Energy

European Parliament: What Juncker has to give for approval

Jean Claude Juncker has tried to win the hearts and minds of the parliamentarians last week during several hearings with the political groups, in an attempt to secure a positive nomination vote on Tuesday, 15 July. But what are his top priorities as a future President of the European Commission and how do they match the political groups’ agendas?

Juncker’s top five priorities answer, more or less,  to the largest possible panoply of expectations:

A digital single market for consumers and businesses;
A […]

By |July 14th, 2014|Climate Change, Energy, EU 2030|0 Comments
Read More

Leak of June Council conclusions and Energy Efficiency Review

Less than a week away from the June European Council meeting and latest leak of the meetings Conclusions indicates there is movement on the 2030 climate and energy framework. Governments are waiting for this leak of the Energy Efficiency Review from the Commission. Considerable pressure is being put on the Commission to come forward with strong measures on energy savings as the most cost-effective and efficient way to increase economic resilience, address the challenges posed by Ukraine as well as directing investment into […]

By |June 19th, 2014|Climate Change, Energy, environment, EU 2030, Leak, Renewable energy|0 Comments
Read More

Leak of June Energy Council conclusions

Donald Tusk’s drive to create an Energy Union has taken a body blow in this leak of the Energy Council conclusions. Paragraph 7a stresses the need for “…the Commission and the Member States to examine the potential for measures to strengthen the bargaining power of the EU and its Member States vis-à-vis external suppliers.” This falls considerable short of Tusk’s proposals but there is still a long way to go until the June Energy Council and October European Council where this […]

By |May 22nd, 2014|carbon leakage, Climate Change, Energy, environment, Leak|0 Comments
Read More

EU Parliamentary elections timeline

European Parliamentary elections in May 2014 will kick start a frantic period of inward inspection and tense negotiation as senior personnel are replaced in key European institutions – the European Parliament, Commission, European Council and External Action Service. This guide provides a detailed timeline of the key milestones and  a guide for focused advocacy to ensure a strong climate and energy framework to 2030.

By |May 19th, 2014|Climate Change, Energy, environment, EU 2030|0 Comments
Read More

‘Do the right thing and do it now’ says the International Energy Agency (IEA)

The International Energy Agency (IEA) is one of the few institutions that fully grasps the dire predicament that climate change will have on energy generation and its subsequent impacts on economic growth and social stability. Fatih Birol, the IEA’s Chief Economist, has become one of the leading global figures stressing the urgency for action before capital-intensive investments lock-in greenhouse gas emissions beyond the 2 degrees Celsius threshold. In fact, we are currently on course for a rise of at […]

By |May 12th, 2014|Climate Change, Energy, EU 2030, Renewable energy|0 Comments
Read More

EEAG Leak – Germany, France, Italy and UK threaten to kill State Aid guidelines

Following on from our leak of the EEAG State Aid guidelines, the politics of the debate has gone up to a new level as Germany, France, Italy and the UK come out strongly against playing by EU rules. This confidential letter on the EEAG demands the Commission relax EU rules to allow these governments to set up their own rules on who they are going to subsidise in their industrial sectors.
They ignore the problems we face collectively when common rules are […]

By |March 28th, 2014|carbon leakage, Climate Change, Energy, Leak|0 Comments
Read More

Government leaders ignore the people on climate change action

Hundreds of people gathered outside the European Council whilst leaders inside dithered on agreeing urgently needed targets to address climate change, speed up energy savings and investment in renewable energies to reduce our dependence on Russian fossil fuels and boost equitable economic growth.

What would make the 2030 strategy work?

Demonstrators denounced the lack of ambition of the 2030 climate change and energy plans proposed by the Commission and called them “dirty and dangerous”. They asked for serious, binding targets of […]

By |March 21st, 2014|Climate Change, Energy, environment, EU 2030, Renewable energy|0 Comments
Read More

Leak of draft energy and environment state aid guidelines – EEAG

 The controversial State Aid guidelines on energy and environment have just entered final consultation within the European Commission with a view to publication in the coming weeks. This leaked draft of the current state aid guidelines shows considerable movement to soften the Commission’s attempt to kill off renewables energy support schemes. Governments have also come out strongly against the Commission’s proposal but prefer to water them down further.
The Commission proposed ending special electricity prices for producers of renewable energy commonly referred […]

By |March 17th, 2014|Climate Change, Energy, environment, EU 2030, Leak, Renewable energy|4 Comments
Read More

Exclusive leak: March European Council conclusions delay agreement on climate and energy security

Leaked document shows that Europe’s leaders will meet on 20-21 March and delay agreement on the EU’s greenhouse gas targets to 2030, the single most important decision of our lifetimes.
[…]

By |March 12th, 2014|Climate Change, Energy, EU 2030, Leak|0 Comments
Read More