EU fishermen could expand their fishing activities to the North Pacific Ocean already this year. The EU Committee on Fisheries agreed today to give consent to membership for the fishing convention in this area. MEPs voted unanimously (26-0) in favour of the report by MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen, which proposes opening up the northern pacific to…
Environment
Should Investment in Gas or Nuclear Energy be Treated as Sustainable?
In the letter, S&D vice-president and shadow rapporteur in the environment committee, Simona Bonafè, and S&D shadow rapporteur in the economic affairs committee, Paul Tang, expressed their opposition to the labelling of gas and nuclear-based energy production as taxonomy compliant. While recognising the role played by gas and nuclear to meet the energy needs nowadays towards the transition to a…
Cleaning up Our Water
Drinking water across the EU will have to be monitored more closely for the potential presence of two endocrine disrupting compounds (beta-estradiol and nonylphenol) throughout the whole water supply chain. This comes after a decision by the EU on Wednesday. As required by EU rules in force since last year, the Commission established today a first ‘watch list’ of emerging compounds to…
Emergency Aid for Floods in Brazil
The European Commission has allocated €1 million in emergency funds to respond to the consequences of floods in Brazil. During the past two months, heavy rains affected several Brazilian municipalities, particularly in the states of Bahia and Minas Gerais, resulting in disastrous consequences for the population and the loss of houses, schools and vital infrastructures….
EP Approves Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
ECR MEP Zbigniew Kuzmiuk’s Opinion pertaining to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) has been adopted by the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee (AGRI). The Opinion voices firm support for the introduction of the new mechanism, but also expresses some concerns of Committee members’ surrounding the potential consequences of its implementation. “I am very pleased with…
Is Investment in Gas Green?
The EPP group says gas “can bridge the gap” and reduce CO2 emissions faster. In a statement, it said, “To reduce Europe’s CO2 emissions, we also need gas. Not for ever and everywhere, but for a transitional period and in certain situations.” It goes on, “Gas is the cleanest fossil energy source and gas infrastructure…
Green Deal Needs Nuclear Power to Work
The European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) has signalled support for the European Commission’s proposal to include nuclear energy and fossil gas in the so-called “Taxonomy Regulation”, which sets out the criteria for green investments. “Without the promotion of nuclear energy, the scenario of high energy prices could worsen in the future. When it comes…
Nuclear’s Role in the EU’s Energy Mix
Critics argue that nuclear can solve the gas crisis and play a key role in Europe’s future energy mix As fuel was loaded into the second reactor of Europe’s newest nuclear power plant (NPP), the debate raged on about nuclear’s role in the green energy mix. Just last week the European Commission put forward the…
EU Proposes New Sources of Revenue
The Commission has proposed to establish the next generation of own resources for the EU budget by putting forward three new sources of revenue: the first based on revenues from emissions trading (ETS), the second drawing on the resources generated by the proposed EU carbon border adjustment mechanism, and the third based on the share…
Swedish Forests at Dubai Expo 2020
Expo 2020 in Dubai has now opened, and many Swedish industries, authorities and organisations are here, including the Swedish Forest Industries Federation. Dubai is currently hosting 190 countries at the World Expo on the theme ‘Connecting Minds – Creating the Future’. Much of Swedish industry is here, including companies such as Scania, Ericsson and SSAB, and…