International: Europe
Finland's nuclear free moment
27 May 2022
Finland could soon become the first country in the world to legally commit to carbon negativity.
No done deal on EU carbon market reform
26 May 2022
Lawmakers in the European Parliament’s environment committee voted on a major overhaul of the EU’s carbon market last week, but it’s a long and possibly bumpy road to EU legislators shaking hands on the final deal.
How a French bank set the gold standard for climate action
24 May 2022
The headquarters of La Banque Postale resemble a towering greenhouse in a quiet residential neighborhood of Paris, about a mile east of the Eiffel Tower.
Farmer sues VW over climate change; German court has doubts
23 May 2022
A court in Germany cast doubt Friday on claims by a German farmer that automaker Volkswagen is partly responsible for the impact that global warming is having on his family business.
Studio MOM creates eco-friendly cycle helmet from mycelium and hemp
19 May 2022
Dutch design office polystyrene (https://www.dezeen.com/tag/studio-mom/">Studio MOM has developed a bicycle helmet from biomaterials that, unlike
EU climate emissions higher than before pandemic
18 May 2022
The EU's greenhouse gas emissions in the last quarter of 2021 were higher than any quarter since late 2018, scrubbing out the apparent gains made during the pandemic.
MEPs raise ambition on EU carbon market reform
18 May 2022
The European Parliament environment committee on Tuesday (17 May) agreed on reform of the European carbon market — including its expansion to buildings and transport.
Berlin pushes for a €60 minimum price on EU carbon markets
17 May 2022
Discounting allegations of speculation on the EU carbon market, Berlin is throwing its weight behind a minimum price of €60 per tonne of CO2, saying it will ensure this through national measures if the EU does not take action.
Zero-carbon flat glass made for the first time by Saint-Gobain
17 May 2022
In a world first, France’s Cie. de Saint-Gobain said it produced carbon-neutral flat glass by using recycled materials and green energy.
Sustainable bonds poised for growth, but standards remain a potential bottleneck
13 May 2022
A recent study estimates that green, social and sustainability bond issuance may reach €1.6tn in just four years, but also highlights concerns on standards and the liquidity of the market.
Giga-scale solar manufacturing roaring back to Europe: industry chief
13 May 2022
Solar players are now very willing to relocate to Europe again to cater for soaring demand as the continent tries to wean itself off Russian energy imports and meet climate targets, Carsten Körnig, chief executive of the German solar industry federation (BSW Solar) said at the opening of the Intersolar 2022 event in Munich.
Biggest 'floating solar park' in Europe will open this year in Portugal
12 May 2022
Europe's largest floating solar park will take shape in July this year, in Portugal's Alqueva reservoir.
European carbon prices tumble, failing to scale new highs as gas drops
11 May 2022
There may be no fresh risks of an escalation in the Ukraine war and in the standoff between the EU and Russia regarding its fossil fuels, but recession fears spilled over to the carbon market. The price of a ton of CO2 equivalent within the EU ETS fell more than 5% after challenging recent record highs.
Swedish green steel firm racks up sales before plant is built
11 May 2022
Sweden’s H2 Green Steel has pre-sold more than half of its planned initial capacity and aims to close financing for a plant in the north by the end of the year, Chief Executive Officer Henrik Henriksson said in an interview.
This Arctic town wants to make renewable energy work at the top of the world
10 May 2022
For Toku Oshima, a hunter from Greenland, the quest to bring renewable energy to her hometown of Qaanaaq is not just a fight against climate change — it’s a fight for cultural survival.
German transport minister plans massive increase of e-car subsidies
10 May 2022
Germany’s transport ministry plans to almost double e-car subsidies to achieve climate targets, but experts and NGOs criticise the plans as hugely expensive and ineffective, reports business daily Handelsblatt
Norway wants people to park their EVs and ride the bus
10 May 2022
Norway has been incredibly successful at introducing electric vehicles. In 2021, nearly two-thirds of all new vehicle purchases there were EVs, and combustion sales there are set to end just three years from now in 2025. But there's a new problem for the Scandinavian nation: it needs people to stop driving their EVs so much and get on buses and trains.
Interruption or incentive: Will the war in Ukraine thwart Europe’s green energy transition?
3 May 2022
By Gregor Thompson | Across Europe, the War in Ukraine is forcing states to reconsider how they source their energy. Some see a rare opportunity to affect meaningful progress on climate change.
In Switzerland, parliamentarians have requested training on global warming
3 May 2022
SEVERAL IPCC experts spoke for three hours at the Swiss Federal Palace yesterday. An event prompted by a hunger-striking dad.
‘Money time’ for EU carbon market reform in the European Parliament
3 May 2022
The lawmaker overseeing the adoption of a key package of EU climate legislation in the European Parliament has urged colleagues to stop fighting over the proposed reform, saying Europe must rise to the occasion in the current geopolitical context.
