More than 50 scientists have signed a statement calling for action by the European Commission, European Parliament and EU member states to end overfishing “as an urgent and necessary response to biodiversity and climate crises”. The scientists are urging the EU to set fishing limits within scientific advice, and recognise that “ecosystem-based fisheries management is critical to…
Poland’s largest oil refiner, PKN Orlen, declared its preliminary readiness for direct financial involvement in the construction of the 1GW Ostroleka-C coal power project only if it is converted into a gas unit. The announcement by PKN Orlen, which only last month acquired EnergaSa – one of the companies behind the Ostroleka C project, means…
Denmark’s Minister of Employment, Peter Hummelgaard The Danish government has announced that a way forward has been found on regulating the demolition and installation of Man-Made Vitreous Fibres (MMVF), more commonly known as mineral wool. The material is a building insulation material that has been the subject of longstanding health concerns, including fears over a possible increased…
To prevent water shortages in the EU, the European Parliament has approved a Water Reuse Regulation. The new law defines minimum requirements at European level for the first time for reclaimed water (i.e. urban wastewater that has been treated in a reclamation plant) to be used for agricultural purposes in a safe way, protecting people…
George Soros has called for countries including Germany and the Netherlands to “think again” and consider his proposal that the EU should issue perpetual bonds to fund the two trillion Euros needed to tackle COVID-19 and climate change. The financier and philanthropist says these threats are the “crisis of my lifetime” that “endangers the survival…
Nine NGOs sent an open letter to Werner Hoyer, the President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), calling for its new role in the European economic recovery to be consistent with its climate commitments and play a key role in financing the European Green Deal. The EIB plans to spend €40 billion to support especially small and…
A total of 68 large German and international companies from all sectors of the economy call upon politicians on the occasion of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue to combine economic measures to deal with the Corona crisis with ambitious climate policy. At yesterday’s launch of the 11th edition of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue, a broad alliance…
Last week on 23 April, EU heads of state and government met via video conference to address the development of economic measures to recover from the coronavirus crisis. However, instead of proposing ambitious measures, in particular coronabonds, a mutualised debt instrument, EU Leaders decided not to decide. The European Commission is instead tasked with the…
Austria has shut down its last coal-fired plant in Mellach (Styria) thereby ending its energy generation from coal. This makes Austria the eighth coal-free EU member state. The Mellach 246 MW coal plant was commissioned in 1986 and provided the city of Graz with heat. It has closed after this winter’s heating season. “The end of…
The European Commission has published guidelines to support Member States in their waste management in these difficult times of coronavirus. The continuity in providing those services also during the coronavirus crisis is crucial for our health, for the environment, and for the economy. Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius, said: “In this unprecedented crisis, we…
