{"id":238168,"date":"2024-08-28T15:48:24","date_gmt":"2024-08-28T15:48:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dominiclevent.com\/blog\/?p=238168"},"modified":"2024-08-28T15:48:39","modified_gmt":"2024-08-28T15:48:39","slug":"the-green-brief-climate-litigation-week-in-brussels-euractiv","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dominiclevent.com\/blog\/the-green-brief-climate-litigation-week-in-brussels-euractiv\/","title":{"rendered":"The Green Brief \u2013 Climate litigation week in Brussels \u2013 Euractiv"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Hello, and welcome to the Green Brief, which brings you a roundup of energy and environment news from across Europe. We are freshening up the Green Brief\u2019s format \u2013 let us know what you think via digital@euractiv.com.<\/a>\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

You can subscribe to the Green Brief <\/em><\/strong>here<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Here come the climate lawyers<\/strong><\/h2>\n

It is climate litigation week in Brussels. In the past 24 hours, environmental NGOs have taken the EU Commission to court on two separate counts.<\/p>\n

The first case argues that the EU\u2019s 2030 climate targets are insufficiently ambitious, while the second claims that sustainable finance rules are too ready to label aviation and shipping investments as \u2018green\u2019.<\/p>\n

Nathan Canas sets out the two cases<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Donagh Cagney explores the implications for the future of the Green Deal<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Finally Donagh Cagney and Giada Santana chat about what it all means\u00a0<\/strong>in Euractiv\u2019s \u2018Today in the EU\u2019 podcast<\/a>, available here (and wherever you get your podcasts).<\/p>\n

Commissioner chatter<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Ursula von der Leyen is busy interviewing Commissioner candidates this week, and speculation is mounting about who will get what.<\/p>\n

Not all candidates are being coy \u2013<\/span> the Czech nominee has made clear his interest in the Energy Commissioner role<\/a> \u2013<\/span> while signals from Athens indicate that a Greek Transport Commissioner could be on the cards<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It is wildfire season<\/h2>\n

With the Balkans, Greece, and the Portuguese island of Madeira recently hit by wildfires, a comprehensive EU response seems more needed than ever.<\/p>\n

There is just one problem \u2013 <\/span>Europe can\u2019t build firefighting aircraft, and the one supplier isn\u2019t promising any deliveries before 2027\/28<\/a>. Paul Messad and Nathan Canas have the story.<\/p>\n

Europe\u2019s clean industrial strategy latest<\/h2>\n

Nikolaus J. Kurmayer has the latest on Europe\u2019s attempt to build a clean tech industry at home.<\/p>\n

The saving of a high-profile factors suggests that PV manufacturing in Europe may not be dead after all<\/a>. And a crucial shipyard for Europe\u2019s offshore renewable ambitions gets a bail out from the German government<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Biodiversity COP16: only seven EU Member States have submitted their biodiversity strategies. <\/span><\/b>In the run-up to COP16 on biological diversity in Bogot\u00e1 at the end of October, countries must<\/span> submit their updated biodiversity plans and strategies (NBSAPs).<\/span><\/p>\n

The new plans should reflect the new international targets from the <\/span>Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework<\/span><\/a> adopted in December 2022.\u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The framework calls for restoring 30% of degraded terrestrial and marine ecosystems by 2030 and protecting 30% of terrestrial and marine areas. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the EU, only France, Ireland, Austria, Luxembourg, Hungary, Spain, Italy and the EU itself have submitted their plans. The other parties are at least requested \u201cto communicate national targets reflecting, as applicable, all the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework,\u201d UN statutes <\/span>say<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

[<\/span>Paul Messad]<\/span><\/p>\n

EU pays Russia another \u20ac400 million for fossil fuels. <\/b>In the second week of August, EU countries bought \u20ac200 million worth of pipeline gas \u2013 going to Austria, Hungary and Slovakia \u2013 and slightly less pipeline-bound crude oil, also mostly going to refineries in Eastern Europe, according to research by the Centre for Research on Clean Energy and Air (CREA).\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

[Nikolaus J. Kurmayer]<\/span><\/p>\n

What really works? <\/b>A <\/span>research paper by Germany\u2019s Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)<\/span><\/a> and others, published in <\/span>Science<\/span><\/i>, found that out of more than 1000 climate policies surveyed, a mere 63 significantly reduced CO2 emissions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

CO2 pricing was found to be king among the winning policies. \u201cTaxation is a notable exception in effectively causing large emission breaks alone,\u201d the paper writes. One observed likened it to the glue that keeps climate policy together.<\/span><\/p>\n