German carmakers have an uphill struggle to go green
2 May 2022
As Germany speeds up investment in renewables, the energy consumption of its automakers reveals just how reliant the country's most important industry is on fossil fuels, a Reuters analysis of environmental data shows.
Germany makes push to quit Russian oil by late summer
2 May 2022
Germany says it’s making progress on weaning itself off Russian fossil fuels and expects to be fully independent of Russian crude oil imports by late.
German auto association calls for bicycle use to save energy
29 Apr 2022
Europe’s largest motoring association ADAC has called on its members to save fuel and take the bicycle wherever possible to help reduce the reliance on Russian oil imports
100 EU cities commit to going climate neutral by 2030
29 Apr 2022
For a city to slash its emissions to zero may seem like a pipe dream, but 100 EU cities have committed to doing just that by the end of the decade.
The too-invisible hand of the EU emissions market
28 Apr 2022
When European Union policy-makers envisaged the Emissions Trading System (ETS) in 2003 as their single tool to drive down greenhouse-gas emissions (GHG), it looked like a win-win approach. Industry, non-governmental organisations and public authorities welcomed the directive with its market-based mechanism, putting a price on greenhouse gases, to reduce emissions in a ‘cost-effective’ way.
Climate change fuelling rise of Spanish far right
28 Apr 2022
In this small town, and dozens like it across Spain’s vast, hot southern region of Andalusia, climate change is helping sweep the far right toward government.
Macron’s win is good news for climate
27 Apr 2022
The French president had to redouble his commitments to fighting climate change as he courted the left-wing vote, but his efforts could be thwarted if he fails to win a parliamentary majority in June.
Credit Suisse investors push for faster climate action
27 Apr 2022
A group of Credit Suisse investors pushing for faster climate action at the Swiss bank has more than doubled in size, raising pressure on its board ahead of its annual shareholder meeting on Friday.
Damage to Ukraine’s renewable energy sector could surpass $1 billion
22 Apr 2022
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has leveled schools, businesses, hospitals, and homes, causing up to $63 billion in damages to Ukraine’s infrastructure by the end of March, according to estimates by the Kyiv School of Economics
Vehicle CO2 emissions fall in 17 Europe markets
22 Apr 2022
Volume weighted average CO2 emissions in some Europe markets fell from 117.7g/km in 2020 to 99g/km last year, following introduction of the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP).
To fight climate change, and now Russia, too, Zurich turns off natural gas
21 Apr 2022
European officials are debating whether they can stop buying natural gas imports from Russia. Many say it can't be done. But the biggest city in Switzerland — Zurich — is already taking ambitious steps to wean itself off gas. It's shutting down the flow of gas to whole parts of the city.
Climate action in Ireland is not following climate ambition
21 Apr 2022
During 2021, Ireland (https://www.irishtimes.com/news) made a transformational change in terms of climate ambition.
Methane reducing pilot to reduce GHG emissions from cows by 30%
21 Apr 2022
European dairy co-operative, Arla Foods and global science-based company, Royal DSM are set to start a large-scale, on-farm pilot with the methane-reducing feed additive Bovaer, involving 10,000 dairy cows across three European countries.
Denmark ‘first country in the world’ to develop its own climate label for food
20 Apr 2022
Denmark is investing DKK 9m (€1.2m) in the development of a government-run climate label for food.
Germany’s largest dairy co-op launches vegan product range
20 Apr 2022
Germany’s biggest dairy co-op, DMK Group, is expanding its Milram range to include oat-based desserts and drinks.
Macron uses climate change to attack Le Pen
19 Apr 2022
In a bid to woo left-wing voters for the final round of the French presidential election, Emmanuel Macron on Saturday slammed his far-right opponent Marine Le Pen as a “climate skeptic” and trumpeted his own plans to build a green economy.
Biomass industry pushes back against Europe's plans to protect forests
14 Apr 2022
A powerful US biomass lobby group is pushing for a raft of changes that would weaken European renewable energy rules geared to better protect biodiversity and tackle climate change, DeSmog can reveal.
Sweden set to be world’s first country to target consumption-based emission cuts
12 Apr 2022
Sweden’s political parties have agreed to include consumption-based emissions within its climate targets, making it the first country in the world to make the leap into the complex realm of overseas emissions reporting.
KLM’s carbon neutral claim is misleading: watchdog
11 Apr 2022
KLM cannot truthfully say its flights are carbon neutral, according to Dutch advertising watchdog Stichting Reclame Code (SRC). The committee's verdict was seen Friday by Bloomberg.
EU Commission lays out plan to become climate neutral by 2030
7 Apr 2022
The European Commission unveiled plans to cut its own greenhouse gas emissions by 60% before the end of the decade, saying the remainder will be compensated with carbon removals
Milking the EU’s carbon market cash cow for industry
7 Apr 2022
Rather than propose amendments to the EU’s Emissions Trading System that would take the heat off the climate and serve society, European parliamentarians are squabbling over the quantity of freebies to offer polluting industries.
