At the second EU – Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) ministerial meeting on environment and climate, Ministers from the two regions committed to step up cooperation to tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss. They agreed to promote a transition towards low carbon, circular and clean economies where nature […]
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Another year of climate extremes for Europe
According to the latest edition of the European State of the Climate Report (ESOTC), 2022 was yet another year of extremes. Not only did Europe see its hottest summer ever recorded, with temperatures reaching 1.4°C above average, much of Europe experienced prolonged and intense heatwaves. Europe’s lakes and seas also saw increasing surface temperatures. While […]
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Fires in the EU call firefighters to the test
Fires raging across Europe have devastated thousands of hectares of land in France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Greece, putting firefighters in the affected countries to the test. In 2021, about 365 thousand people were employed as professional firefighters in the EU, representing 0.2% of total EU employment. Estonia, Cyprus, Romania, and Slovakia (all around 0.4% of […]
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EU must do more to reduce impact of chemical pesticides
Pesticide use is a major cause of pollution since it contaminates the air, soil, and water, destroys biodiversity, and breeds pest resistance. Chemical pesticide exposure in humans has been related to chronic conditions like cancer, heart, respiratory, and neurological problems. The most recent research on the effects of chemical pesticides on human health and ecosystems […]
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Commission and EIB announce €18M to boost investment in climate actions
The European Commission and the European Investment Bank have announced €18 billion in funding under Global Gateway, Europe’s investment strategy for partner countries. It will stimulate investment in Global Gateway priority areas (climate action, clean energy and connectivity) in European partner countries around the world. In particular, these projects will work to address the global […]
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European Commission proposes detergents regulation to better protect health and environment
The Commission proposed a revised Regulation on detergents that simplifies and future-proofs the current rules to better protect health and the environment, as well as ensure the better functioning of the Single Market for detergents. The revised rules cover new innovative products like detergents containing micro-organisms and sustainable new practices like the refill sale of […]
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European Parliament proposes stricter rules to stamp out fast fashion
MEPs on the Environment Committee today approved their recommendations for the EU to adopt measures to ensure circular, sustainable and socially just textile production. MEPs say textile products sold in the EU should be more durable, easier to reuse, repair and recycle, made to a great extent of recycled fibres, and free of hazardous substances. […]
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Council and European Parliament agree to decarbonise aviation sector
The Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional political agreement on proposals to decarbonise the aviation sector and create a level playing field for sustainable air transport (“ReFuelEU Aviation” initiative). The aim of the proposal is to increase the demand and supply of sustainable aviation fuel while ensuring a level playing field in the […]
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The European Commission extends the Spanish and Portuguese measure to reduce electricity prices until the end of the year
The European Commission has approved, under State aid rules, the prolongation and amendments of a Spanish and Portuguese measure aimed at reducing the wholesale electricity prices in the Iberian market (‘MIBEL’) by lowering the input costs of fossil fuel-fired power stations. The amended measure, which will be in place until 31 December 2023, was approved […]
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