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Energy, Environment & Transport Pro Brief |
| Wed 13 November 2024 | View online
Estimated reading time: 4-5 minutes |
| | | Just €25,000 for reforestation in wildfire-hit natural park in Portugal |
| The Serra da Estrela Natural Park (PNSE) is the highest mountain range in mainland Portugal, the largest protected area in the country, being also part of the EU's Natura 2000 network of protected areas.
Forest fires frequently affect it, with vast areas burned in 2017 and 2022 – around 44,000 hectares.
But the park’s €11 million co-management plan for 2024-2027, approved yesterday evening (12 November), allocates just €25,000 for reforestation. Local NGO ASE described the sum as a “pittance.” Reforestation efforts will depend upon volunteers rather than paid professionals.
In contrast, €6.5 million will be earmarked to build new interpretative centres, and restore existing ones.
“Continuing in this path will lead to a park full of interpretative centres with nothing left to interpret,” ASE’s President José Saraiva told Euractiv’s Bárbara Machado.
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| Next German government faces energy, climate political challenges |
| | | COP29: Slow progress on Loss & Damage, fossil fuels a 'gift of god’ |
| Incoming climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra kicked off COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, with a win by keeping climate-related trade measures (i.e. the EU’s CBAM carbon tariff) off the agenda – and against the wishes of Brazil, China, India and South Africa.
The UK came on strong by vowing to cut emissions by 81% compared to 1990 levels until 2035.
The Loss & Damage Fund agreed last year, hailed as a key success by UAE-German climate diplomacy who provided the seed money, remains slim. Sweden pledged €19 million yesterday.
Finally, attendance numbers are down – from more than 80,000 at COP28 last year, down to just more than 65,000 this year.
However compared to the less than 20,000 attendees at COP24 just five years prior, that figure is still large – the jamboree cannot even be stopped by a host country whose President on the main stage referred to its fossil fuel reserves as a “gift of God” it hopes to make use.
The biggest success hailed by negotiators in Baku so far has been another step towards an agreement on global CO2 markets, known to wonks as Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
“Parties agreed strong standards for a centralized carbon market under the UN,” said UN negotiator Simon Stiell, adding that there is “more work to do, but this is a good start.” [NK] Back to top |
| Engie forecasts 84% reduction in EU emissions by 2040 |
| The EU's objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 is “achievable’” with an accelerated roll-out of mature technologies such as solar and wind power, power grids and electric cars, Engie argued in its new decarbonisation scenario presented yesterday.
"Europe must stay the course," said Catherine MacGregor, the CEO of the EU's leading gas producer, during the presentation.
However, MacGregor also recommends against setting an EU 2040 reduction target – at least for now.
The European Commission is discussing an unofficial 90% reduction target.
“Going to -90% would mean a significant additional cost,” Engie head of strategy Nicolas Lefevre-Marton reflected during the scenario presentation.
Engie instead prefers an “optimised trajectory” of -84%.
Engie is aiming for renewables to provide 60% of EU electricity production by 2030, and proposes an electrification rate of 48% by 2050 supplemented by 32% gas, comprised of decarbonised methane and hydrogen, and 15% waste heat.
On hydrogen, Engie acknowledges a decrease in previous targets. Seventy percent of carbon-free hydrogen will be produced in Europe by 2050, while “imports will mainly be used for e-fuels,” ,the company explained.
Paul Messad reports on Engie’s launch, where the European gas giant also called for a carbon price floor, which would “at least discourage the use of coal.”
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| Shell wins appeal on emission reduction climate case |
| Yesterday, the Hague’s court of appeal overturned a 2021 ground-breaking ruling, which required the oil giant to cut emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.
The court found that Shell was not bound by the initial ruling that it must reduce emissions by 45% by 2030. It ruled that the Paris Agreement-compatible targets do not apply to countries or businesses individually.
