Bridge to nowhere Is natural gas a “bridge” to a sustainable energy system? That is what the gas industry has been saying for decades. But the bridge is not needed. Sustainable technology is here now. Read more
Editorial: 1.5°C to stay alive Greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced drastically to avoid dangerous climate change due to rising global temperature and to fulfil the objective of the 1992 UN Climate Convention. Read more
Flexibilities threaten emission cuts from MCPs Member states want to water down proposed new emission standards for medium-sized combustion plants, and there is now a risk that the European Parliament will push for even more exemptions. Read more
Falling costs for renewable energy A report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) highlights the plummeting costs for renewable energy – making renewable energy more competitive then ever. Read more
EU industrial air pollution cost up to €189 billion per year The cost of damage caused by pollutant emissions into the air from the largest 14,000 industrial facilities in 2012 has been estimated as at least €59-189 billion, and half of the total cost was caused by just one per cent of the industrial plants. Read more
German experts: Nitrogen cuts urgently needed Excessive emissions of nitrogen compounds into the environment pose a threat to human health, waterways, biodiversity, and the climate. Read more
Norwegian CCS ambitions might move to the EU Norway wants an agreement with the EU on collective delivery of a common climate target. This could make it easier to finance a full-scale CCS plant in one of the EU member states. Read more
Modest growth of renewables in EU area An EEA report shows modest growth in renewable energy consumption with a dominance by PV and wind in 2013. Another study claims that the integration of around 60 per cent .. Read more
Enforcement of ship sulphur standards Member states must carry out inspections on at least one-tenth of the ships calling each year, and test the fuel on at least 20–40 per cent of the inspected ships. Read more
Launch of Energy Union – mixed messages The Commission proposes a range of policy and legislative packages to realise the Energy Union in the next five years. Environmental organisations are critical of mixed messages, inconsistencies and continued reliance on fossil fuels. Read more
Bad air quality prevails More than nine out of ten urban citizens in the EU are exposed to harmful levels of the air pollutants PM2.5 and ozone. Read more
Carbon storage a dead-end CCS could make sense for industrial emissions. Or, then again, maybe not. Read more
East German lignite at a crossroads Lignite power in eastern Germany is disastrous for the climate and displaces more people than any other industry in Europe. Despite a target of 80 per cent renewable energy by 2050, phase-out plans are conspicuous by their absence. Read more
Achieving NEC targets will cost less Achieving the Commission’s health protection target for 2030 will be a third cheaper than previously estimated, according to new data. Read more
Sweden: High health costs of bad air quality Every year over 5,000 people in Sweden die prematurely due to air pollution, and the annual cost to society of health damage due to nitrogen oxides and particulate matter is estimated at SEK 42 billion. Read more
Download this issue
