Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP)

Relief echoed across the EU when the results of the European and French elections were announced, as the threat of the extreme right parties in some countries was averted, at least for now. But what comes next? How will policymakers address the cost of living and social equity concerns while sticking to their international pledges and proceeding with the implementation of the green transition? Read the latest blog by IEEP Executive Director Eero Yrjö-Koskinen ⤵ https://lnkd.in/eMv56F9W #GreenTransition #SocialEquity #EUGreenDeal #EUElections

Yesterday our Executive Director Eero Yrjö-Koskinen spoke at the Friends of Europe debate "Navigating the EU’s sustainability transitions in a polycrisis world" with the participation of Leena Yla-Mononen. This interactive discussion looked at the challenges deriving from competing priorities and ensuring that environmental goals are not sidelined during the next institutional cycle. Starting with the latest report by the European Environment Agency “Europe’s Sustainability Transitions Outlook, thinking long-term while acting short-term”, speakers and participants focused the debate on maintaining the balance between ecological resilience and macroeconomic stability. Here are our main takeaways ⤵ 💶 A stable climate and a healthy environment are the preconditions for our long-term economic development and competitiveness. We need to ensure that public funding coming from the EU budget such as the next Multiannual financial framework (MFF) is in line with sustainability goals. 👩🌾 We would need a comprehensive Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform to ensure not only food security and address the social and economic challenges in the farming sector, but also tackle biodiversity loss, reduce pollution, and the excessive use of critical resources, such as fresh water. The cost of inaction is too big. 🛳 Trade relations and partnerships with non-EU countries are fundamental. We should maintain constructive relations with the Global South by complementing the existing trade and cooperation agreements with new provisions on technical and financial support, which would allow them to address properly water scarcity, biodiversity loss, and governance issues. 🗣 Lastly, we should all work towards a new narrative that addresses and explains green transition’s needs and solutions. Thanks to Dharmendra Kanani for hosting and to the speakers Claire Dupont, Lorenzo Benini, Alexandr Hobza, Vadim Kononenko, Dzhordzhio Naldzhiev for a great discussion. 📑 Find out more in: ✔ Our post-2024 CAP vision 👉 https://lnkd.in/esaAGcnV ✔ Our work on existing frameworks for trade and cooperation on Critical Raw Materials 👉 https://lnkd.in/dgd8RdG9 #FoEDebate #GreenTransition #Biodiversity #GreenTrade #SustainableAgriculture #Sustainability #CriticalRawMaterials

Last week Pierre Leturcq, Head of the Global programme and Coordinator of the Green Trade Network, was in Beijing to provide a 2-day training course to Chinese officials from the Ministry of Commerce, China (MOFCOM) on the latest evolutions in the EU’s approach to trade and sustainability. Discussions focused on Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) chapters, EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), and Corporate sustainability due diligence (CSDDD), as well as providing valuable insights into how the EU is leading the way in promoting green trade practices. This training is part of a cooperation programme between the EU and China, led by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. In addition to the training, Pierre had a bilateral exchange on both EU and Chinese EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) models and the EU’s CBAM with Maosheng Duan, Professor at the University of Tsinghua. It was a productive discussion that shed light on the opportunities for collaboration on green trade issues. Moreover, Pierre also had the pleasure of meeting with other local environmental stakeholders to exchange ideas and discuss ways to further promote sustainable trade practices in China and continue working towards a greener future for global trade. ✔ Check our work on sustainable trade ⤵ https://lnkd.in/ehkjK6g5 💡 Find out more about the Green Trade Network and get in touch with us ⤵ https://lnkd.in/eRt9gqnN #GreenTrade #SustainableTrade #CBAM #Deforestation #ETS #EmissionsTradingSystem #DueDiligence #EUChina #InternationalCooperation

