About: Paris Climate Agreement
Balance climate ambition with recovery efforts so that East can meet West
The Visegrad capital cities can help lead the region towards meeting the EU's climate ambitions and in halting a growing East/West divide, write Matúš Vallo, Gergely Karácsony, Zdeněk Hřib and Rafał Trzaskowski.
African countries deem EU carbon border levy ‘protectionist’
Some African countries consider the EU's planned carbon border levy to be "protectionist". That was the upshot of a conference organised by the French government on Tuesday (23 March), which examined the challenges posed by the EU's upcoming mechanism. EURACTIV France reports.
Climate transition depends on shifting finance
The criteria for the EU sustainable finance taxonomy can show investors and businesses the way to climate neutrality globally and getting the taxonomy right would make the EU a global trailblazer, argue Krista Mikkonen and Bas Eickhout.
Political commitments not enough to ratify EU-Mercosur deal, says French minister
Mere "political commitments" will not be enough to ratify the agreement between the European Union and Mercosur countries, a French cabinet minister told the informal foreign affairs trade council on Tuesday (2 March), citing environmental and agricultural concerns. EURACTIV France reports.
Paris soon to deploy 5G services as city signs charter with network operators
A new Parisian mobile phone charter will be submitted to the Paris city council at the start of March, which should approve the deployment of 5G across the French capital. EURACTIV France reports.
Only fractions of global heavy industry are aligned with Paris climate goals
Only 14% of publicly listed companies in the steel, cement, aluminum, paper and mining sector are on track to meet the Paris Agreement’s 2°C climate target, according to a report by the Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI), a global investor group supported by the UN. Still, some European companies offer hope, EURACTIV Germany 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.
Five years on from Paris: Can US return to the climate scene provide impetus?
After four years of unravelling climate-friendly laws and regulations by the Trump administration, President-elect Joe Biden announced the US's return to the Paris Accord, accompanied by a battery of measures. EURACTIV France looks at what to expect from the return of the world's second largest CO2 emitter.
French court gives government three months to prove effective climate policy
France's highest legal body ruled on Thursday (19 November) that the government has three months to explain its "greenhouse gas emission reduction path". EURACTIV France reports.
EU Climate Law: ‘In nobody’s interest for Germany to ‘fall flat on its face’, says Renew MEP
After long negotiations, MEPs voted on Tuesday (6 October) in favour of further increasing the bloc's emissions target to 60% by 2030. In a double-interview with EURACTIV Germany, two German MEPs discuss what this could mean for the EU and Germany, as well as how the new target could be achieved.
France’s ‘imported emissions’ are 70% higher than domestic CO2 output, report finds
To fall in line with the Paris Agreement and limit global warming to 1.5°C, France's imported emissions should fall by 65% by 2050, according to the latest report by the country's High Climate Council published on Tuesday (6 October). EURACTIV France reports.
EU institutions caught in crossfire over Just Transition Fund
The European Parliament will vote on Tuesday and Wednesday (15-16 September) on the Just Transition Fund. But this mechanism, initially designed to finance the social aspects of the transition to a low-carbon economy, has now been extended to finance gas projects. EURACTIV France reports.
Global emergency plan needed to save planet, says international alliance
This Saturday (22 August) will be "Earth Overshoot Day", the day on which Earth's ecosystems will be exhausted, and humanity's demand for the planet's resources for the rest of the year can no longer be regenerated, EURACTIV Germany reports.
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.
Germany must become climate-neutral by 2038, says government advisory council
The German Advisory Council on the Environment (SRU) presented on Thursday (14 May) its report on the state of the country's environmental policy. With Germany's carbon budget now almost exhausted, researchers urge stronger climate action in all areas. EURACTIV Germany reports.
German CDU/CSU climate paper: A stab in Merkel’s back?
In a position paper, Germany's conservative CDU/CSU parliamentary group opposed increasing the EU's climate target to 55% by 2030. While this has been the cause for much criticism from other parties, Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats do not believe this contradicts her words. EURACTIV Germany reports.
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.
What does the EU Climate Law mean for Germany?
While the European Commission is working on a new climate target for 2030, initial reports on Germany's climate package show that the current targets are already being missed. Although it is undeniable that these climate targets will be increased, how will it be possible to reach them? EURACTIV Germany reports.
Oil giant Total sued for ‘climate inaction’ in France’s first climate case
French oil group Total is responsible for 1% of the world's CO2 emissions and failing to respect its so-called 'corporate duty of vigilance', according to a group of plaintiffs representing 14 local authorities and four NGOs who are bringing a case against the giant. EURACTIV France reports.
EU Central Bank should step up its climate act, French MEP says
In an interview with EURACTIV France, socialist MEP Pierre Larrouturou deplored the meagre €7.5 billion proposed in the European Commission's Just Transition Fund. To finance EU climate action, he suggests some of the ECB's "easy money" could fuel the European Investment Bank (EIB) instead of going into private banks.
Germany missed EU deadline to submit national climate plan
All EU member states should have submitted their climate protection plans for the coming decade to the European Commission by 31 December 2019. But some missed the deadline, including Germany. EURACTIV.de reports.
Europe ‘disappointed’ with COP25’s mediocre outcome
Sixteen days of negotiations were not enough to find common ground on international carbon trading rules, one of the main issues of contention at the COP25 climate summit in Madrid. EURACTIV France reports.
COP25: Major developing countries still reluctant to amend Paris Agreement to ‘foot climate bill’
Countries such as Brazil, China and Saudi Arabia, are criticising Article 6 of the Paris Climate Agreement and its carbon offsetting mechanism even though they are currently not footing the "climate bill". A stance which climate advocates fear will weaken the entire treaty. EURACTIV France reports.