European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
environment
The six policy priorities of the von der Leyen Commission: State of play in spring 2021
During the new European Commission’s first one hundred days in office, however, the European Union, and indeed the whole world, were to be profoundly affected by the sudden outbreak of the coronavirus crisis, with the developing pandemic soon evolving into a multi‑faceted global crisis. Continue reading
EU climate action policy: Responding to the global emergency
The European Green Deal aims at making the European Union (EU) climate-neutral by 2050, a target supported by all EU institutions. Continue reading
What if we could engineer the planet to help fight climate change? [Science and Technology podcast]
Efforts to curb carbon emissions are falling short. As climate change impacts become all too clear, geoengineering is again in the spotlight. Continue reading
New EU regulatory framework for batteries: Setting sustainability requirements [EU Legislation in Progress]
Given the important role they play in the rollout of zero-emission mobility and the storage of intermittent renewable energy, batteries are a crucial element in the EU’s transition to a climate neutral economy. Continue reading
Access to justice in environmental matters: Amending the Aarhus Regulation [EU Legislation in Progress]
The European Union is party to the Aarhus Convention on access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters. Continue reading
EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement: An analytical overview
On 30 December 2020, the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) signed a Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), concluding nearly ten months of negotiations. Continue reading
What if blockchain could guarantee ethical AI?
Blockchain has the potential to promote compliance with traditional ethical principles, especially in the fields of healthcare, supply chain management and food safety. Continue reading
What if technology and culture combined to boost a green recovery? [Science and Technology podcast]
Technological innovation has always been an indispensable part of recovery from economic, social and environmental crises. Continue reading
Climate action: The way ahead [What Think Tanks are thinking]
In a passionate speech delivered recently at Columbia University in New York, the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, described the fight against climate change as the top priority for the 21st century. Continue reading
Forest fires: Environmental stakes [Policy Podcast]
Covering nearly one third of the land surface of the globe, forests make a wide range of direct and indirect contributions to human well-being. Continue reading
Outlook for the meetings of EU leaders on 10-11 December 2020
On 10 and 11 December, EU leaders will meet for their 13th meeting of 2020, bringing to a close a year of exceptionally intensive activity for the European Council. Continue reading
EU climate target plan: Raising the level of ambition for 2030 [Policy Podcast]
The EU’s current greenhouse gas emissions reduction target for 2030, of 40 % compared with 1990 levels, was agreed by the European Council in 2014, along with targets for renewable energy and energy efficiency. Continue reading
InvestEU programme: The EU’s new investment support scheme [EU Legislation in Progress]
The InvestEU programme is a single investment support mechanism for the 2021-2027 period. It would bring together various EU financial instruments for internal policies that are currently supported by different funds and programmes of the EU budget. Continue reading
What if AI could help us become ‘greener’? [Science and Technology podcast]
As ‘green transitions’ become real political goals, what role can artificial intelligence (AI) play in helping to achieve them? Continue reading
Decarbonising maritime transport: The EU perspective [Policy Podcast]
International maritime transport is the backbone of the global economy. However, vessels release emissions that pollute the air and contribute significantly to global warming. Continue reading
Sustainable consumption: Helping consumers make eco-friendly choices [Policy Podcast]
Household consumption in the EU has major environmental impacts, which in a number of cases exceed planetary boundaries. Two thirds of consumers in the EU realise that their consumption habits have negative effects on the environment, and the solution that they mention most often is to change consumption habits and production patterns. Continue reading
Global mega-trends: Scanning the post-coronavirus horizon
The European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS) – the strategic foresight network of the European Union institutions – offers a valuable ‘free space’ in which to conduct a genuine continental, and potentially global, conversation about where the world is heading over the medium to long run. Continue reading
Palm oil: Economic and environmental impacts
Economical and versatile, palm oil has become the world’s most widely used vegetable oil. Although palm oil can be produced sustainably, rising consumption increases the risk of tropical rainforests being cut down to make way for plantations. Continue reading
Plenary round-up – October II 2020
During the second October 2020 plenary session – the first at which Members were able to speak remotely, and not only vote, from the Member States – the European Commission presented its 2021 work programme, which Members largely welcomed. Continue reading
Key issues in the European Council: State of play in October 2020
The role of the European Council is to ‘provide the Union with the necessary impetus for its development’ and to define its ‘general political directions and priorities’. Continue reading
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