Ukraine’s dependence on imported coal has dramatically increased since last year. It results from a steep decline in coal production in the Ukrainian city of Donbass, which followed extensive damage to its mining and transport infrastructure caused by the armed conflict and, eventually, the loss of control over mines to separatists. According to a new report issued today by Heinrich Boell Foundation (Kyiv office), this crisis can be turned into an opportunity for shifting the energy system away from coal.

The EU position on climate finance for the Paris climate summit was adopted today by the EU Finance Ministers. Unfortunately, it falls short of what is needed to deliver a strong deal in Paris that empowers the world’s poor to cope with the current and future impacts of climate change and to develop in a less polluting way so that their carbon emissions don’t add to the climate change problem.

One year since the entry into office of the current European Commission headed by Jean-Claude Juncker, environmental groups have criticised the EU executive for a paralysis in policymaking on issues related to the environment.

All eyes will be on the EU Finance Ministers meeting in Brussels on November 10th to adopt the EU position on climate finance for the Paris climate summit. According to Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe, their commitment to deliver the EU’s fair share of $100 billion of climate finance annually by 2020 and to consistently scale it up after 2020 can be the make or break issue for the Paris climate agreement.

The report assessing countries’ contributions to the Paris climate agreement released today by the UNFCCC sets off alarm bells for all governments to strengthen current, inadequate climate targets before they are put into effect and at latest by 2018.

  1. Current 23% emissions cut cannot be an excuse to emit more after 2020
  2. Joint reaction on the Energy Community's Roadmap from CEE Bankwatch Network and Climate Action Network Europe
  3. Media advisory: The last five days of negotiations before the Paris Climate Summit.
  4. EU leaders fail to rise to the occasion for more climate action, despite its clear future impact on migration

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