Renewable electricity generation has doubled since 2005, having a positive impact on both air and water pollution, with an overall mitigation effect on climate change, Europe Environment Agency study shows. But even meeting the EU's not ambitious enough 55% climate target requires its power sector to switch to renewables faster.
The report "Feasibility of Coal in the Age of Renewable Energy: Hunutlu Thermal Power Plant Case" by WWF Turkey and SEFiA (Sustainable Economy and Financial Research Association) in collaboration with Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe reveals why coal investments no longer bring profits, through the example of the Hunutlu coal-fired thermal power plant that is under construction in Adana, Turkey.
EU Environment ministers today endorsed the earlier leaders’ agreement to up the bloc’s climate target to at least 55% net emission cuts by 2030. Next year will be crunch time to align the EU’s climate and energy legislation with the new goal, and even go beyond as more efforts will be needed to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C.
Through the revised Trans-European Networks for Energy (TEN-E) legislation, the European Commission proposes to pursue subsidising fossil gas related infrastructure late into the 2020s, despite the science-based need to move away from all fossil fuels in the next ten to fifteen years.
EU leaders meeting in Brussels today agreed on the European Commission proposal of a 2030 climate target of 55%, up from the outdated 40% target. This agreement comes timely before the 5th anniversary of the Paris Agreement this Saturday, but falls short of the scale of emission reductions needed for the EU to fairly contribute to limiting temperature increase to 1.5°C.
As the Coal Platform for the Western Balkans and Ukraine kicks off with an inaugural meeting on Dec. 10-11, 18 NGOs active in the Western Balkans and Ukraine call for effective rules to be put in place from the start in order to ensure an inclusive transition away from all fossil fuels.
The UN Environment Emissions Gap Report 2020 published today shows that all countries must urgently increase their 2030 climate targets and sharply accelerate emission cuts, as with current policies we are heading towards catastrophic climate change.
At a press conference organised by Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe together with members from Central and Eastern Europe today, climate and environment NGOs have urged the prime ministers from the region to back the much-needed increase of the EU’s 2030 climate target at the upcoming European Council, on 10-11 December.
According to the Climate Change Performance Index 2021 (CCPI), published today, the EU won six ranks from last year, but the index paints a mixed picture of progress on climate action within the EU.
The prime minister of the United Kingdom has announced a new, increased climate target for 2030 of at least 68% greenhouse gas emission cuts, just in time before he co-organises the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement. This announcement is also taking place a few days ahead of a European Council where EU leaders should also adopt a new, more ambitious 2030 climate target.
Nicolas Derobert
Communications Coordinator
nicolas /at/ caneurope.org
Work: +32 2894 4673
Mobile: +32 483 621 888
Stevan Vujasinović
Communications Coordinator for Southeast Europe
stevan /at/ caneurope.org
Mobile: +381 (0)63 390 218
Goksen Sahin
Communications Coordinator
goksen /at/ caneurope.org
Work: +32 2893 0827
Mobile: +32 468 453 920
