New EEA interactive atlas on how environmental risks affect the health and well-being of Europeans

How is the air quality where you live, what about noise levels or the number of green spaces and quality of the nearest bathing water sites? Now you can check the quality of the environment on one online platform, the EEA’s European environment and health atlas. Launched this week, the atlas presents data and information … Continue reading New EEA interactive atlas on how environmental risks affect the health and well-being of Europeans →

Air pollution is the largest environmental health risk in Europe

Fiona Harvey writes on The Guardian website about a recent report from the European Environmental Agency on Europe’s air quality status. Dirty air causes premature death of at least 1,200 children across Europe every year. Europe ‘failing its children’ on air pollution, EEA says Europe is failing its children when it comes to air pollution, … Continue reading Air pollution is the largest environmental health risk in Europe →

New report from Renovate Europe

This week the Renovate Europe Campaign, together with E3G, published the report 2021-2027 Cohesion Policy Support for Energy Efficiency and Building Renovation. The study looks into how EU member states plan to use cohesion policy funding to support renovation and draws attention to key actions to maximise impact. An estimated €20bn are programmed for energy … Continue reading New report from Renovate Europe →

New EEA report on the shift to a sustainable food system

Europe’s shift to a sustainable food system will involve huge changes in the way we produce and consume food. Achieving this depends on ambitious and coherent EU policies to promote and guide innovation and behavioural change, phase out harmful practices and ensure a just transition, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) report published recently. … Continue reading New EEA report on the shift to a sustainable food system →

European Commission presents new ecodesign rules for electrical appliances in “standby” mode

This week the European Commission adopted new EU rules to reduce the energy consumption of electrical appliances when they are in ‘standby’ mode. The revised rules introduce a number of amendments to the 2008 ecodesign regulation on standby, off mode and networked standby, last updated in 2013, following an extensive consultation exercise and scrutiny from … Continue reading European Commission presents new ecodesign rules for electrical appliances in “standby” mode →

New briefing on the revised Energy Efficiency Directive

The Coalition for Energy Savings has recently published a briefing that explains the key EED provisions agreed. The ‘Fit for 55 package’ and the REPowerEU plan proposed to upgrade the current Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) to align it with the higher 2030 climate objective and speed up the phase-out of fossil fuel imports from Russia. … Continue reading New briefing on the revised Energy Efficiency Directive →

New EEA official data on 2021 GHG gas emissions published

Official data, published this week by the European Environment Agency (EEA), confirm that the economic recovery in 2021 increased the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions but their level remained lower than before the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, the EU has reduced its emissions by 30% since 1990. Economic recovery pushed EU emissions up in 2021 but … Continue reading New EEA official data on 2021 GHG gas emissions published →

New IEA analysis on energy efficiency

Using energy more efficiently has proven to be an extremely successful and cost-effective way to reduce energy demand. Highly developed and well proven policy instruments already exist to deliver increased energy efficiency, such as Ecodesign in Europe and Japan’s Top Runner. These policy tools can also support fuel switching and better demand management, helping to … Continue reading New IEA analysis on energy efficiency →

Hopes that green capital markets could quickly close Europe’s green investment gap are overblown

The Jacques Delors Centre recently published a policy brief by Sebastian Mack. He argues that with key reforms of the Capital Markets Union stalled, the European Green Deal will rely mainly on bank lending. EU policymakers should acknowledge this and shift the focus to greening banks. The Jacques Delors Centre, founded by Jacques Delors in … Continue reading Hopes that green capital markets could quickly close Europe’s green investment gap are overblown →

Rich countries have agreed in principle to make their export credit agencies lend money on better terms for a series of “climate-friendly and green” projects

OECD countries agree to extend support for ‘climate-friendly’ projects. But vague definitions and inclusion of contested activities worry campaigners. Matteo Civillini discusses the developments in an article on the Climate Change News website. OECD reforms set to give “green” projects better export finance Rich countries have agreed in principle to make their export credit … Continue reading Rich countries have agreed in principle to make their export credit agencies lend money on better terms for a series of “climate-friendly and green” projects →