23. Nov. 2017
blog
On Tuesday next week, the energy committee of the European Parliament will vote on the recast of the renewables directive. The Green group in the European Parliament is not exactly thrilled by the proposals and fears that the EU will miss this chance to become the leader in renewable energy sources, as was promised by the President of the European Commission three years ago.
27. Sep. 2017
blog
Benedek Javor is a Green Hungarian MEP. He has been working on a key file in the European Parliament on Climate change, the so-called ‘Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry' regulation, a key part of the European energy and climate policy framework for 2030. In this interview, he explains the importance of forests in the fight against climate change but also the challenges when it comes to ensuring that they continue to be able to help us decreasing our emissions....
12. Sep. 2017
blog
Rebecca Harms is a Green Member of the European Parliament and has been a passionate anti nuclear activist for several years. In this opinion article she presents the main findings of the new World Nuclear Status Report and explains why it is important to phase out this old fashion type of energy and boost renewable energy sources.
30. May. 2017
blog
Today, the Agriculture committee will vote on its position on the so-called ‘LULUCF’ file. What is hiding behind this enigmatic acronym is the contribution of the agriculture and forest sectors to the reduction of climate change. Until now, they had been left out of the collective effort to reach the goals set up collectively by the parties in the Paris agreement. It’s high time to make a change!
15. Dec. 2016
blog
The European Parliament’s Environment Committee has voted today on the reform of the key EU instrument to fight against climate change: the Emissions Trading System (ETS). We need a complete overhaul to make ETS the climate policy flagship it is claimed to be. The vote today has been a first step to align the EU to the commitments we made in the Paris Agreement, but there is a long way to go to go to make sure we make polluters pay. Let’s ensure this is just the beginning!
12. Oct. 2016
blog
In 2013, Green Member of the European Parliament Bas Eickhout co-authored European legislation to reduce the use of F-gases, extremely powerful greenhouse gases. His legislation is probably the most ambitious climate legislation the EU has adopted in recent years. Recent research shows that the legislation has had a positive effect on the green economy in Europe, in contradiction to warnings by lobbyists, and now the legislation is copied across the world.
27. Sep. 2016
blog
Curbing flight emissions is essential to meeting the Paris pact, but planes are completely absent from the text, face no legal fuel efficiency requirements or limits on CO2 emissions. But all that is about to change
02. Sep. 2016
blog
G20 matters for energy and climate. That is why — alongside global growth and strengthened financial systems — Green Finance, fossil fuel subsidies and the Paris Agreement need to be key to the discussions at the G20 Summit on the 4th and 5th of September.
07. Jul. 2016
blog
Despite the Paris Agreement, King coal continues to rule across Europe. In a story published on 5 July 2016, French newspaper Le Monde reports on the daily struggles of people living in the coal heartlands of the Western Balkans.
30. Jun. 2016
blog
This week we can celebrate a victory: For the first time the European Union has recognised the issue of the ‘carbon bubble’ in EU law, and this has come about thanks to the Greens.
16. Jun. 2016
blog
With the European Commission's proposal to ratify the Paris Agreement early, it is time for the EU Council to ensure the European Union doesn't get left behind.
12. Apr. 2016
studies
Climate diplomacy is one of the best examples of the EU acting to enhance cooperation among its member states, and their collective voices on the global stage.
On this particular file, the UK is clearly more influential as part of the EU than it would be on its own. A Brexit would seriously diminish its influence at international climate negotiations ....
24. Sep. 2015
blog
On 23 September, the Luxembourguish Deputy Prime Minister Etienne Schneider invited his fellow energy Ministers from the 28 member states to attend an informal energy Council and brainstorm about investment in energy efficiency and energy savings. Ministers listened to inspirational speeches from Bertrand Piccard, Elon Musk, Jeremy Rifkin and other experts who drew their attention to the fact that efficiency, renewables and storage are the only solutions to limit global warming and that these will be at the heart of the energy system of tomorrow.
23. Jun. 2015
studies
This report, based on a myriad of articles, journals and conference proceedings, attempts to be a practical tool for a public, worried about this topic, as well as policy makers, journalists and teachers.
05. Jun. 2015
blog
This Sunday the G7 leaders will meet for 2 days in Bavaria, Germany, to discuss everything from health, gender inequality and climate change. The Greens hope that this time world leaders will discuss the global economy and foreign policy challenges in the context of a global warming, which only exacerbates these issues. Continuing to tackle every key subjects separately without realising that all of these are linked – that climate change will have a disastrous impact on our economy, our health, exacerbate conflicts across the world and increase migration flows and (gender) inequality – does not make any sense....
10. Feb. 2015
blog
The clock is ticking for the negotiators who need to agree on an ambitious deal in Paris at the end of the year. Last Sunday, a new round of international climate negotiations started in Geneva, Switzerland, and will last until Friday 13th February. Negotiators have only six days to narrow down the 38-page text agreed in Lima into a shorter and clearer legal negotiating text.
20. Jan. 2015
blog
Last Friday energy giant Repsol announced that it was putting an end to its oil and gas exploration in Canary Island waters, saying that reserves are too small and of too poor quality. The Greens - who have supported the local resistance groups against drilling in this region- will continue their advocacy work for this important cause, pressing the European Commission to take a clear stand and move towards an EU-wide ban of such projects in the future, in the Canary islands and elsewhere.
07. Oct. 2014
blog
This year again, Global Frackdown - an international day of action against fracking, shale gas and the development of unconventional oil and gas - will take place on 11th October. Today two EU NGOs - FOEE and Food & Water Europe - organised an action in front of the European Parliament in Brussels in order to alert European deputies on all the risks concerning shale gas and fracking. The Green Members joined them to show their solidarity with the anti-fracking movement.
30. Sep. 2014
blog
Last week, the Greens decided to write to President of the Commission Jean-Claude Juncker to express their some of their biggest worries regarding the future college of the European Commission and its 'mission' and structure in particular. While the Greens have many uncertainties about a series of candidates, they have particular concerns over Miguel Arias Cañete, who could be attributed the European Commission's portfolio on climate and energy...
05. Sep. 2014
blog
On Thursday 4th September a group of several MEPs including Green members wrote to the new Head of the Commission Jean Claude Juncker to warn him about the decision to merge energy and climate portfolios...
