The European Union and the United States have announced the Global Methane Pledge, an initiative to reduce global methane emissions to be launched at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in November in Glasgow. President Biden and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged countries at the US-led Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate…
Building climate-resilient societies in line with the forthcoming EU adaptation strategy is vital, says Parliament in a resolution voted last week. The resolution on adaptation to climate change will provide input on a new adaptation strategy, expected from the Commission in 2021 as part of the European Green Deal, and was approved with 550 votes…
Conservative MEPs have blasted the European Union’s “hypocrisy” in claiming to combat climate change while maintaining the dual seat system for the European Parliament. They are challenging member state Governments to scrap the so-called travelling circus that sees the legislature and its staff shuttle back and forth every month between parliament buildings and suites of offices hundreds of…
EU greenhouse gas emissions data is reported in line with international requirements and inventories of emissions have improved over time, according to a new report from the European Court of Auditors. However, better insight is needed into specific sectors such as agriculture and forestry, say the auditors. They also suggest further improvements to reporting on…
The world is facing climate crisis and needs all the help it can get. But amazingly some countries are still playing political football with the environment – not because they are climate change deniers, but because they want to exclude willing volunteers for their own selfish political reasons and prevent certain countries from joining the…
With the world facing environmental catastrophe from climate change, and calls for Europe to stop using all fossil fuels, why is the EU continuing to allow investment in gas infrastructure? Nord Stream 2 is entering the final stage of its construction after Denmark issued a permit to lay the pipe in its territorial waters. But…
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) says it backs the Commission’s proposal for implementing national energy and climate plans and points to the key role civil society organisations have to play in nurturing the culture of sustainability essential for Europe’s future. Europe has no future unless it develops a culture of sustainability, one that…
Climate campaigners in Belgium have 267,617 reasons why the country’s politicians should intensify efforts to tackle global warming. That is the number of people who signed a petition demanding more effort in addressing the issue. The recent unusually high temperatures in Belgium and elsewhere have, for many, highlighted the pressing emergency posed by climate change….
The bioeconomy is a crucial factor in fighting climate change, responding to the growing food demand and boosting rural areas. In its opinion on the adopted at its plenary session, the EESC calls for better support for SMEs in the form of advice and access to finance. Public-private cooperation should be promoted and supported through…
The leaders of Europe met in the Romanian town of Sibiu this week and agreed on ten points regarding the future of Europe. Climate change featured only tenth as a priority though. Reacting to the outcome the co-leading candidate of the European Green Party, Greens/EFA co-president Ska Keller was very critical of this. She said:“The seriousness of the…
