Divestment

A new European energy infrastructure policy in line with the climate emergency

A blog by Marie Toussaint

During this week’s plenary session, Members of the European Parliament will adopt a resolution setting out the Parliament’s views on the upcoming revision of the trans-European energy infrastructure Regulation (TEN-E Regulation). The current law sets out the process and criteria to select cross-border electricity, gas and oil infrastructure projects of European interest. For the upcoming revision due in December this year, the Greens/EFA group is asking to end EU support for fossil fuel projects, such as gas pipelines. In addition, this year the European Commission should adopt transitional guidance on how to spend EU funds until the revised law enters into force. This is to ensure that only projects in line with the Paris Agreement are supported.

Green hydrogen & renewables

The EU should take the lead now!

On Wednesday 8 July 2020, the European Commission presented its so-called “Hydrogen Strategy”. Our MEPs Henrike Hahn and Damien Carême, co-chairs of Greens/EFA's Green Industrial Policy Campaign look at why hydrogen will be a key energy source to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. But not any type of hydrogen: green hydrogen only!

Hydrogen Strategy must not be excuse to continue polluting the planet

Green Deal

Hydrogen can play a role in decarbonisation and in promoting the greening of European industries and the economy. However, the Hydrogen Strategy must not be allowed to become a greenwashing exercise used to subsidise obsolete gas pipelines. Funding hydrogen from fossil fuels is not sustainable and not in line with our climate commitments.

No community left behind / La population au coeur de la transition

Putting people at the centre of the just transition

Join Greens/EFA MEPs Mounir Satouri, Henrike Hahn and Green Mayor of Loos-en-Gohelle, Jean-Francois Caron to discuss how to safeguard social and economic justice in the transition, the infrastructure and initiatives that will put people at the centre, and how to support green investment in local industry and start-ups.

The EU recovery plan

In our previous blog, “Financing the green deal,” we have already briefly discussed the EU Recovery Plan. This plan was proposed by the European Commission to define the procedure of recovery in Europe after the COVID crisis. While it is mainly focused on rebuilding the economy, a lot of voices in and outside of the European institutions have expressed that this could be a very important moment for climate. While the world was in lockdown and our economy collapsed, huge amounts of CO2 emissions were continuously released.

EU Funding for Cities

Webinar

Cities and local governments can take the lead in climate action and realize ambitious action plans for a sustainable future. This recognition leads us to raise the question, how the EU can back cities’ efforts in the most effective way?V4 capital cities are advocating a proposal to strengthen EU financing for cities in the next MFF, the Green Deal and the Recovery Plan. It is already backed by almost 20 European municipalities. How to move forward?

Financing the green deal

As you know the commission proposed a pact called the European Green Deal, that will be the roadmap for Europe to tackle climate change and become carbon neutral in 2050. In our previous blogs we have explained what this pact is, and what it is not. In this blog, we would like to address an important aspect that is missing: MONEY. In the world we live in today, to achieve the goals that the EU has set, we need a good budget.

Recovery Plan - a crucial moment for the EU

WATCH: A webinar with MEPs Bas Eickhout and Rasmus Andresen

During this webinar, we will get together with Daniela Schwarzer, director of the German Council on Foreign Relations, and Professor of political science Catherine E. De Vries to gain insight into the economic recovery plan and new multiannual financial framework (MFF) that will be proposed by the European Commission this Wednesday.

Billion euro bailouts: will public cash lead to climate-friendly transport?

WATCH: Webinar with Greens/EFA MEPs Jutta Paulus and Ciarán Cuffe

The recovery plan should be an opportunity to invest in much-needed public transport and to ensure a true modal shift, reducing air pollution and contributing to climate action.

Billion euro bailouts: will public cash lead to climate-friendly transport?

Webinar with Greens/EFA MEPs Jutta Paulus and Ciarán Cuffe

The recovery plan should be an opportunity to invest in much-needed public transport and to ensure a true modal shift, reducing air pollution and contributing to climate action. During this webinar, Greens/EFA Members of the European Parliament Jutta Paulus (EP rapporteur for shipping emissions) and Ciarán Cuffe, will discuss with Andrew Murphy, from Transport & Environment, on how public money can turn transport green.

Draft Environment Committee report calls for 65% less greenhouse gases by 2030

EU climate law

The European Parliament Environment Committee's draft for a European Climate Law calls for a 65% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, going beyond the European Commission's proposal of 55%. The draft report also calls for a CO2 budget and a European Climate Council.

Will COVID-19 destroy or empower the European Green Deal?

This new crisis might be a make it or break it moment, and it is crucial we don’t return to business as usual afterwards. Let’s not forget that going back to normal is going back to a climate emergency.