Submitted by EU Country Manager Brittany DemogenesCurrent Level of Greenhouse Gas Emissions According to Climate Action Network, which has been tracking climate change since 2009, the most recent data detailing EU emissions is from 2019 when the EU emitted 4159 MtCO2. Climate Action Network gathered emissions data provided by the various EU countries to provide...
Category: European Union News Brief and Action Alert
Spotlight Report: Lisbon Deemed 2020 European Green Capital: Exemplifies Commitment to Sustainable Development and Decreasing Emissions
This post was submitted by EU Country Manager Brittany DemogenesIn 2020, Lisbon was deemed the European Green Capital by the European Commission. The European Green Capital Award is an initiative of the European Commission that rewards cities who have committed to environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Lisbon has demonstrated its desire to create environmental change...
Best Climate Practice EU: The European Environmental Bureau
Written by Climate Scorecard EU Manager Brittany Demogenes The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) is Europe’s largest network of environmental citizens’ organizations. The EEB brings together 160 civil society organizations from more than 35 European countries under its vision of creating a “better future where people and nature thrive together” (About EEB). The EEB advocates...
NEXTBASE Project Promises Environmentally-Friendly and Efficient Renewable Energy Alternative in the EU
By Climate Scorecard EU Manager Brittany DemogenesIn December 2018, a recast Renewable Energy Directive in the EU entered into force. The recast directive sets a binding renewable energy target of at least 32% by 2030 with a clause for potential upward revision by 2023. In 2019, for the first time ever, EU power production from...
Climate Mitigation: Adopt Stronger Goals for the EU’s Market Stability Reserve Fund
Policy Recommendation # 1: Adopt Stronger Goals for the EU’s Market Stability Reserve Fund Policy Recommendation # 2: Adopt a Phased-In Approach for Having the Aviation Industry Pay for the Allowances It Receives Under the Market Stability Reserve Fund The European Union’s emissions trading system (ETS) is one of the primary mechanisms supporting the reduction...
As of 2018, 28.5% of the EU’s Electricity Supply was Generated from Renewable Energy Sources
Image 1 (source) The European Union’s electricity consumption has seen a number of positive trends since 1990, especially with the use of coal and oil in decline and an increase in renewable energy usage. However, in order to achieve the targets outlined by the Paris agreement, it is clear that the energy sector must continue...
European Environmental Agency Estimates a 24% Decrease in Greenhouse Gas Emissions Compared to 1990
Recently Reported Greenhouse Gas Emissions Level: 3737.36 MT in 2019, a Decrease of 24% Compared to 1990 Level (European Environmental Agency estimate) The most recent greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) estimates for the EU from 2019 were conducted by the European Environment Agency. Through analyzation of their approximated GHG inventory, they found that the EU’s total...
EU Increases Ambition of Climate Change Goals
There have been numerous discussions in the EU within the past months regarding Climate Change mitigation efforts and it is becoming apparent the EU wants to fortify some of its ambitious goals. Some recent events that highlight the emphasis on the EU’s restructuring of its goals, as well as the larger discussion surrounding climate change,...
Joint Research Centre Performs Independent Research to Help Inform EU policy
One of the European Commission’s goals is to continue to explore the impacts of climate change and to determine effective responses that can be taken to lessen both present and future impacts. The European Commission is currently partnered with the Joint Programming Initiative on Climate Change, the Copernicus Climate Change Service, the Global Framework for...
EU Focus on the Bioeconomy Holds Great Promise for the Growth of Green Jobs
Eco-industry has played a large role in the sustenance of the EU’s economy. The European Environment State and Outlook Report (SOER), which analyzed Europe’s green industries between 2000 and 2010, found that Europe’s green industries grew by 50%, despite the prevalence of economic busts during the time. In 2014, 4.2 million people in the EU...