EU Climate Policy

13. Feb. 2013

The EU can and must be a climate leader

EU leaders have agreed to a binding target of a 20% reduction of carbon emissions levels by 2020 compared to 1990 levels. The EU is already on its way to achieving its climate target. The Greens/EFA group thus pushes the EU to increase its own domestic climate ambition and set itself a binding target of at least 30% by 2020. Such a decision would foster the green economy, incite investment in renewable energy sources and create green jobs. By raising its emissions target the EU would also strongly encourage the rest of the world to take further climate action and give some momentum to international climate discussions.

Introduction

EU CLIMATE POLICY

15. Dec. 2016 blog

EU ETS: A decent balance but a long way to go to finally make polluters pay

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

F-gas regulation proves environmental policy does make a difference

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

Planes need to stop existing in a parallel universe when it comes to the climate fight

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 Summit: the time to turn rhetoric into practice

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.