European Commission advances in the completion of the Common Charger initiative

Each year over 400 million external power supplies (EPS) are sold in the EU. To increase consumer convenience as well as resource and energy efficiency, the Commission has revised today the ecodesign requirements for these devices. Manufacturers will have 3 years to prepare for the changes. The rules cover EPS which charge or supply electricity to devices … Continue reading European Commission advances in the completion of the Common Charger initiative →

EU’s energy transition: the choice is not whether to enlarge or to decarbonise—it’s whether to do both smartly or not

Elisabetta Cornago writes on the Centre for European Reform about how enlargement of the EU should take place to ensure that climate ambitions are maintained. What are your views? Europe’s Climate Future Calls for Smart Enlargement As it prepares for another wave of enlargement, bringing in candidate countries from the Western Balkans and Eastern … Continue reading EU’s energy transition: the choice is not whether to enlarge or to decarbonise—it’s whether to do both smartly or not →

Leading companies want EU to repeal prominent corporate sustainabilitiy laws to increase the region’s competitiveness

TotalEnergies, Siemens and 46 other European companies have written to European governments urging them to repeal one of the EU’s most prominent corporate sustainability laws to increase the continent’s competitiveness. Kate Abnett and Virginia Furness, writing for Reuters, publish a news item on the UK Finance Yahoo website about the letter. TotalEnergies, Siemens urge … Continue reading Leading companies want EU to repeal prominent corporate sustainabilitiy laws to increase the region’s competitiveness →

“Compared to what would be required for a path that keeps to the goals of the Paris Agreement, they’re largely insufficient”

Naveena Sadasivam writes on the National Observer website about the lagging ambition to meet the Paris climate objectives. How do we turn that around? A decade after the Paris Agreement, countries still miss their deadlines When the 2015 Paris Agreement was inked nearly a decade ago, it marked a consensus, agreed to by nearly … Continue reading “Compared to what would be required for a path that keeps to the goals of the Paris Agreement, they’re largely insufficient” →

IEA’s Energy Business Council discuss market developments

Some 60 senior executives from leading companies shared their views this week on key trends for oil, gas, critical minerals, renewables, power systems and more. The IEA Energy Business Council (EBC) brings together some of the world’s largest companies involved in energy exploration, production and consumption, ranging from oil, natural gas and coal companies … Continue reading IEA’s Energy Business Council discuss market developments →

New EEA report on the overall state of the environment: environmental damage is putting European way of life at risk

Significant progress has been made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, but the overall state of Europe’s environment is not good, especially its nature which continues to face degradation, overexploitation and biodiversity loss. The impacts of accelerating climate change are also an urgent challenge, according to the European Environment Agency’s (EEA) most comprehensive, … Continue reading New EEA report on the overall state of the environment: environmental damage is putting European way of life at risk →

EU reduced to ‘middle power’ in global climate leadership

Governments across the 27-member bloc have spent much of the year squabbling over a set of new climate targets required by European law and the 2015 Paris Agreement. Diplomats and officials from other countries said their impression was that the EU was so inwardly focused that it was difficult to get the bloc to engage with … Continue reading EU reduced to ‘middle power’ in global climate leadership →

EBRD and EU launch green investments in the West Bank

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Union (EU) launched the Green Economy Financing Facility (GEFF) programme in the West Bank in an effort to support the transition to a greener economy. The newly rolled-out GEFF programme will provide up to €25.9 million of senior unsecured loans to four local financial institutions for gender-responsive on-lending to Palestinian micro, … Continue reading EBRD and EU launch green investments in the West Bank →

Criticism that the IPCC prioritises technological solutions and innovation over restraint

In an article on the Le Monde website, Audrey Garric writes about the criticism of the IPCC from the historian Jean-Baptiste Fressoz. According to Fressoz, the United Nations prioritises technological and sometimes 'speculative' solutions over restraint and other options, thereby delaying necessary structural changes. IPCC faces criticism for favoring high-tech solutions to global warming … Continue reading Criticism that the IPCC prioritises technological solutions and innovation over restraint →

More support being given to SMEs in Europe to become more energy efficient

It was a big day for energy efficiency financing this week. Importantly, the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group, supported by the European Commission announced a new financing initiative at a meeting that brought together a wide range of experts, including Rod, representing Energy Efficiency in Industrial Processes (EEIP). You can check out the EEIP LinkedIn … Continue reading More support being given to SMEs in Europe to become more energy efficient →