Germany boosts renewables with “biggest energy policy reform in decades”
7 Apr 2022
Germany wants to fight the climate crisis and its heavy dependence on fossil fuel imports by speeding up the rollout of renewables with a massive overhaul of key energy legislation.
France fails to meet court deadline to get Paris climate deal objectives back on track
1 Apr 2022
With 10 days to go to the French presidential election, the government has just broken a deadline to realign itself with the Paris Climate Agreement objectives.
In Austria, the government pays to repair your stuff
1 Apr 2022
Taking the “right to repair” one step further, a Viennese repair bonus is going national — and keeping thousands of items out of the junkyard
Sweden’s innovative wooden skyscraper captures as much carbon as 10,000 forests
29 Mar 2022
Between the towering trees of Sweden's Bothnian coastline, a new skyscraper is bucking the trend of the traditionally carbon-heavy construction industry.
Germany’s new government had big plans on climate, then Russia invaded Ukraine
28 Mar 2022
Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has made Germany’s reliance on Russian oil and gas untenable, and led the center-left government of Chancellor Olav Scholz to accelerate the transition to clean energy.
Germany lowers petrol and public transport prices
25 Mar 2022
Germany’s government coalition will introduce one-off bonuses, lower taxes on fuels and cheap public transport tickets as part of a wide-ranging relief package against rising energy costs.
Putin’s climate envoy Anatoly Chubais quits
24 Mar 2022
Anatoly Chubais, the architect of Russia's market reforms in the 1990s and President Vladimir Putin's climate envoy, has quit his post, becoming the highest-ranking official to stand down following the invasion of Ukraine.
High energy costs intensify debate over Europe's carbon plan
18 Mar 2022
A European Union plan to charge fuel suppliers for the CO2 emitted by cars and heating buildings is emerging as the most contentious element in a raft of climate change policies the bloc’s member states are negotiating this year.
Some EU members turn back to coal to cut reliance on Russian gas
17 Mar 2022
Several EU countries have put their coal phase-out plans on hold as to continue would mean relying on natural gas imports from Russia. Instead of investments in gas infrastructure, renewables or other alternatives, the extension of coal mining is considered the quickest and most viable solution.
Australia: Carbon tariff on the table for overseas businesses
Today 12:00pm
Labor has left the door open to a tax on cement and steel coming in from places not taking sufficient climate action.
Climate and weather scientists are joining the anti-Trump resistance in the most ‘scientist-iest’ way
Today 12:00pm
Forget marching in the streets with creative signs. For President Donald Trump’s second term, in the face of steep funding cuts for climate and weather research and forecasting, scientists have a new way of engaging the public: livestreamed presentations.
For the first time, China invests more in wind and solar than coal overseas
Thu 29 May 2025
China’s Belt and Road Initiative, long derided for its heavy carbon footprint, was dominated by wind and solar power projects for the first time from 2022 to 2023, according to a new analysis. But coal plants financed in earlier years are still coming online.
Why expensive gas – not net-zero – is keeping UK electricity prices so high
Wed 28 May 2025
The UK’s high electricity prices have become intensely political, with competing claims over the cause of rocketing bills and how best to get them down.
Engineer explains why Alberta’s hydrogen strategy is money-losing climate failure
26 May 2025
Desperation, bad advice and lobbying likely underpinning the province’s plan to blend hydrogen with natural gas for home heating.
Indonesia backtracks on coal phase-out in new 2034 power supply plan
Thu 29 May 2025
Indonesia plans to add 69.5 gigawatts (GW) of power capacity by the end of 2034, much of it from renewable sources, but it still expects to add new coal-fired power plants.
Pacific Island nations support China's Taiwan claims at high-profile foreign ministers' meeting
Fri 30 May 2025
Pacific nations have backed China's claim over Taiwan during a high-profile meeting, but have shied away from directly endorsing Beijing's push to "reunify" the democratically ruled island with the mainland.
I just returned from Antarctica: climate change isn’t some far-off problem – it’s here and hitting hard
13 May 2025
Antarctica is often viewed as the last truly remote place on Earth – frozen, wild and untouched. But is it really as untouched as it seems?
Death toll from Nigeria flash floods rises to 151
Today 12:00pm
At least 151 people in central Nigeria are now known to have died following flash floods that destroyed homes and displaced thousands of residents earlier this week.
South America sets historic benchmark: Zero new coal plants planned
Wed 28 May 2025
South America just achieved a remarkable energy milestone, quietly setting a global benchmark: for the first time in history, the entire continent now has zero new coal-fired power plants planned.
Nations agree on carbon-pricing system to steer shipping towards net-zero
14 Apr 2025
Nations have agreed to introduce a worldwide carbon-pricing system for international shipping to drive the sector towards net-zero emissions by 2050.
