Swift and significant emission cuts by Europe’s top polluters under new rules would boost health and reduce healthcare costs.
On 18 December, EU Energy Ministers are expected to reach an agreement on four legislative files under the Clean Energy Package, namely those regarding renewable energy, governance and the internal market for electricity.
Worryingly, the draft documents for the meeting show that they are stubbornly insisting on an outdated, blatantly unambitious position on the renewable energy target and weak rules for helping countries make energy transition. They are also about to allow massive coal subsidies in the EU power market.
While EU leaders are discussing climate finance at the One Planet Summit in Paris, today the European Parliament failed once again to prevent further public investments in fossil fuels. A decision made in the European Parliament turns a blind eye to the Juncker plan’s investments in energy projects which have so far benefited fossil fuels almost as much as renewables, a study shows.
Today an EU Platform for Coal Regions in Transition is being launched by European Commission Vice-President Šefčovič. The Platform aims to support Member States and regions as they shift away from coal towards renewable energy, in order to “leave no region behind”.
The One Planet Summit, organized by French President Emmanuel Macron and taking place in Paris, France on 12 December will gather over 50 heads of state to celebrate the second year anniversary of the Paris Agreement and trigger new ambitious climate action [1].
Today the European Parliament’s Industry and Environment Committees adopted their position on the future Governance Regulation, which will create a framework for the zero-carbon transition in the EU. MEPs voted in favour of increasing the EU’s long term target to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 the latest [1] and supported robust rules for how to reach the 2030 climate and energy targets.
The Estonian EU Presidency has opened the door to allowing massive coal subsidies in the new EU power market rules, proposing changes eliminating the carbon intensity threshold for existing coal plants at the 11th hour of negotiations.(1) The changes could allow the use of public money for plants to stay open longer, and even extend their lifetimes.
Today the European Parliament’s Industry Committee voted on its positions on the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive and the Energy Efficiency Directive for the period 2021 – 2030.
The European Parliament and Energy Ministers are currently finalising their respective positions on the Clean Energy Package - eight legislative proposals that will guide energy policy all across Europe for the next decade. They must step up and strengthen the proposals if Europe is serious about tackling climate change and making European policies work for people.
Main civil society networks working on climate change in Europe and Africa have urged the leaders of the two continents to use the upcoming high-profile EU-Africa summit taking place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire on 29-30 November as an opportunity to strengthen their cooperation on tackling climate change.
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
