Despite legislative steps forward over the past five years, efforts to transform Europe’s largely linear, ‘throw-away’ economy into a circular one will require further bold action and strong implementation of existing measures. Decisive action is essential to drastically reduce waste, prioritise reduction of resource use, improve recycling rates and improve the introduction of products that […]
Read MoreCouncil gives green light to new legislation toughening penalties and extending the list of environmental offences
The Council formally adopted a directive on the protection of the environment through criminal law. The law will improve the investigation and prosecution of environmental crime offences. The directive establishes EU-wide minimum rules on the definition of criminal offences and penalties. It replaces the previous law which dates back to 2008. The law will only […]
Read MoreFirefighting: EU earmarks €600m to reinforce EU rescue operations
The Commission is financing the purchase of new firefighting planes to increase the aerial firefighting capacity of rescEU, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism’s strategic crisis response reserve. €600 million in EU funds will be used to purchase 12 new planes, which will be hosted across 6 EU Member States: Croatia, France, Italy, Greece, Portugal, and […]
Read MoreEuropean Commission in Spain participates in a reforestation campaign in Granada
Last week, the European Commission Representation in Spain organised a tree planting activity in the framework of the #ForOurPlanet Campaign. Last week, the European Commission Representation in Spain organised a tree planting activity in the framework of the #ForOurPlanet Campaign. The action took place in the city of Granada, in the south of the country, […]
Read MoreSeville, among 23 cities awarded with the EU Mission Label for their efforts towards climate-neutrality
the EU Mission Label was awarded to 23 cities part of the EU Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, one of the EU Missions under Horizon Europe. The Label recognises the cities’ plans to achieve climate-neutrality already by 2030 and aims to facilitate access to public and private funding towards that objective. The first ten […]
Read MoreSpain: EIB and Iberdrola agree a €700 million green loan for power grid expansion
The European Investment Bank (EIB) approved a €700 million green loan to expand Iberdrola’s electricity-distribution grid in Spain. An initial, €500 million tranche was signed in Madrid by EIB Director General for European Union Operations, Jean-Christophe Laloux, and Iberdrola Finance, Control and Corporate Development Director José Sainz Armada. The total investment under the project amounts […]
Read MoreEurope Advances Towards a Circular Economy: Strategies to Reduce Textile and Food Waste
Europe is at a crucial moment in transitioning towards a circular economy, seeking innovative solutions to reduce the environmental impact of textile and food waste. In a recent adoption of proposals by the European Parliament, stricter measures have been established to address these challenges, marking a significant step forward in the fight against waste and […]
Read MoreSolar irrigation: efficient green energy for the future of agriculture
When it comes to sustainable agriculture, energy-efficient solutions play a fundamental role. In this quest for sustainability, the emergence of solar irrigation (SI) is proving to be a game changer. The EU-funded SolAqua project, which concluded in September 2023, has made huge advances in overcoming barriers to the market uptake of SI in Europe and […]
Read MoreEnergy efficiency of buildings: MEPs adopt plans to decarbonise the sector
On Tuesday, MEPs adopted plans, already agreed upon with Council, to help reduce energy consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions from the buildings sector. The proposed revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive aims to progressively reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy consumption in the EU building sector, and make it climate neutral by 2050. […]
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