Europe must urgently tackle its over-use of the world’s land, finds a new report from Friends of the Earth Europe, released today. [1] The report, ‘Hidden Impacts’, is based on newly available data and shed lights on Europe’s role as a major user of global land resources. Europe’s high consumption levels, and insatiable appetite for …
Savings of €250 billion per year with energy efficiency
A new report out today shows that the European Union could benefit from €200 billion net savings per year providing it gets on track to meeting its stated 20% by 2020 energy savings target [1]. The report written by Ecofys and commissioned by Friends of the Earth Europe and Climate Action Network Europe also looks …
Savings of €250 billion per year with energy efficiencyRead more
Biofuels drive land grabs, EU energy ministers warned
Cape Town/Brussels – Biofuels have driven nearly 300 large-scale land grabs worldwide, a new report by GRAIN reveals today [1], on the eve of a meeting of EU energy ministers to debate the future of biofuels in Europe. [2] EU targets have put Europe at the forefront of increasing global demand for environmentally and socially …
Biofuels drive land grabs, EU energy ministers warnedRead more
Inaction as biofuels continue to grab land and pollute
Reforms to Europe’s rules on biofuels were top of the agenda at a meeting of EU energy ministers in Brussels today. It was the first time ministers commented on proposals to limit the quantities of crop-based biofuels that can count towards EU renewable energy targets. [1] The policy was proposed by the European Commission last …
Inaction as biofuels continue to grab land and polluteRead more
Dangerous over-reliance on failing EU carbon trading scheme
Members of the European Parliament’s environment committee voted today in favour of a proposal to delay the introduction of permits into the EU Emissions Trading System. The proposal, referred to as ETS ‘backloading’, is designed to increase the carbon price and help make the scheme more effective in driving emissions reductions. But over-reliance on this …
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EU summit: No axe for climate spending, but member states must deliver
A summit in Brussels on the EU budget for 2014-2020 concluded today with an unambitious commitment for 20 percent of EU spending to go towards tackling climate change. CEE Bankwatch Network and Friends of the Earth Europe called on member states’ governments to build on this with national spending plans that ensure quality outcomes that …
EU summit: No axe for climate spending, but member states must deliverRead more
