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Commission deals with tar sands problem by ordering impact study

The Commission is postponing a decision on how to assess the climatic impact of non-conventional sources of transport fuel such as tar sands and oil shale. A decision was expected in June, but Brussels has ordered an assessment of the impact of giving high-carbon sources a higher climate rating, which means no final judgement will be made until next year. The postponement came just days after T&E published a study saying reducing greenhouse gas emissions from petrol and diesel production will cost less to administer than the oil industry says.

Commissioners recognise Iluc must be dealt with, but fail to decide how

The EU’s 27 commissioners have recognised that indirect land-use change (Iluc) caused by the EU’s biofuels policy has to be addressed seriously, but at a meeting earlier this month they failed to reach a decision on how to deal with it. The 27 rejected a compromise put forward by the EU's energy and climate directorates, and asked the two departments to work out a more ambitious proposal. T&E has welcomed the call for more ambition, but has criticised this latest delay in finding a solution.

World heading for 6C temperature rise

The International Energy Agency says current energy trends indicate a long-term temperature increase of 6C. A new report Tracking Clean Energy Progress says there is no stabilisation of greenhouse gas emissions in sight, and that if this continues, energy use in 2050 will be twice that of 2009, leading to a long-term temperature rise of 6C.

End of legal challenge to aviation in ETS, but will opposition now move elsewhere?

Sky with contrails

The coalition of American aviation interests that challenged the EU’s right to introduce emissions trading to air transport has abandoned its legal action. A group of six NGOs welcomed the decision, but said the airline coalition’s failure to accept December’s ruling by the European Court of Justice suggests the Americans may be moving the battlefield elsewhere.

Opposition that risks having no clean future for liquid transport fuels

Jos Dings, Director T&E

Opinion by Jos Dings - T&E director
People who follow our work – and Europe’s environmental policy – a little bit will have noticed that two fuels-related draft laws keep dragging on without any apparent progress. The first one is what to do about indirect land use change effects of biofuels (key words: Iluc, biodiesel). The second is whether or not to give petrol and diesel from unconventional fossil sources a higher lifecycle greenhouse gas default value (key words: fuel quality directive, tar sands).

Smarter ‘grandfathering’ policy could be the breakthrough on biofuels

Deforestation
A report commissioned by T&E and two other environmental NGOs says the EU can deal successfully with the troublesome issue of indirect land-use change (Iluc) in biofuels production by taking a more enlightened approach to the principle of ‘grandfathering’.

‘Fair and ambitious’ shipping scheme needed to kickstart global efforts

The Commission should make a meaningful proposal this year for the EU to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport. That is the message delivered by 15 NGOs to the EU climate commissioner Connie Hedegaard and five other commissioners in a letter dated 23 March, which specifically offers help in drawing up a proposal.

Head of Europe’s car parts suppliers accuses German car makers of ‘greed’

Differences are emerging between car makers and the suppliers of car parts over the EU’s efforts to fight climate change. While the car makers are continuing to oppose the EU’s proposed 2020 average carbon dioxide emissions limit of 95 grams per kilometre, the parts suppliers believe the target is easily achievable. The head of Europe’s umbrella organisation representing car parts suppliers has accused Germany’s car industry of ‘greed’ and ‘milking the cow dry’.

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