The European Union continued to record substantial greenhouse gas emissions reductions in 2020, posting an 11% drop compared to 2019, according to the latest official data published this week by the European Environment Agency. The data confirms a 30-year downward trend which led to the EU achieving its 2020 target to reduce emissions by 20% … Continue reading EEA published latest GHG inventory showing substantial reductions in 2020
Category: EU policies
New EEA report on impact of land use changes on Europe’s urban areas
Land take and the sealing of soil with asphalt, concrete or buildings increased in Europe’s urban areas from 2012 to 2018, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) assessment, published recently. Increasing land take and soil sealing make Europe’s ecosystems less resilient, with negative impacts on biodiversity and weaker potential for climate change adaptation. … Continue reading New EEA report on impact of land use changes on Europe’s urban areas
Concerns about EU Innovation Fund not advancing European renewable energy technology
Several European renewable energy associations have united to call for changes to the EU’s Innovation Fund as its award criteria ‘puts renewable energy projects at a structural disadvantage’. Amir Garanovic discusses in an article on the offshore energy website. Renewable energy industry losing confidence in EU’s Innovation Fund Associations – including Ocean Energy Europe, … Continue reading Concerns about EU Innovation Fund not advancing European renewable energy technology
New EEA report on role consumers can play to raise demand for goods and services that have adopted circular economy principles
While companies have huge influence in framing and shaping demand for products, consumers play a key role in raising demand for goods and services that have adopted circular economy principles, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing published this week. Consumers can play key role in creating demand for ‘circular’ goods and services … Continue reading New EEA report on role consumers can play to raise demand for goods and services that have adopted circular economy principles
New EEA report sets out four engaging, plausible and clearly contrasting images of a sustainable Europe in 2050
What could a sustainable Europe look like in 2050? A European Environment Agency (EEA) web report, published this week, presents four ‘imaginaries’, or scenarios, offering strongly contrasting approaches to achieving Europe’s socio-economic and environmental goals. The report is based on co-creative work by the EEA and its network (Eionet). What could a sustainable Europe … Continue reading New EEA report sets out four engaging, plausible and clearly contrasting images of a sustainable Europe in 2050
Read all about it – important new publications
New JRC report – Prosumerism and energy sustainability This report from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre develops a sociotechnical understanding of energy prosumerism to investigate how energy prosumerism can lead to actual reductions of energy and resource demand. The report starts out by explaining what a sociotechnical and broad understanding of prosumerism means. Thereafter, … Continue reading Read all about it – important new publications
The largest ever ban of toxic chemicals announced by European Commission
Thousands of the most notorious chemicals will be rapidly banned in Europe, the European Commission announced last week, as part of the Zero-pollution goal in the EU Green Deal. Michael Warhurst discusses the new roadmap in an article on the Chemtrust website. New EU roadmap proposes action to ban some of the most hazardous … Continue reading The largest ever ban of toxic chemicals announced by European Commission
New EEA briefing on carbon storage and sequestration potential of Europe’s many land and marine habitats
What is the carbon storage and sequestration potential of Europe’s many land and marine habitats? A first scoping analysis, published recently by the European Environment Agency (EEA), found that forests and wetlands can play an important role in storing carbon but doing so should take account of potential impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services. … Continue reading New EEA briefing on carbon storage and sequestration potential of Europe’s many land and marine habitats
Calling for greater energy efficiency to reduce EU dependence on Russian fossil fuels
Initiatives to improve energy efficiency can reduce the EU’s dependence on Russian fossil fuels. They can also help increase the union’s influence in the global south. Mats Engstrom discusses the issues in an article on the European Council on Foreign Relations website. Efficient influence: Energy initiatives for a geopolitical Europe Russia’s brutal war on … Continue reading Calling for greater energy efficiency to reduce EU dependence on Russian fossil fuels
New EEA briefings: Europe not on track to reach 2030 targets for municipal waste recycling
The European Union (EU) circular economy action plan aims to halve the amount of municipal waste in the EU that is not recycled by 2030. According to a European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing, published this week, achieving this target requires both reducing waste generation and considerably increasing recycling, possibly even beyond the binding recycling target … Continue reading New EEA briefings: Europe not on track to reach 2030 targets for municipal waste recycling
Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 