On Wednesday, our research director Antoine Oger joined other experts and industry leaders to talk about how smart industrial and trade policies can power Europe's green battery value.   💡 Read our 5 takeaways from the event:   1. Unified Green Market: We need a single market industry that isn't just green but also monitored permanently to build demand-side confidence.   2. Critical Raw Material Act and 40% Goal: These are targets, not mandates. Public and private Investments must be made now, as the CRMA provides only the framework, leaving implementation to Member States and companies.   3. EU Commission's Role: The new European Commission must demonstrate commitment to supporting these implementation measures and investment. A follow-up to the European Green Deal investment is crucial after NextGen EU ends in 2026.   4. Global South Inclusion: The EU's raw material policy needs to accommodate global south countries, finding common ground and creating tools that provide them with policy and financial space to pursue their own sustainable development objectives.   5. Tailored Free Trade Agreements: Mega FTAs are increasingly challenging. Smaller, targeted agreements that combine legal obligations and sound sustainability provisions are needed  “The new EU institutional framework provides a window of opportunity to come up with a consistent and coherent foreign policy that is aligned with the realities of the world as well as our climate and environmental objectives. This strategy must notably maintain a dual focus on decarbonisation and reducing domestic material footprint through its trade and industrial policy,” says Antoine Oger   Read our work on Critical Raw Materials and circularity strategies    ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dgd8RdG9   ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eHpS7mBr   Thanks to all the speakers for the great discussion Kerstin Jorna, European Commission Simone Tagliapietra, Bruegel - Improving economic policy Wouter Ghyoot, Umicore Djibril RENE william todts & Julia Poliscanova (she/her), Transport & Environment (T&E) Sunayana Sasmal, Tulip Consulting #Trade #RawCriticalMaterials #ElectricVehicles

♻️ More standards for more circular products? The Council of the European Union has adopted the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (#ESPR), set to enter into force soon. This regulation establishes a framework for ecodesign requirements for products sold in the EU, focusing on: - Durability - Reusability - Repairability - Recyclability - Upgradability - Environmental impact   A key element of the ESPR is the introduction of a Digital Product Passport (DPP). It would carry a product’s information requirements, providing information on performance, traceability, technical documentation, harmful chemicals, user manuals and facilitating the repair and recycling of products.     Read more in our latest blog by Eline Blot on measures to improve the sustainability of goods sold and empower consumer choices in the EU ➡ https://lnkd.in/eMQsg_ST #CircularProducts #ESPR #CircularEconomy #Ecodesign

🏘 Low emission zones (LEZ) and zero emission zones (ZEZ) are important tools to help cities to improve their air quality and address associated health impacts. LEZs have been successfully implemented in Stockholm since 1996, Milan since 2008, and Brussels since 2018. However, their introduction can sometimes be controversial and met by resistance from the public and businesses, who fear the possibility of costly, inconvenient or unequal socio-economic impacts. So, what can cities do to get their citizens and businesses on board?   As part of a study for the Clean Air Fund, we produced case studies that reveal some common threads related to how cities can engage and communicate with stakeholders when developing a LEZ, and how they can address some of the potential socio-economic impacts during the LEZ’s implementation.   The next case studies on Warsaw, where LEZ will soon be implemented, and Sofia will be added this summer, with a final research paper published and discussed in a webinar early this September. 📗 Find out more in our briefs written by Emma Watkins, Emma Bergeling, Elena Marchetti, and CHIARA ANTONELLI ⤵ https://lnkd.in/etevNzGR 📑 Read also this blog on Stockholm, a pioneer in this area ⤵ https://lnkd.in/eMNh3GAx ℹ For more information on the study, or to receive an invitation for the final webinar in September, contact Emma Watkins. #LowEmissionZones #ZeroEmissionZones #AirQuality #AirPollution

EU food systems are facing unprecedented challenges while driving biodiversity loss, environmental pollution, and being responsible for almost 31% of the total greenhouse gas emissions in the EU. They also contribute to rising levels of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes.   Researchers agree that increasing the resilience and sustainability of EU food systems will require changes in production methods, a dietary shift towards more plant-based foods, and reduced livestock production. Novel sources of protein could play a role in supporting these changes, but the are some uncertainties on the positive and negative impacts that their upscaling can have on the environment, society, and the economy.   In our latest brief, prepared by Elisabet N. and Axel G., we outline the main benefits and concerns surrounding this shift towards plant-based diets and expanded production and consumption of novel sources of proteins. We also explore the role of EU policy in maximising the benefits and responding to the identified concerns, and specifically, in creating synergies between dietary shifts and further uptake of sustainable farming practices. Read our briefing ⤵ https://lnkd.in/eFsma_CU #EUFoodSystems #SustainableFoodSystems #NovelProteins #Sustainability #BiodiversityLoss #Emissions #Pollution #SustainableFarming

