A collection of 35 posts
With populations of only 2.79m (Lithuania), 1.92m (Latvia) and 1.32m (Estonia), the Baltic countries are not huge contributors to global emissions. Despite that, they have set out their plans to meet the EU’s “Fit for 55” ambition of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 55% until
The leaders of the EU are planning to funnel hundreds of billons of euros into sustainable investments each year through banks and markets to create the first “climate-neutral continent” by the middle of the century. The related plans announced in the EU’s sustainable finance framework detail the next steps
As of 3 July, the European Union has banned the 10 most-found in waterways single-use plastic products (SUPs). The 10 most commonly found single-use plastic items on European beaches, alongside fishing gear, represent 70% of all marine litter. Therefore the EU member states have agreed to ban the most-used SUPs
Meeting in Warsaw, finance ministers from the “Visegrad 4” (V4) country grouping – Poland, Czechia, Hungary, and Slovakia – discussed post Covid-19 economic recovery plans and investments. They welcomed the global minimum tax proposed by the G7 but said they prefer an international solution in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
The October elections in the Czech Republic could change the Czech government’s approach towards the EU’s climate objectives, which is currently very cautious. Similar to most countries in Central & Eastern Europe (CEE), the country is an underachiever in renewables, but it is gradually phasing out coal-fuelled power
In recovery plans being submitted by member states to the European Commission to tap into the EUR 750 billion in available funds, 37% of spending must go toward green investments. Nine such plans have been approved so far by the Commission. But some NGOs are afraid the Commission may be
The European Environmental Agency makes annual comparative reports on air quality in all of the main European cities. The good part is, they make it publicly available through an interactive map, which we’ve embedded below. Check your hometown, holiday destination, or any other place that comes to mind. The
The future of natural gas and how it is funded by the EU are deepening the divide between eastern and western Europe. Countries in Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) like the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania continue to see natural gas as a key energy source and would
A leaked draft version of the European Commission’s renewable energy directive has received loud criticism from the renewables industry and NGOs. They claim the proposal is lacking ambition and that it must be in line with EU’s new climate goals. The proposal is due to be adopted in
Global warming will not only wreak havoc on the global economy but could also result in dire economic consequences for Hungary and other countries in Central & Eastern Europe. G7 economies, for example, could lose USD 5 trillion a year, or 8.5% of their GDP by 2050, if global
A key element of the “Green Deal,” on 10 June EU environmental ministers meeting for the last occasion of Portugal’s EU presidency approved a strategy for adaptation to climate change. Some of the aims of the adaptation strategy, according to Portugal’s minister of environment and climate action, João
This week, Romania announced that it was ditching coal, thus joining the majority of EU member states that have made a pledge to phase out their coal industries. Romania’s plan sees a total coal phase-out by 2032. In the meantime, in 2022 the country will come up with legislation
With the aim of rolling out low carbon technologies, the Bill Gates-founded Breakthrough Energy Ventures is teaming up with the European Union to raise USD 1 billion in funding. The cooperation entails gathering private capital and philanthropic funds by Breakthrough Energy and combining them with EU community funding. The goal
In a joint statement sent to the European Commission, five member states have issued a call to establish stricter supervision of the use of biofuels in the EU. The Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, and Luxembourg made their demand following a number of fraudulent cases related to the sale of used
Public opinion in the EU strongly supports more ambitious national climate targets, according to a poll conducted in 12 European countries. The online poll commissioned by Transport&Environment from leading institute YouGov reveals that 68% of respondents would support their country’s climate target to be increased. The survey