Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP), meets with viEUws.eu's leading environment journalist Sonja van Renssen to talk about climate change goals and Europe’s role in the global climate negotiations. According to Steiner, countries are looking towards UN Climate Change Conferences in Paris and Lima as an opportunity to address climate change with a greater sense of ambition and urgency. However, how … [Read more...]
Obama’s Clean Power Plan: why it’s smarter than you think (and beats EU policy)
The Clean Power Plan recently announced by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been hailed for its good intentions, but also widely criticized for its “modest” ambitions. What most commentators have failed to note, however, is that, compared to EU climate policies, Obama’s plan is really a smart piece of legislation. It avoids the policy failures made by Brussels and lays a solid foundation for a successful low-carbon strategy. … [Read more...]
How the EU should deal with the Ukraine gas crisis
The Russian decision, on 16 June, to halt gas supplies to Ukraine spells trouble for the coming winter. Even if the current crisis is resolved, uncertainties over Ukraine will remain. Therefore, the EU needs to prepare for another gas crisis, both in the short term, by establishing crisis mechanisms, and in the medium term, to prevent future crises. Agata Łoskot-Strachota of the Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW) in Poland sets out the urgent steps … [Read more...]
Shale gas: what it could really mean for Europe
The Ukrainian crisis has revitalized discussions in Europe about the role shale gas could play in the European energy mix and to enhance security of supply. Opinions on this are very polarized. Whereas optimists declare that Europe could start commercial production in 2020, the pessimists insist that shale gas will never be profitable in Europe. According to Alexander Gusev, the real picture is not black-and-white. Cutting through the confusion … [Read more...]
Will China follow the US example and cap carbon emissions?
With his Clean Power Proposal, President Obama has entered on a drive to put a ceiling on carbon emissions in the US – for the first time. The question is now whether China will follow this example. Nicholas Cunningham of Oilprice.com believes China may be about to turn a corner – with huge consequences for global energy markets. … [Read more...]
“Retroactive amendments to Czech law threaten renewable energy sector”
The Czech Photovoltaic Industry Association and the Alliance for Energy Self-Sufficiency have expressed their fears about planned retroactive changes to legislation guaranteeing support for renewable energy in the Czech Republic in letters addressed to the European Commission and Members of the European Parliament and have asked for an independent assessment of related materials and documentation. Suspicions about retroactive changes of the … [Read more...]
Reforms needed for Energy Community
The Energy Community High Level Reflection Group has issued a report on how the work of the Energy Community - an international organisation comprising the European Union and eight neighbouring countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia and Ukraine) – may be improved. The Report contains proposed solutions to the most pressing challenges facing the Energy Community, … [Read more...]
Perspectives on Obama’s clean power plan: small step for US, big step for mankind?
The proposal made by the US Environmental Protection Agency to reduce CO2 emissions from power stations in the US by 30% has been hailed by many as a historic breakthrough in US climate policy. Others, however, argue that the proposal is quite moderate. Some even say the plan will do nothing for the climate at all. Supporters say the main benefits of the plan is the precedent it sets and the message it sends. Energy Post editor Karel Beckman … [Read more...]
VIDEO: High hopes for UN Environment Assembly’s first meeting, states UNEP Executive Director
Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) meets with viEUws.eu's leading environment journalist Sonja van Renssen to discuss post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the inaugural UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) meeting in Nairobi, Kenya from 23-27 June. Key issues for for the UNEA meeting will be the SDGs and illegal wildlife trade. According to Steiner, countries cannot solve … [Read more...]
Heat pumps: waiting for the final push
As gas faces a reputational challenge from Ukraine, electric heat pumps are emerging as a promising alternative source of heating. Heat pumps can also make an important contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Oddly enough, although heating and cooling accounts for 45% of the EU’s final energy consumption there is no EU-wide heating and cooling strategy. Some countries such as UK and Italy are introducing support for individual … [Read more...]
VIDEO: Brussels Briefing on Energy: All you need to know for June 2014
In this Brussels Briefing on Energy, viEUws.eu's leading energy journalist Hughes Belin provides an overview of the European Union’s most pressing energy issues: - EU Summit on June 26 & 27: Commission’s strategic plan to enhance the European Union’ssecurity of supply in light of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine - Energy Council on June 13: Commission’s report on the internal energy market & the 2030 climate and energy package - New state … [Read more...]
VIDEO: Effective recycling at heart of Commission’s waste and circular economy package
Karl Falkenberg, Director-General for Environment at the European Commission meets with viEUws.eu's leading environment journalist Sonja van Renssen to discuss the Commission’s upcoming waste and circular economy package. The European Union has set an ambitious goal to recycle half of all household waste by 2020, however the door to landfill is still open. The Director-General for Environment argues that to increase recycling, member states need … [Read more...]
Ten take-home messages from the new European Energy Security Strategy
On 28 May the European Commission published a new energy security strategy for the EU that sets out a long list of short-, medium- and long-term actions to reduce dependence on Russian gas. These range from regional “stress tests” for supply disruptions to new priority gas infrastructure projects to serious examination of centralised gas purchases. For many however, it is energy efficiency that will make or break this strategy. Sonja van Renssen … [Read more...]
The case for allowing negative electricity prices
Negative electricity prices have become an increasingly frequent occurrence on the power exchanges that allow them. However, there are still many power exchanges, both within and outside of the EU, that do not allow negative prices. Simona Benedettini and Carlo Stagnaro of the Italian think tank Istituto Bruno Leoni argue that, with a booming renewable sector and a weak demand outlook, negative prices are an important tool for the market to … [Read more...]
How to design a successful auction for renewable energy projects
In its new State Aid guidelines, the European Commission presents auctioning as the standard procedure for allocating support for renewable energy. Member States may deviate from this rule, but only for very good reasons. Although auctioning can in theory be a useful instrument, experience all over the world shows mixed results. It is crucial that auctions are adapted to the specific market context. If not, they will deliver sub-optimal results … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 64
- 65
- 66
- 67
- 68
- …
- 78
- Next Page »