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).
The ‘Durban Platform’ may become as commonly known as the Kyoto Protocol, following a loose agreement at this month’s Durban climate change summit on a plan to work towards a global climate strategy. The plan is to agree the strategy by 2015 and for it to start in 2020.
Environmental groups in Spain fear climate and environmental protection could be downgraded following last month’s change of Spanish government.
A Commission survey into environmental attitudes has shown 89% support for EU funding to be allocated more for environmentally friendly activities and developments.
The International Energy Agency has warned that current trends are making it increasingly difficult for the world to limit global temperature increases to two degrees Celsius.
Sustainability standards for bioenergy should be included in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) as they are in the Fuel Quality and Renewable Energy directives, according to a group of ten environmental NGOs including Transport & Environment.
A leading climate consultancy says the EU can no longer say it has the most ambitious and influential energy and climate policy in the world. Analysing draft targets on energy efficiency and climate change in China’s next five-year plan, the E3G consultancy says China’s intentions are more ambitious than the EU’s.