For NGO Client Earth, while this result “is disappointing,” it is “unlikely to be the end of the road or the claim,” said the organisation’s senior lawyer, Paul Benson, in a press release. [BM]
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| | Ribera open to negative emissions in ETS, less keen on power rules reform |
| Ribera showed some openness to opening the EU’s flagship CO2 price scheme (ETS) to negative emissions – avoiding a future where heavy industry must go fully green by 2039.
And when asked about the EU having another go at reforming its power market, she instead referred to other ways of keeping electricity prices down, like by boosting interconnections between grids across the bloc – which she previously said will become a priority of her term.
However he hearing was otherwise light on policy, with the Spaniard instead busy fending off political attacks, including harsh accusations concerning her role in the the deadly Valencia floods.
The at-times very personal attacks by far-right MEPs were complemented by the occasional EPP lawmaker chipping in – Tiemo Wölken, S&D ENVI coordinator, said the centre-right party acted in a “disgusting” way.
Frequently, lawmakers could be seen either jeering, laughing or applauding statements from their side – at one time, banging of tables could be heard.
A final decision to approve or reject Ribera, along with the other five Executive Vice Presidents is delayed indefinitely, and will require a political agreement between the Parliament’s main groups.
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| Incoming industy strategy commissioner Séjourné eyes plastics CO2 tariff |
| Addressing MEPs during his confirmation hearing yesterday afternoon France’s, Stéphane Séjourné said he would focus on “four aspects” concerning the EU’s CO2 border tax (CBAM), currently under fire from European industry.
Given criticism regarding the scheme’s complexity and bureaucratic nature, he said he would “perhaps make the system simpler.” Beyond that he, proposed extending the scheme to exports, and assess its impacts on developing countries.
But he also spoke about “extending” the scheme to “certain products” naming “polymers or indirect emissions that are not currently taken into by account by CBAM.”
Polymers are plastics, which are made using fossil fuels – and are a key source of CO2 emissions.
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| | Minister: Electric cars will be charging Australian grid by Christmas |
| Australia’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen announced on Saturday (9 November) that the country has finalised standards to allow electric vehicle (EV) batteries to power the grid.
Addressing the Sydney Electric Vehicle Autoshow, the minister said that bi-directional charging will be “a reality by Christmas this year.”
The standards ensure that manufacturers can supply equipment which is technically compatible with car batteries and the country’s power infrastructure.
Wind and solar power are variable, so future electricity systems need flexibility to manage these power variations. EV batteries could help manage power systems when cars are parked and connected to the grid.
In its 2020 Energy System Integration Strategy, the Commission cites research which finds that by 2050, EVs could provide up to 20% of the electricity system’s daily flexibility needs.
In December 2023 the European energy regulator proposed changes to pan-EU market rules, known as ‘network codes,’ which would facilitate vehicle-to-grid charging.
The Commission must now decide whether to approve or not the proposals.
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| | NGO: Impose EU-wide 20km/h speed limit for scooters |
| In a new report released today, the European Transport Safety Council NGO wants EU rules on e-scooters, including a maximum speed of 20km/h; a minimum rider age of 16 years; and mandatory helmet use.
The report identifies 119 road deaths in collisions involving ‘motorised micro-mobility devices’ in 2022, and notes that most crashes only involve the rider. ETSC says that between half and two-thirds of those killed in such incidents had consumed alcohol before riding.
The NGO also calls for a 30km/h limit on car drivers in urban areas as another way to reduce scooter fatalities.
ETCS wants to see technical limits imposed on scooters, including a cap on acceleration, mandatory breaks – front and back – and a bell or horn.
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| | Swedish energy minister: Tech neutrality is ‘do or die’ for Europe |
| | Opinion: Europe's moment of truth at COP29 |
| | | | | | Today’s brief was brought to you by Euractiv’s Energy, Environment & Transport team |
| | | | | Today’s briefing was prepared by the Energy, Environment and Transport team: Donagh Cagney, Paul Messad, Nikolaus J.Kurmayer, Bárbara Machado and Jasper Steinlein. Share your feedback or information with us at [email protected]. |
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