Latest news with #EuropeanClimateLaw
Euronews
02-06-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Top scientists slam EU plan to allow carbon credits in 2040 goal
The EU's top scientific advisors are urging the bloc not to use international carbon credits to meet its climate targets. In an unprecedented intervention, the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change (ESABCC) has today issued a report rebuking Brussels' expected plan to weaken its 2040 goal. The experts say the bloc must stay the course on cutting domestic greenhouse gas emissions by 90-95 per cent below 1990 levels by 2040, following suggestions last week that it would settle for something less ambitious. 'A 90-95 per cent domestic reduction target for 2040 is both achievable and in Europe's own strategic interest. We need to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, and the necessary technologies are largely available,' says Prof. Jette Bredahl Jacobsen, vice-Chair of the Advisory Board. Domestic is the operative word; outsourcing our emissions cutting to other countries via carbon credits would be a misguided approach on several levels, the scientists and climate campaigners have emphasised. The EU has pledged to be climate neutral by 2050, and is almost on track to reduce emissions by 55 per cent by 2030. But its interim target for 2040 is yet to be legally fixed. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, alongside climate chiefs Wopke Hoekstra and Teresa Ribera, had previously indicated that the EU would aim to cut its emissions by 90 per cent by 2040. That is at the lower end of what ESABCC recommended in 2023. But after pushback from some governments, Hoekstra has delayed the revision of the European Climate Law until around 2 July. He is reportedly considering ways to make the 2040 goal more flexible, including the use of carbon credits. Under a UN-backed framework agreed at the climate summit COP29 last year, carbon credits enable one country to pay for emissions-cutting projects in another nation, and count the saved CO2 towards its own progress. Supporters claim these transactions are more cost-effective than domestic action and can help poorer countries get funding for climate action. Critics, including scientists on the advisory board, argue that the credits risk diverting resources from domestic investments and could undermine environmental integrity. 'Delaying action or relying on international carbon credits would risk missing vital opportunities to modernise the EU's economy, create quality jobs, and reinforce Europe's position in clean tech leadership,' Bredahl Jacobsen says. The ESABCC - which is an independent body legally tasked with making climate policy recommendations - has never commented on an ongoing political debate in this manner before. Its 60-page report points to research showing that, 'just 16 per cent of credits issued under various carbon crediting programmes to date have delivered genuine emission reductions.' Green NGOs are glad to see the board taking a stand. International offsets are 'a waste of taxpayers' money,' according to Michael Sicaud-Clyet, Climate Governance Policy Officer at WWF EU. 'Why should we pay other countries when we could be investing it in making our own industries more competitive? It's like sending someone else to school and expecting to receive the degree and results yourself.' International carbon credits aren't necessary, the report stresses. A net domestic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the range of 90 to 95 per cent is both scientifically feasible and increases the fairness of the EU's contribution to global mitigation. Alongside mitigation, the advisory board is calling for stronger EU action on adaptation to protect citizens from increasing climate risks. Rising greenhouse gas emissions have already driven global temperatures up by 1.3-1.4 °C, fuelling extreme climate events in Europe and around the world. Yet, the authors say, the EU's current adaptation policy lacks measurable goals and a robust legal foundation. 'The risks from climate change are growing, and so is the gap between what's needed and what's in place,' says Prof Laura Diaz Anadon, vice-Chair of the Advisory Board. 'The EU should clarify its vision for climate resilience, and back it with governance, legal tools, and measurable targets. Without a stronger adaptation policy framework, Europe risks falling behind the pace of impacts from climate change.' More than 40 per cent of Europe is currently facing some form of drought, the latest official update reveals. Pockets of south-eastern Spain, Cyprus, Greece, and areas across the south-eastern Balkans are under the highest form of 'alert' according to the European Drought Observatory (EDO)'s report for 11-20 May. But a drought 'warning' is also in place across large swathes of northern and eastern Europe, following a record-breaking hot and dry spring, driven by climate change. March was Europe's warmest on record, and some countries saw their driest March, Europe's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) previously reported. In total, 1.6 per cent of the 27 EU countries (excluding Madeira, Azores, and Canary Islands) plus the UK is in alert conditions. As per the EDO's classification, this means that vegetation is showing signs of stress, as well as the soil lacking moisture - which places an area under a warning - and less than normal rainfall. The situation is particularly acute in some Mediterranean areas favoured by holidaymakers, such as the Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos. Here, water is having to be shipped in from Athens or filtered by desalination plants to fill swimming pools and showers. Overtourism is being blamed for exacerbating the issue. "The tourist sector is unsustainable and there is no planning,' Nikitas Mylopoulos, professor of water resource management at Thessaly University, told the UK's Sky News. '[This is] leading to a tremendous rise in water demand in summer.' However, he added, agriculture is a far bigger drain on the country's water resources, amplified by waste and a lack of effective policies. Alert conditions are rapidly emerging in large areas of Ukraine and neighbouring countries, impacting crops and vegetation, EDO warns. Ukraine is one of Europe's fastest-heating countries, hitting 2.7°C above the 1951-1980 average in 2023. As a major exporter of grain, drought here has