Environment Guides

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EU Climate change and energy package by Ina Dimireva — last modified 03 September 2009, 14:10 CET

To start transforming Europe into a highly energy-efficient, low-carbon economy, EU leaders have committed to cutting emissions by at least 20 per cent independently of what other countries decide to do. To underpin these commitments, they set three key targets to be met by 2020: a 20% reduction in energy consumption compared with projected trends; an increase to 20% in renewable energies' share of total energy consumption; and an increase to 10% in the share of petrol and diesel consumption from sustainably-produced biofuels. The package of climate and energy-related legislative proposals was proposed by the European Commission to implement these commitments and targets.

The Sixth Environment Action Programme of the European Community 2002-2012 by Ina Dimireva — last modified 03 September 2009, 14:08 CET

The 6th Environment Action Programme (EAP) is a decision of the European Parliament and the Council adopted on 22nd July 2002. It sets out the framework for environmental policy-making in the European Union for the period 2002-2012 and outlines actions that need to be taken to achieve them.

Energy Efficiency by Ina Dimireva — last modified 02 February 2012, 11:07 CET

Reducing energy consumption and eliminating energy wastage are among the main goals of the European Union (EU). EU support for improving energy efficiency will prove decisive for competitiveness, security of supply and for meeting the commitments on climate change made under the Kyoto Protocol.

Renewable Energy by Ina Dimireva — last modified 02 February 2012, 11:22 CET

Renewable sources of energy – wind power, solar power (thermal, photovoltaic and concentrated), hydro-electric power, tidal power, geothermal energy and biomass – are essential alternatives to fossil fuels. Their use reduces our greenhouse gas emissions, diversifies our energy supply and reduces our dependence on unreliable and volatile fossil fuel markets (in particular oil and gas).

Many of Europe's most vulnerable species and habitats under threat - Habitats Directive report by EUbusiness — last modified 13 July 2009, 23:43 CET

Today the Commission published a report on the conservation status of over 1150 species and 200 habitat types protected under EU law. Only a small proportion of these vulnerable habitats and species have achieved good conservation status and Member States will need to strengthen their efforts if this situation is to improve. The report, which covers 2001-2006 and is the most comprehensive survey of EU biodiversity ever undertaken, provides an invaluable reference point for measuring future trends. Grasslands, wetlands and coastal habitats face the greatest threats, mainly due to the decline of traditional patterns of agriculture, tourist development and climate change. The picture is not uniformly gloomy, however, and some larger, emblematic species such as the wolf, Eurasian lynx, beaver and otter are beginning to re-colonize parts of their traditional range. Many Member States invested heavily to carry out the detailed monitoring, and despite a number of gaps, the reporting has been a great success.

EC Communication on Demonstrating Carbon Capture and Geological Storage (CCS) in emerging developing countries - briefing by EUbusiness — last modified 25 June 2009, 13:10 CET

Communication on Demonstrating Carbon Capture and Geological Storage (CCS) in emerging developing countries: financing the EU-China Near Zero Emissions Coal Plant project

The EU BUILD UP initiative - briefing by EUbusiness — last modified 17 June 2009, 12:41 CET

The European Commission BUILD UP initiative supports EU Member States in implementing the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). Its new interactive web portal offers access to a wide range of information on best practices, technologies and legislation for energy reduction supplied by the users themselves. Building professionals, public authorities, umbrella organisations and home owners and tenants will have tailored access allowing the sharing of information across Europe.

Bathing water quality - Annual report, 2009 bathing season by EUbusiness — last modified 11 June 2009, 16:23 CET

The annual bathing water report presented by the European Commission and the European Environment Agency on 10 June reveals that the large majority of bathing sites across the European Union met EU hygiene standards in 2008. During that bathing season some 96% of coastal bathing areas and 92% of bathing sites in rivers and lakes complied with minimum standards. The report provides useful water quality information for the millions of people who visit Europe's beaches every summer.

EC strategy to boost development of Baltic Sea Region by EUbusiness — last modified 10 June 2009, 17:47 CET

The European Commission has presented a proposal for an EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. Five years on from enlargement, the region is facing pressing challenges including the deteriorating state of the Baltic Sea, poor transport links, barriers to trade and energy supply concerns. These problems have been exacerbated by a lack of effective coordination. The Strategy, presented by Danuta Hübner, Commissioner for Regional Policy, above all aims to maximise the development potential of the Member States and regions in the Baltic Sea area, which is home to nearly 100 million people.

The EU Birds Directive - briefing by EUbusiness — last modified 01 April 2009, 18:33 CET

The EU’s first nature law, the Birds Directive, celebrates its 30th anniversary on 2 April. The legislation is seen as one of the greatest achievements of European environmental policy and is central to the EU's strategy for halting biodiversity loss. The Birds Directive has played a key role in reversing the decline of some of Europe’s most threatened birds, particularly through its network of Special Protection Areas (SPAs). Thanks to targeted action by the European Union, national governments, conservationists and volunteers to implement it on the ground, many birds now face a much brighter future. These include the Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) and Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti). Today there are nearly 5,000 SPAs, covering more than 10% of the EU’s land mass. They form an integral part of the Natura 2000 ecological network. The Birds Directive, says the Commission, is an excellent example of shared responsibility and cooperation among the 27 EU Member States.

