In this Brussels Briefing on Environment for viEUws.eu, Sonja van Renssen provides an overview of the latest EU environment and climate policy developments. Highlights: the European Parliament is heading for a compromise deal on new biofuel legislation, but for a clash with Member States on the reform plan for the EU Emission Trading Scheme (ETS). … [Read more...]
The Road to Paris: three myths about international climate talks
With only nine months to go before the most important international meeting on climate change since Copenhagen in 2009, what are the chances of success at this year’s Paris talks? What might “success” mean? And can the mistakes and challenges that have befallen previous meetings be avoided and tackled? Nick Rowley, Professor, Sydney Democracy Network at the University of Sydney, and former climate advisor to Tony Blair, addresses these questions … [Read more...]
Catch 2030 the webinar: a debate on the European energy system of the future
How can we transform the European energy system while improving security of supply and competitiveness? In a webinar hosted by Energy Post and sponsored by EDF, four energy experts discuss the future of the European energy system and answer questions from listeners. … [Read more...]
Everything you always wanted to know about carbon trading in China
China is moving rapidly towards a national carbon emission trading market. Currently there are seven regional carbon markets operating in China, and these will be merged into a national one in 2016. … [Read more...]
A new framework for climate policy: why carbon pricing is not enough
It is often argued, especially by representatives from the energy sector, that climate change policy should be based exclusively on carbon pricing. In the EU this means: on the EU Emission Trading Scheme. However, a new book by Professor Michael Grubb convincingly shows why such a policy approach is misguided. We also need policies on energy efficiency and renewables as well as policies that drive system change. … [Read more...]
Interview chief climate negotiator for France Paul Watkinson: “COP21 will not solve everything”
The COP21 climate conference in Paris in December needs to lead to a “binding agreement” that will provide “a long-term basis for the future”, says Paul Watkinson, head of the Climate Negotiation Team of France, in an interview with Energy Post. “We cannot continue negotiating. We need to decide on something that will last and will become stronger as time goes on”. But Watkinson warns that COP21 will “not solve everything.” It will also be “a … [Read more...]
Why is CCS stuck in second gear? We need it to fight climate change
Although carbon capture and storage (CCS) is acknowledged by experts as a key technology to fight climate change, it is currently stuck in second gear, writes Howard J. Herzog  is Senior Research Engineer at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The reason, he says, is that there is no market for CCS at this moment. He calls on policymakers to set a carbon price that would generate demand for CCS. … [Read more...]
EU energy policy: still ambiguous after all these years
The Energy Union package recently announced by the European Commission is a step forward in that it puts market liberalization and integration at the centre of European energy policy, writes Carlo Stagnaro, senior fellow at the Italian free market think tank Istituto Bruno Leoni. At the same time, it is still strongly influenced by the idea that government intervention is required to ensure both security of supply and sustainability. As a result, … [Read more...]
viEUws VIDEO: Brussels Briefing on Environment – All you need to know for March 2015
In this Brussels Briefing on Environment for viEUws.eu, Sonja van Renssen provides an overview of the latest EU environment policy developments. … [Read more...]
To make European climate policy work, we need to put a carbon price on imports
European institutions are struggling to reform the failing EU Emission Trading System (ETS) – “the cornerstone of EU climate policy”. But all reforms will be inadequate, writes Emil Dimantchev, senior carbon market analyst at Thomson Reuters, unless we address the system’s key defect: the failure to impose equal rules on all producers, including those from outside the EU. According to Dimantchev, EU policymakers will never allow carbon prices to … [Read more...]
Brussels tests limits of its powers with Energy Union
Energy Post takes stock of what the proposals for an Energy Union mean and ponders the key question: can Brussels deliver? The Commission is pushing hard on a far-reaching redesign of the electricity market, which is to be driven by the EU Emission Trading Scheme and increasingly run by EU institutions. In gas Brussels also wants to take a central role. When it comes to climate policy, the Commission has some substantial new proposals on energy … [Read more...]
Brussels goes green in key EU ETS and biofuels votes
The European Parliament voted in favour of a much-needed reform to the EU Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) and new rules to guard against indirect land-use change (ILUC) from biofuels on Tuesday, opening the door to deals with member states on both files before the summer. … [Read more...]
Interview Jean-Michel Glachant: “To get an Energy Union, you need new institutions”
The “Energy Union” for Europe is a dream that the European Commission will find hard to realise with its existing powers limited to the internal market and competition law, says Jean-Michel Glachant, Robert Schuman Chair, Director of the Florence School of Regulation and Director of the Loyola de Palacio Energy Policy Programme at the European University Institute. In an interview with Energy Post, he applauds the ambition behind this creative … [Read more...]
Georg Zachmann, Bruegel Institute: “The EU must go for an Energy Union – or renationalise energy markets”
“We can either go for a European market or a renationalisation of energy policy. Trying to incentivise investment with volatile national schemes and have a European market at the same time is the worst option.” That’s the opinion of influential German energy expert Georg Zachmann, Research Fellow at the Brussels-based think tank the Bruegel Institute. In an interview with Energy Post, Zachmann, who has published widely about EU energy policy, … [Read more...]
The significance of the UK party leaders’ joint climate pledge
The UK's three main political leaders have pledged to tackle climate change after the next election, whatever the outcome. Simon Evans of the Carbon Brief assesses the significance of the unusual joint pre-election pledge. He concludes that the substance of the agreement is not new, but it will “prevent backsliding on climate policy by future governments”. It will also serve as an example to countries across the world.  … [Read more...]
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