Generation Climate Europe (GCE) is a coalition of youth-led networks at the European level that works to make a difference with climate and environmental issues. The organization’s mission is “uniting European youth networks; GCE creates a platform for youth to advocate for a just and green transition in Europe.” The organization’s work is focused on system...
Category: European Union News Brief and Action Alert
European Union: The World’s First Large-Scale ETS Carbon Market
The EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) was launched in 2005 and was the world’s first international emissions trading system. It operates throughout all EU Member States, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, and has been broken into phases that include increasingly more restrictive carbon policies. The EU ETS is currently in phase 4, which spans from 2021...
EU 2024 Climate Scorecard Award: Wopke Hoekstra
Climate Scorecard’s 2024 Government Climate Leadership Award is presented to a country official who has done the most to reduce emissions in their country’s government over the past year. Below is a copy of the letter sent to each nominee and why they were chosen to receive this award.EU 2024 Climate Scorecard Award: Wopke Hoekstra,...
Right Wing Gains in Upcoming Parliamentary Elections Could Diminish EU Support for Climate Policy
On February 6, 2024, the European Commission published a detailed climate impact assessment that proposed a goal of reducing EU net greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040 in order to reach its goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, highlighting that climate action continues to play a prominent role in EU political discussions....
Does the EU’s New Food Security Initiative Take into Account Its Impact on CO2 Emissions?
In light of Russia’s war on Ukraine and its provocation of an increased need for comprehensive food security policies, the EU has prioritized ensuring both domestic and global food security. EU farmers and producers have been tasked with increasing agricultural production to meet global demands and with assisting in supplying crops that the war has...
EU Pilots World’s First Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
On October 1, 2023, the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) entered its transitional phase, marking it as the world’s first carbon border adjustment mechanism. The CBAM aims to put a fair price on the carbon emitted while producing carbon-intensive goods. On January 31, 2024, importers must report the direct and indirect carbon emissions measured...
Lahti: An EU Leader in Emissions Reduction and Citizen Environmental Engagement
Lahti, a city in Finland currently estimated to have a population of 120,000, was awarded the European Green Capital Award in 2021 and has continued to pioneer in emissions reduction and environmental action. The European Green Capital Award was created in 2010 and is awarded to one city each year that sets an example for...
EU: COP 28 Recommendations for Strengthening Country Climate Ambition
Dear Mr. Wopke Hoekstra, European Union Commissioner for Climate Action,My name is Brittany Demogenes. I am the EU Country Manager for Climate Scorecard, a non-profit organization that monitors the climate policies and programs of leading greenhouse gas-emitting countries.Based on a review of EU policies, we believe that much can be done to increase the EU’s...
EU Greenhouse Gas Inventories: Comprehensive but Infrequent Releases of Data
Rating CAs part of the EU Climate Monitoring Mechanism, EU Member States are required to continuously improve their national inventory systems by United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) requirements and to “ensure the timeliness, transparency, accuracy, consistency, comparability, and completeness of their greenhouse gas inventories.” The European Union maintains an inventory system that...
EU Must Provide Greater Monetary Support to Farmers and Increase Collaboration Between Farmers and Policymakers
Rating B (Moderate Progress)Droughts and excessive heat caused by climate change make it increasingly difficult for farmers to produce adequate food. Climate change has led to less fruitful harvests and higher production costs, which has impacted both the quantity and quality of food produced in the EU.According to Copa-Cogeca, an EU farmer’s union that acts...