serious ramifications for global food supplies. Parts of Poland and Slovakia are suffering from the dry spell, too. Alert conditions also persist in western, south-eastern and central Türkiye, northern and western Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, parts of Jordan, northern Iraq, Iran and Azerbaijan. In northern Africa, alert and warning conditions have clung on for more than a year. According to the EDO's Combined Drought Indicator (CDI), 39.6 per cent of the EU-27 and the UK have a drought warning. This orange patch on the map stretches from Ireland to the northern slopes of the Alps, across to Finland, southern Russia and Türkiye. During the 10-day period from 11 to 20 May, temperatures have been above the seasonal average in northern Europe. As well as the agricultural impacts, there are concerns for hydropower. The International Hydropower Association has said that drought and intense rain - an example of 'climate whiplash' - are pushing power plants to "operate at the limits of their existing equipment". Global warming is exacerbating drought in some parts of the world, including around the Mediterranean. Scientists at the World Weather Attribution found that the widespread drought of 2022, for example, was made 20 times more likely by climate change. It will take time to do a similar study for spring 2025, but there is no doubt that climate change is making droughts worse by increasing temperatures and changing 'precipitation regimes', in the words of Andrea Toreti, coordinator of the Copernicus European and Global Drought Observatories. Regions that would usually have a chance to recover or balance a lack of water in warmer seasons and prepare for summer cannot depend on rainfall in the same way, Toreti previously told Euronews Green. 'Nowadays, this sort of equilibrium has been modified.'
Miami Herald
28-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
EU says it is on track to meet main 2030 climate and energy goals
May 28 (UPI) -- The European Union said Wednesday that the 27-country bloc made significant progress in the past 18 months toward a target to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 and boost the share of energy produced by renewables to at least 42.5%. An audit of the implementation of National Energy and Climate Plans mandated by European Climate Law showed most member states had 'substantially' shown improvement, particularly following new recommendations in December 2023, the European Commission said in a news release. 'The commission's assessment shows that the EU is currently on course to reduce net GHG emissions by around 54% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels, if member states implement fully existing and planned national measures and EU policies,' the commission said. The estimate for the proportion of energy that will come from renewables was 41%. 'In the current geopolitical context, this demonstrates that the EU is staying the course on its climate commitments, investing with determination in the clean energy transition and prioritizing the EU's industrial competitiveness and the social dimension,' the statement added. The findings from updated plans submitted by 23 of the 27 member states, as of the middle of last month, mark a turnaround for Brussels, which had been warning that the last set of plans from 2023 indicated 2030 climate and energy goals were in danger of slipping. 'When we play our cards and instruments in a smart manner, we deliver as a continent,' said EU competition and climate chief, Teresa Ribera of Spain. But she warned the bloc must continue to press forward because with climate disasters becoming more frequent unpreparedness 'imposes more cost to our economy and creates more social harm.' Belgium, Poland and Estonia, which have yet to submit their final NECPs, almost a year away from the June 30 deadline, 'must do so without delay,' warned the European Commission, which said it was in the process of reviewing Slovakia's submission received last month. The commission acknowledged issues with other goals in the 2030 targets on carbon absorption and energy efficiency with the bloc failing to establish sufficient forests and other areas that act as carbon sinks to absorb the required 310 millions tons of CO2 a year. Member states were also forecast to miss a target to reduce energy consumption by 11.7% by boosting efficiency with current projections showing usage set to come down by just 8.1%. The European Commission said the next phase would focus on channeling public funds into 'transformative' investments, fostering private investment and coordinating the effort on a EU level but also regionally to meet the goals. The projected cost to achieve all the targets is an eye-watering $644.5 billion, although the commission said that number had to be weighed against the $486 billion EU nations paid for imported fossil fuels in 2023. However, the whole enterprise pivots on member states remaining committed amid mounting public dissatisfaction with the associated disruption and expense amid a cost of living crisis and a growing squeeze on government budgets, particularly from pressure to up the proportion of national income spent on defense. U.S. President Donald Trump has continued an effort begun in his first 2017-2021 term to pressure NATO's European members -- most of which still spend less than 2.5% of GDP on defense -- to pick up more of the tab by raising that figure to 5%. Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
EU says it is on track to meet main 2030 climate and energy goals