White Paper on climate change adaptation - briefing by EUbusiness — last modified 01 April 2009, 16:48 CET

The European Commission presented today a White Paper outlining actions needed to strengthen the Union's resilience in coping with a changing climate. Recent findings indicate that the impacts of climate change will be swifter and more severe than indicated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in their 2007 report. Europe will not escape these effects and must therefore prepare to cope with them. The impact of climate change will have varying regional implications meaning that most adaptation measures will need to be taken nationally and regionally. The framework presented by the Commission sets out a two-phase strategic approach to adapting to the impacts of climate change in the EU which complements actions taken by EU Member States through an integrated and coordinated approach.

Quality and quantity of water is a serious problem - Eurobarometer by EUbusiness — last modified 26 March 2009, 23:28 CET

Almost two out of three of Europeans consider that the quality of water in their country is a serious problem, according to a special Eurobarometer survey on Europeans' opinion on water issues published by the European Commission this week-end. The report also shows that Europeans see the quantity of available water as an equally serious problem. More than a third of Europeans feel that over the last five years the quality of rivers, lakes and coastal waters has deteriorated. Industry and agriculture are seen as having the biggest impact on the quality and quantity of water in their country and an overwhelming majority of Europeans think climate change will have an impact on water resources.

EU regulations to progressively remove from the market non-efficient light bulbs - briefing by EUbusiness — last modified 18 March 2009, 23:22 CET

The European Commission adopted today two ecodesign regulations to improve the energy efficiency of household lamps and of office, street and industrial lighting products. The two regulations lay down energy efficiency requirements which will save close to 80 TWh by 2020 (roughly the electricity consumption of Belgium, or of 23 million European households, or the equivalent of the yearly output of 20 power stations of 500 megawatts) and will lead to a reduction of about 32 million tons of CO2 emission per year. Inefficient incandescent light bulbs will be progressively replaced by improved alternatives starting in 2009 and finishing at the end of 2012. As a result of these regulations, 11 billion euros are expected to be saved and re-injected every year into the European economy.

ICT use for a greener Europe - briefing by EUbusiness — last modified 12 March 2009, 23:49 CET

As part of its effort to combat climate change and drive economic recovery, the European Commission today called on EU Member States and industry to use information and communications technologies (ICT) to improve energy efficiency. These technologies are expected to reduce total carbon emissions in Europe by up to 15 per cent by 2020. ICT can not only improve monitoring and management of energy use in factories, offices and in public spaces but above all help make people more aware of how they use energy. With smart metering in their homes, for example, consumers have been found to reduce their energy consumption by as much as 10 per cent.

EC Communication: Towards a comprehensive climate change agreement in Copenhagen - briefing by EUbusiness — last modified 28 January 2009, 16:34 CET

The European Commission today set out its proposals for a comprehensive and ambitious new global agreement to tackle climate change and how it could be financed. The new pact is due to be concluded at the Copenhagen UN climate conference in December. In order to keep temperature increase below 2°C, developing countries will require substantially higher funding from the developed world and multilateral institutions to help them shoulder their contribution to addressing climate change. The Commission’s proposals include the creation of an OECD-wide carbon market by 2015 and of innovative international funding sources based on countries' emissions and ability to pay.

Revised EU directive on restrictions of certain dangerous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS) - briefing by EUbusiness — last modified 03 December 2008, 23:57 CET

Improving implementation and enforcement of laws on electrical and electronic equipment and cutting unnecessary administrative burden are the main objectives of the revised directives proposed by the Commission today. The directives on the collection and recycling of electrical and electronic equipment and on the restriction of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment – the so-called WEEE and RoHS directives - have been in force since 2004 but there is room for further improvement and simplification. The proposed directives set higher but more flexible targets on the collection and recycling of electrical and electronic equipment and introduce greater coherence with other EU legislation.

Revised laws on recycling electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) - briefing by EUbusiness — last modified 03 December 2008, 23:59 CET

Improving implementation and enforcement of laws on electrical and electronic equipment and cutting unnecessary administrative burden are the main objectives of the revised directives proposed by the Commission today. The directives on the collection and recycling of electrical and electronic equipment and on the restriction of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment – the so-called WEEE and RoHS directives - have been in force since 2004 but there is room for further improvement and simplification. The proposed directives set higher but more flexible targets on the collection and recycling of electrical and electronic equipment and introduce greater coherence with other EU legislation.

Eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS) at the European Commission - briefing by EUbusiness — last modified 23 September 2009, 23:19 CET

Building on the success of its pilot project launched in 2001, the European Commission has decided to extend its environmental management system to all its activities and buildings in Brussels and Luxembourg. With this certification scheme — based on the EMAS regulation (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) - the Commission implements a system that defines and evaluates environmental aspects of its activities, leading to continuous improvements in areas such as increased energy efficiency, optimal use of natural resources and reduction of CO 2 emissions.

Illegal logging and deforestation package - briefing by EUbusiness — last modified 23 October 2008, 22:26 CET

The European Commission on 17 October unveiled two major initiatives to protect forests globally. The package comprises a legislative proposal to reduce the risk of illegal timber and timber products entering the EU market and a Communication setting out the Commission's proposals for tackling tropical deforestation. In the context of the international negotiations on the post-2012 climate change agreement, the Commission proposes to pursue the objective of halting global forest cover loss by 2030 at the latest and reducing gross tropical deforestation by at least 50% by 2020.

Revision of the Batteries Directive - briefing by EUbusiness — last modified 02 October 2008, 21:39 CET

Revised EU legislation that aims to protect human health and the environment by ensuring waste batteries are properly collected and recycled applies from today. The directive also makes producers responsible for the management of batteries once they become waste. Adopted by the European Parliament and Council in 2006, the revised Batteries Directive should be transposed by EU Member States into national law by today. So far seven Member States have communicated to the Commission national legislation which fully transposes the directive.