Their work, and how it was interpreted, is not without its critics. The methodology, which focuses on large, short-term impacts, \u201cignores many policies, including ones that drive low-CO2 investments over time,\u201d said Emil Dimanchev, an indepedent energy\u00a0researcher, <\/span>on X.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He adds that the paper fails to account for second-order effects outside a given country, citing Germany\u2019s generous renewables schemes that are credited with reducing costs for solar and wind around the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is important that we do not conclude from this paper that regulations and subsidies are ineffective without CO2 pricing,\u201d the researcher stressed. <\/span><\/p>\n

[Nikolaus J. Kurmayer]<\/span><\/p>\n

Germany\u2019s Scholz speaks out against quick PFAS ban. <\/b>German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has weighed in on ongoing discussions concerning a ban of PFAS, the so-called \u2018forever chemicals\u2019. Berlin\u00a0will \u201cinsist in the EU that there is a pragmatic approach that does not hinder Germany\u2019s industrial development,\u201d Scholz said on Monday (26 August), speaking at a Chemical Park of company Evonik in Marl, as reported<\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung<\/i>.<\/p>\n

PFAS would be indispensable for many processes in the modern chemical industry, as well as for renewable energy, and are \u201cnot yet specifically replaceable,\u201d Scholz said.<\/p>\n

[Jonathan Packroff]<\/p>\n

Nuclear in Czechia: Westinghouse protests against the South Korean KHNP bid.<\/span><\/b> In a <\/span>press release<\/span><\/a> on Monday (26 August), the American builder announced that it had filed an appeal with the Czech Anti-Monopoly Office against the July decision to <\/span>select<\/span><\/a> its South Korean competitor\u2019s bid to build two AP-1000 reactors at the Dukovany nuclear power plant. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As this offer uses Westinghouse licence technology, the American builder claims to veto its export. \u201cOnly Westinghouse has the legal right to obtain the required approval from the US government to export its technology,\u201d it says. \u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Last week\u2019s talks<\/span><\/a> between the South Korean and American presidential offices \u201cto smoothly resolve the dispute\u201d do not seem to have appeased the US company\u2019s anger. <\/span><\/p>\n

In 2022, Westinghouse took a legal case in the US, seeking to block KHNP from selling two reactors to Poland on similar grounds to its Czech appeal. The lawsuit <\/span>was dismissed<\/span><\/a>, a decision which Westinghouse is currently appealing.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

French utility EDF, who also competed for the Czech contract, confirmed that they too are contesting the South-Korean offer. \u201cEDF seeks to ensure that the tender process adheres to the principles of fair trade and transparency,\u201d the French company said in a statement, adding that its offer remained valid.<\/p>\n

[<\/span>Paul Messad]<\/span><\/p>\n

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OSLO. <\/strong>Security services say Norway\u2019s energy industry faces threats from Russia.<\/strong>\u00a0Security services from seven European countries have briefed Norwegian energy executives and officials, including from Equinor, Europe\u2019s largest gas supplier, about what they see as Russian threats to critical infrastructure.\u00a0Read more<\/a>.<\/p>\n

ROME. Italian government issues ultimatum to car giant over unfulfilled commitments.\u00a0<\/strong>Italy\u2019s Enterprise and Made in Italy Minister, Adolfo Urso, has threatened to withhold recovery fund money from car giant Stellantis unless it provides answers over delayed projects and investments, as tensions between the company and the ruling government continue to escalate.\u00a0<\/strong>Read more<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

LISBON. EU Commission ready to send more resources to fight Madeira fires.\u00a0<\/strong>The EU Commission is ready to mobilise additional resources to help fight the fires on the island of Madeira despite the difficult conditions, the Commission said in a statement on Thursday. Read more<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

LONDON. UK faces legal action over new North Sea oil and gas licences.<\/strong>\u00a0Britain\u2019s decision to issue dozens of new oil and gas exploration licences is being challenged in court by a marine conservation organisation, which argues ministers unlawfully failed to consider the impact on marine life.\u00a0Read more<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Ukrainian Independence Day: Ban Russian fossil fuels now.<\/a> By Svitlana Romanko<\/p>\n

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[Edited by Martina Monti]\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

*Interested in more energy and environment news delivered to your inbox? You can subscribe to our daily newsletter and to our comprehensive weekly update<\/em> here<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Read more with Euractiv<\/h3>\n
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\"The<\/div>\n
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The Green Deal’s next battlefield: the law courts<\/a><\/h4>\n

Brussels will see less climate policymaking post Green Deal, but activists are drawing upon new legislation and case law to keeping pushing for greater ambition, in Europe\u2019s fight against climate change.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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