EU
Ambitious or weak? Reaction to the EU’s 2030 climate package
COMMENT: Business leaders, NGOs and politicians give their verdict on the European Union’s 2030 energy and climate change targets
EU adopts CO2 cutting target of “at least” 40% by 2030
NEWS: European leaders agreed a package of climate change and energy targets late last night, which will contribute to a global deal
Poland “needs tough love” to steer home EU climate deal
INTERVIEW: Former Finnish environment minister says Warsaw must be helped to ditch its addiction to coal
EU leaders eye deeper 2030 emissions cuts ahead of sign-off
NEWS: The latest draft agreement targets emissions cuts of “at least” 40% but weakens energy efficiency goal in 2030 package
Road to Paris: EU 2030 climate package holds key to UN deal
ANALYSIS: Leaders in Washington, Beijing and Pacific Islands will be watching Brussels carefully this week
Poland isolated as pressure mounts on EU to deliver 2030 climate deal
NEWS: Warsaw holding out for more financial support as leaders head to Brussels for key two day European Council summit
European Parliament approves EU climate and energy chiefs
NEWS: Maros Sefcovic and Miguel Arias Canete will lead the European Union’s energy and climate change policy at a critical time for international negotiations
Europe’s new “energy union” leader talks tough on Russia
NEWS: Maros Sefocovic promises a “more assertive” energy policy and to continue EU leadership in climate negotiations
UK calls for aggressive ETS reform ahead of EU2030 deal
NEWS: The carbon market must be reformed quickly to support the 2030 climate goals due to be agreed this week, argues UK
Calls for deeper carbon cuts as EU debates 2030 climate deal
NEWS: Experts urge ambition ahead of European Council meeting to sign off the EU’s 2030 climate and energy framework on Thursday and Friday
Qingdao prepares China’s 8th regional carbon market
NEWS: A Chinese city of 9 million people is getting in on emissions trading, despite being left out of an official pilot programme
Sweden calls on EU to agree 50% carbon cuts for 2030
NEWS: Stockholm says target would be in line with region’s capabilities, days before key meeting in Brussels
EU boss names Sefcovic for energy top job
NEWS: Jean-Claude Juncker has nominated Slovakia’s Maros Sefcovic as vice president of “energy union”, which will oversee climate policy
Legal elements in proposed UN climate deal find mixed support
NEWS: New submissions to UN indicate preference for more general rules on accounting and monitoring emissions
The energy bridge: How EU countries justify fossil fuels
ANALYSIS: In Germany and Italy, for different reasons, governments are pushing dirty sources of energy as “transition fuels”
Take on the “fatcats” or scrap EU carbon market – think-tank
NEWS: Europe’s emissions trading system is failing as steel and cement companies hoard excess pollution permits, warns Sandbag
Europe spends €10bn a year on coal subsidies
NEWS: Coal is expensive when subsidies and climate change costs are factored in, shows European Commission analysis
Danish minister tours Europe to promote 2030 climate deal
INTERVIEW: With two weeks until leaders are set to finalise EU2030 package, Martin Lidegaard tells RTCC there is “a long way to go”
EU 2030 compromise could weaken climate action
ANALYSIS: As sign-off nears for the EU 2030 climate and energy package, “flexibility” measures could water down 40% emissions cuts to just 26%
Juncker blow as EU Parliament votes out Bratusek
NEWS: Nomination for head of energy union rejected as MEPs turn against former Slovenian prime minister