May 28 (UPI) -- The European Union said Wednesday that the 27-country bloc made significant progress in the past 18 months toward a target to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 and boost the share of energy produced by renewables to at least 42.5%. An audit of the implementation of National Energy and Climate Plans mandated by European Climate Law showed most member states had "substantially" shown improvement, particularly following new recommendations in December 2023, the European Commission said in a news release. "The commission's assessment shows that the EU is currently on course to reduce net GHG emissions by around 54% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels, if member states implement fully existing and planned national measures and EU policies," the commission said. The estimate for the proportion of energy that will come from renewables was 41%. "In the current geopolitical context, this demonstrates that the EU is staying the course on its climate commitments, investing with determination in the clean energy transition and prioritizing the EU's industrial competitiveness and the social dimension," the statement added. The findings from updated plans submitted by 23 of the 27 member states, as of the middle of last month, mark a turnaround for Brussels, which had been warning that the last set of plans from 2023 indicated 2030 climate and energy goals were in danger of slipping. "When we play our cards and instruments in a smart manner, we deliver as a continent," said EU competition and climate chief, Teresa Ribera of Spain. But she warned the bloc must continue to press forward because with climate disasters becoming more frequent unpreparedness "imposes more cost to our economy and creates more social harm." Belgium, Poland and Estonia, which have yet to submit their final NECPs, almost a year away from the June 30 deadline, "must do so without delay," warned the European Commission, which said it was in the process of reviewing Slovakia's submission received last month. The commission acknowledged issues with other goals in the 2030 targets on carbon absorption and energy efficiency with the bloc failing to establish sufficient forests and other areas that act as carbon sinks to absorb the required 310 millions tons of CO2 a year. Member states were also forecast to miss a target to reduce energy consumption by 11.7% by boosting efficiency with current projections showing usage set to come down by just 8.1%. The European Commission said the next phase would focus on channeling public funds into "transformative" investments, fostering private investment and coordinating the effort on a EU level but also regionally to meet the goals. The projected cost to achieve all the targets is an eye-watering $644.5 billion, although the commission said that number had to be weighed against the $486 billion EU nations paid for imported fossil fuels in 2023. However, the whole enterprise pivots on member states remaining committed amid mounting public dissatisfaction with the associated disruption and expense amid a cost of living crisis and a growing squeeze on government budgets, particularly from pressure to up the proportion of national income spent on defense. U.S. President Donald Trump has continued an effort begun in his first 2017-2021 term to pressure NATO's European members -- most of which still spend less than 2.5% of GDP on defense -- to pick up more of the tab by raising that figure to 5%.
UPI
28-05-2025
- Business
- UPI
EU says it is on track to meet main 2030 climate and energy goals
The EU was largely on track to meet targets to slash greenhouse gas emissions by more than half by 2030 and boost the share of energy produced by renewables to 42.5%, the European Commission said Wednesday. File photo by Patrick Seeger/EPA-EFE May 28 (UPI) -- The European Union said Wednesday that the 27-country bloc made significant progress in the past 18 months toward a target to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 and boost the share of energy produced by renewables to at least 42.5%. An audit of the implementation of National Energy and Climate Plans mandated by European Climate Law showed most member states had "substantially" shown improvement, particularly following new recommendations in December 2023, the European Commission said in a news release. "The commission's assessment shows that the EU is currently on course to reduce net GHG emissions by around 54% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels, if member states implement fully existing and planned national measures and EU policies," the commission said. The estimate for the proportion of energy that will come from renewables was 41%. "In the current geopolitical context, this demonstrates that the EU is staying the course on its climate commitments, investing with determination in the clean energy transition and prioritizing the EU's industrial competitiveness and the social dimension," the statement added. The findings from updated plans submitted by 23 of the 27 member states, as of the middle of last month, mark a turnaround for Brussels, which had been warning that the last set of plans from 2023 indicated 2030 climate and energy goals were in danger of slipping. "When we play our cards and instruments in a smart manner, we deliver as a continent," said EU competition and climate chief, Teresa Ribera of Spain. But she warned the bloc must continue to press forward because with climate disasters becoming more frequent unpreparedness "imposes more cost to our economy and creates more social harm." Belgium, Poland and Estonia, which have yet to submit their final NECPs, almost a year away from the June 30 deadline, "must do so without delay," warned the European Commission, which said it was in the process of reviewing Slovakia's submission received last month. The commission acknowledged issues with other goals in the 2030 targets on carbon absorption and energy efficiency with the bloc failing to establish sufficient forests and other areas that act as carbon sinks to absorb the required 310 millions tons of CO2 a year. Member states were also forecast to miss a target to reduce energy consumption by 11.7% by boosting efficiency with current projections showing usage set to come down by just 8.1%. The European Commission said the next phase would focus on channeling public funds into "transformative" investments, fostering private investment and coordinating the effort on a EU level but also regionally to meet the goals. The projected cost to achieve all the targets is an eye-watering $644.5 billion, although the commission said that number had to be weighed against the $486 billion EU nations paid for imported fossil fuels in 2023. However, the whole enterprise pivots on member states remaining committed amid mounting public dissatisfaction with the associated disruption and expense amid a cost of living crisis and a growing squeeze on government budgets, particularly from pressure to up the proportion of national income spent on defense. U.S. President Donald Trump has continued an effort begun in his first 2017-2021 term to pressure NATO's European members -- most of which still spend less than 2.5% of GDP on defense -- to pick up more of the tab by raising that figure to 5%.