This week, our colleagues Julia Bognar and Krystyna Springer from the Land Use team were at the European Commission (DG Clima) stakeholder event "Incentivising Climate Action for a Sustainable and Competitive Agri-Food Value Chain" introducing a new project as part of the continued dialogue on the European transition to a more sustainable agri-food value chain.   The event brought together stakeholders from the agri-food chain, representatives from the financial sector, civil society, and other groups. Find out what they discussed 👇 1️⃣ Panelists highlighted the need for a whole-of-food-sector approach, harnessing the efforts of all actors along the agri-food value chain to achieve climate mitigation in agriculture. An effective approach should foster collaboration among agri-food stakeholders while addressing information asymmetry and ensuring fair rewards for farmers. 2️⃣ Participants emphasised that the sustainable transition in the agricultural sector will require significant investment. There is a need to explore opportunities for blended finance innovation, financial support to de-risk the shift towards sustainable practices, and to unlock private funding for technology deployment. 3️⃣ Carbon pricing was identified as a potentially promising instrument to deliver climate action in the agri-food sector. However, its effectiveness will depend on whether it’s integrated as part of a broader, consistent, and robust policy mix. To ensure environmental integrity, it must also be supported by a reliable monitoring, verification, and reporting system. 4️⃣ Stakeholders also stressed the need to provide a long-term perspective and certainty for agri-food actors. Critically, policy design should ensure that farmers are equipped with the tools they need to participate in the transition while supporting thriving rural areas and livelihoods. This event is a follow-up of our previous study prepared with Trinomics, the Ecologic Institute, Carbon Counts, and Umweltbundesamt - Environment Agency Austria ⤵ https://lnkd.in/eKiSS9tX Cosima Dekker-Hufler, Long Lam, Rob Williams, Wageningen University & Research, Jan Peter Lesschen, Ana Rosa Gonzalez-Martinez, Ricardo plc, Keesje Avis, Valeria Forlin, Lukas Visek, Christian Holzleitner, Pierre-Marie Aubert, IDDRI, Justin Zahra, Environmental Defense Fund, Christine Chemnitz, Agora Agrar, Ewa Karolewska, EIT Food, Ejnar Schultz, Arla Foods, Marion Picot, CEJA Young Farmers, Alexander Döring, FEFAC, Adrienne De Malleray, Genesis. #JustTransition #SustainableAgriculture #CarbonPricing #AgriFood

Approximately 13.2% of the EU’s total greenhouse gas emissions come from the agricultural sector. Unlike the energy industry, and buildings sectors, which have reduced their overall contributions to GHG emissions in the past decade, emissions in agriculture have remained stable. This is why we urgently need to improve the sustainability of agri-food systems. Our latest report provides an overview of how the Central and Eastern European countries are currently using the main policy instruments at their disposal – the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the National Energy and Climate Plans – to support the sustainability transition in agri-food systems and it identifies gaps and recommendations for their improvement. Great work by Julia Bognar and Krystyna Springer from our Land Use and Climate team, with the Ecologic Institute, Ricardo plc, national experts from CEE countries, and funded by the Robert Bosch Stiftung. Read the report ⤵ https://lnkd.in/eUM88Ynf #AgriFood #Emisssions #CommonAgriculturalPolicy #Energy #Climate #SustainableFoodSystems #Sustainability #Transition

👋 Greetings from Portugal 🇵🇹 - Our senior policy analyst Melanie Muro is at the TERRASAFE EU project kick-off.   TERRASAFE is a pioneering initiative envisaging to empower local communities in southern Europe and northern Africa to combat desertification across through the adoption of nature-based, social and technological innovations. TERRASAFE will work in five rural pilot areas that represent four main types of desertification: depopulation, soil degradation, vegetation decline and water scarcity.      The pilot areas include:  👉 Two rural areas in Italy suffering from depopulation and land abandonment, leading to land degradation. 👉 A dry region in Spain facing severe water scarcity. 👉 An area in Romania experiencing significant vegetation decline. 👉A region in Cyprus grappling with soil degradation due to soil organic matter decline. 👉An area in Tunisia dealing with soil degradation caused by soil salinisation.   The project is co-funded by the European Commission and UK Research and Innovation, with a consortium of including universities, research institutes, policy organisations, and innvovation partners from Europe and Northern Africa. Universidade de Aveiro Countryside and Community Research Institute University of Gloucestershire University of York Wageningen University & Research NIBIO Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research Università degli Studi della Basilicata The Cyprus Institute CSIC AKTI KENTRO MELETON KE EREVNAS INSTITUT DES REGIONS ARIDES INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE DEZVOLTARE IN SILVICULTURA MARIN DRACEA FONDAZIONE MEDES Isotech Ltd IO-DIT AB AgroBiogel GmbH Ibero Massa Florestal, S.A. EDAFOTEC   #desertification #HorizonEurope #LandDegradation