EU adopts Green Deal diplomacy, with focus on climate and carbon pricing
The EU’s 27 foreign affairs ministers adopted ‘conclusions’ on the bloc’s Green Deal diplomacy on Monday, putting the emphasis on the “triple planetary crisis” of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, while calling on foreign countries to develop carbon pricing policies of their own.
Read MoreFEATURE: ‘The Hamburg case’ – How steelmakers won the fight for free EU emissions permits, with help from Germany
The European steel industry has won a special carve-out from the EU ETS, ensuring the sector continues to receive an estimated 18 million carbon allowances for free per year in 2026-2030, according to previously unreleased documents seen by Carbon Pulse.
Read MoreFEATURE: EU weighs up its options on future inclusion of carbon removals in the ETS
The European Commission will issue a report by July 2026 on how to include carbon removals in the EU ETS, with experts ultimately supportive of the idea but warning of the risks it could pose.
Read MoreEU Parliament backs prior scrutiny for CO2 offsetting ads
Companies in the European Union will have to submit carbon offsetting claims for prior verification and approval by third-party certifiers before putting them in front of consumers or face hefty fines, according to draft EU rules voted on Tuesday.
Read MoreOnly 2% of EU’s Just Transition Fund spent so far -official
The European Union’s €17.5 billion Just Transition Fund, launched alongside the Green Deal to support regions most affected by the transition to climate neutrality, is currently in the doldrums with only 2% of payments made so far, a senior official has revealed, underscoring the bloc’s struggle to deal with the social aspects of the green transition.
Read MoreStudy outlines France’s strong potential for carbon removals
France has the capacity to diversify its carbon sinks and achieve climate neutrality, or even become net negative, before 2050, according to a new study published on Thursday.
Read MoreEU27 formally backs exit plan from controversial Energy Charter Treaty
The Council of EU member states on Thursday backed a compromise proposal by the Belgian EU Presidency laying out a procedure for the bloc to quit the 1990s Energy Charter Treaty, which has attracted criticism from EU governments for hampering attempts to phase out fossil fuels.
Read MoreFEATURE: EU’s carbon removal certification law paves way for negative emissions in waste-to-energy sector
The waste-to-energy sector welcomed a political agreement last month on the EU’s Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF), saying the first incinerators fitted with carbon capture technology could see the light as soon as 2028-29, after their inclusion in the EU ETS.
Read MoreEU ban on carbon offsetting claims to start applying in two years
The EU fired the starting gun on Wednesday on a two-year period to implement its new directive on Empowering Consumers in the Green Transition (ECGT), which for the first time bans ‘climate neutral’ claims based solely on carbon offsetting schemes.
Read MoreTrouble ahead for solar industry as EU reaches deal to ban products made from forced labour
The European solar industry is in for a reshuffle – and potential delays in meeting EU targets – after legislators agreed on Tuesday to ban products made from forced labour, which is slated to disrupt supplies coming from China.
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