Climate change policy

The European Union is using its heft as a wealthy trade bloc of half a billion consumers to set the global pace of climate change action, challenging others to match the ambitions of its latest carbon cutting plans.

Ljubljana – Presenting Slovenia’s EU presidency priorities in energy to the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec said Thursday that when it comes to Fit for 55 energy proposals, the Slovenian presidency will start with the revision of directives on renewables and energy efficiency.

A draft of the ETS proposal, said the supply of CO2 permits in the ETS will face a one-off reduction

Swiss voters rejected a trio of environmental proposals on June 13, including a new law intended to help the country meet its goal for cutting carbon emissions under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

A new CO2 law was narrowly rejected, with 51.6% of voters opposing it in a nationwide referendum conducted under the country's system of direct democracy.

The window of opportunity for reaching net zero emissions by mid-century is narrowing unless the world radically changes the way energy is produced, used and transported, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on May 18.

The carbon border tax bill that the European Commission will propose by mid-2021 to regulate the carbon footprint of imported goods may affect multiple industrial fields in Turkey, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said in a statement on April 21.

The European Parliament and EU member states have agreed a target to cut carbon emissions by "at least" 55 percent by 2030, the EU Commission said in a statement released early Wednesday.

The agreement comes after intense negotiations between parliament, who wanted at least 60 percent reduction, and leaders of the member states, who agreed 55 percent in November.

France launched yet another initiative, aimed at curbing carbon emissions. Under new amendments in legislation all domestic flights that could be substituted by train travel for under two and a half hour routes will be permanently suspended, Reuters reported. The move is the last in a series of actions targeted to lower green house gases.

 The renewed focus on the COVID-19 crisis and delays with the European vaccination campaign are set to overshadow talks on how to align industrial policy with the EU's climate goals at an EU summit meeting on Thursday (25 March).

Ljubljana – The government adopted on Thursday a strategy for improvement of energy efficiency of buildings until 2050 that, among other things, defines decarbonisation approaches and policies of the National Housing Fund.