carbon roadmap mandates a higher level of ambition from Europe on meeting climate goals also in 2030, writes Brook Riley.

How to save the transatlantic alliance

To save the transatlantic alliance, it is essential for the EU to deal with its internal problems in order to become a more reliable and credible partner for the US in the future, writes Fraser Cameron.

Coal power decline ‘not fast enough’ to meet UN climate goals

The number of coal-fired power plants built worldwide fell steeply over the past two years, but emissions are too high to keep global warming within relatively safe levels, campaigners said on Thursday (22 March).

EU study weighs linking power grid to China’s

The European Union’s scientific research centre has explored the idea of linking the power grids of Europe and China, in order to tap into the immense clean energy potential of the Middle Kingdom and the countries of Central Asia.

Dutch offshore wind farms first in world to go subsidy-free

The Dutch government has begun to follow through on its renewable energy pledges by awarding Swedish firm Vattenfall two contracts for what will be the world’s first wind farms to be built entirely without public money.

India takes lion’s share of EU bank funding for solar power

The European Investment Bank (EIB) signed an agreement last Friday (9 March) to provide €800 million for clean energy projects in India, one day before an International Solar Alliance summit took place in Delhi.

EU budget: Where’s the climate and environment?

Discussions on the EU's post-2020 accounts have begun. But it seems like climate, energy and the environment itself have already been forgotten in the talks, warns Damien Demailly.