Dorota Derlicka and Tomasz Chabrzyk write on the Bird & Bird website that data-centre waste heat is shifting from being an interesting sustainability opportunity to something developers may actually have to plan for and justify under EU law. Poland provides a particularly useful example of what that change could mean in practice. Waste heat … Continue reading Data centre heat is too valuable to waste
Category: international organisations
When homes are protected as assets but not as homes
On the World Sufficiency Lab website, Yamina Saheb raises some fundamental points about the European Commission's proposed Affordable Housing Act. The article is making a much larger argument than the Affordable Housing Act itself. Its central idea is that Europe’s legal architecture gives strong protection to markets, capital and property while social needs such as … Continue reading When homes are protected as assets but not as homes
New EEA report on impact of clean energy technologies in Europe
Clean energy technologies are creating hundreds of thousands of jobs across the European Union, according to a report published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA). However, persistent shortages of skilled workers risk slowing future growth, while at the same time the clean energy sector faces inclusion challenges, with women and young people underrepresented. … Continue reading New EEA report on impact of clean energy technologies in Europe
Beyond 1.5°C: a reason to act, not give up
The energy mix website continues following another post on the UNEP report published this week that reflects tension between accepting that 1.5°C will be exceeded and rejecting the idea that this means giving up. We simply can’t give up. ‘Call to Apathy, Not to Arms’ as UN Warns Climate Overshoot Is Inevitable, Downplays Fossil … Continue reading Beyond 1.5°C: a reason to act, not give up
UNEP: World set to cross 1.5°C global warming, but can still limit, adapt to and return from higher temperatures
Report puts best-case scenario peak temperature rise at 1.8°C; others suggest over 2°C Above 1.5°C, climate impacts and risks of tipping points intensify with every fraction of a degree ‘Overshoot, peak and decline’ pathway best remaining option to help vulnerable nations and communities cope and return to below 1.5°C Global temperature rise is set to … Continue reading UNEP: World set to cross 1.5°C global warming, but can still limit, adapt to and return from higher temperatures
The European Commission publishes a series of guidance documents to support CBAM implementation in the definitive period
On 14 August 2026, the European Commission published a series of ten guidance documents to help non-EU operators with the implementation of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) during its definitive period. The CBAM's definitive period brings monitoring, reporting and financial obligations for importers of carbon-intensive goods into the EU, set out in the CBAM … Continue reading The European Commission publishes a series of guidance documents to support CBAM implementation in the definitive period
Blog by Rose Morrison – EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive takes effect: what 40% of energy demand means for building renovations
Image source: Unsplash Buildings play as much of a role in Europe’s transition to a low-carbon future as wind farms and solar panels. As the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) drives a new wave of renovation requirements, governments across the European Union are encouraging upgrades that improve efficiency, reduce energy demand and strengthen … Continue reading Blog by Rose Morrison – EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive takes effect: what 40% of energy demand means for building renovations
Energy crises are driving a renovation revolution
High energy prices have sparked new interest in energy-related renovations and non-fossil heating systems. This post by Desislava Rusinova and Marco Weissler of the European Central Bank argues that such investments cushion the impact of energy shocks on the building and construction sector. The analysis shows that while energy shocks initially hurt the construction sector, … Continue reading Energy crises are driving a renovation revolution
Europe’s building renovation divide
In an article on the Euronews website, Alessio Dell'Anna writes about Europe's uneven progress on building renovation. Energy efficiency levels are rising, but not quickly enough, according to Brussels, which has launched an infringement procedure against all EU member states. Green homes: which countries are making their buildings more energy efficient? Last week, the … Continue reading Europe’s building renovation divide
National Building Renovation Plans – the European Commission’s first assessment
The Commission’s first assessment of the complete draft National Building Renovation Plans (NBRPs) shows strong commitment by EU countries to make buildings more energy efficient and decarbonised. This, in turn, lowers energy bills and makes buildings more liveable, particularly during harsh winter conditions or heatwaves. Buildings account for more than 30% of all energy used in Europe … Continue reading National Building Renovation Plans – the European Commission’s first assessment