Observer
20-05-2025
- Business
- Observer
Investing in clean energy bolsters EU security
The United States has, at least for the time being, relinquished its role as the leader of the global energy transition. In addition to abandoning the clean-energy goals laid out by his predecessor, Joe Biden, US President Donald Trump has refused to acknowledge the profound health, economic, and security risks climate change poses to Americans, much less to traditional US allies and partners around the world. The Trump administration has instead turned its focus to revitalising the coal industry and increasing oil and gas exports in an attempt to achieve 'energy dominance' over friends and foes alike. The fallout has been swift. In March 2025, the US intelligence community failed to mention climate change in its annual threat assessment for the first time in over a decade, and the White House recently did away with the congressionally mandated national climate assessment, produced every four years since 1990. The US Environmental Protection Agency, for its part, is attempting to overturn the long-held scientific finding that greenhouse gases (GHGs) harm human health, which is the basis for US emissions regulations. With the US turning its back on climate action, and China still heavily dependent on coal, it falls to Europe to lead the global decarbonisation agenda. To be sure, the European Union and its member states are also under immense pressure to increase defense spending, which some European politicians believe should take precedence over green investments. But this is a false choice. For Europe, continued investment in clean energy is an investment in security. The EU has made considerable progress increasing renewable energy as a share of its energy mix since adopting the 2021 European Climate Law, which formalized the goals of the European Green Deal and set the intermediate target of reducing GHG emissions by at least 55% by 2030. These decarbonisation efforts were temporarily sidetracked by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, when Europe had to scramble to replace imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia. Despite (or perhaps because of) this challenge, nearly 50% of the electricity generated in the EU in 2024 was from renewables, with gas declining for the fifth year in a row and solar surpassing coal for the first time. Nuclear and wind have become the bloc's leading energy sources. What the EU has achieved is impressive. The bloc reduced its dependence not only on fossil fuels, which now account for only 29% of electricity generation, but also on its belligerent neighbor: its gas imports from Russia declined from 150 billion cubic meters in 2021 to less than 52 bcm in 2024. The problem now is that Europe risks becoming reliant on two increasingly unreliable partners: the US and China. Both the Biden and Trump administrations were more than happy to compensate for the shortfall in Russian gas supplies: Europe's LNG imports from the US have more than doubled since 2021, from 18.9 to 45.1 bcm in 2024. But given Trump's obvious disregard for America's traditional allies, as illustrated by his capricious tariff policies, his administration might be willing to weaponize US energy resources – much like Russia has – to get his way on, say, how to end the Ukraine War, or how many US-made weapons Europe should buy. Similarly, the EU's decarbonisation drive has made the bloc increasingly dependent on China, which dominates the processing and supply of the critical minerals essential for clean-energy technologies. The Chinese government has amply demonstrated its willingness – most recently in response to the imposition of US tariffs – to restrict foreign access to critical minerals and rare-earth elements to advance its economic and foreign-policy goals. For Europe, continued investment in clean energy is an investment in security. The recent Summit on the Future of Energy Security, organized by the International Energy Agency and the United Kingdom, offered an opportunity for policymakers to assess how Europe might advance both its security and climate objectives in this shifting geopolitical landscape. Despite efforts by the Trump administration to scupper support for the clean-energy transition, organizers of the recent summit held firm, reasserting that renewables and battery storage are crucial for energy security. Investments in fighter jets and missile systems are important to deter high-end threats. But in the near term, the EU should focus on developing mechanisms to protect against the more immediate risk that energy-related influence and coercion – whether from Russia, China, or the US – will stymie the Green Deal, or even undermine the bloc's capacity for independent decision-making. To avert these scenarios, Europe should continue to invest in renewable-energy generation and transmission, increase recycling of critical minerals, and create a critical-mineral stockpile. At a moment when many in Europe are pressuring the EU to choose between following through on its climate commitments and investing in hard security, policymakers should remember that advancing the clean-energy transition – largely through continued investment in renewables – will bolster the bloc's security. With the US abandoning its claim to international climate leadership, Europe must take up the mantle. The world needs a credible model of successful decarbonisation to follow. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2025.
