The Commission welcomes the provisional agreement reached this morning with the European Parliament and the Council to reform and strengthen the EU Energy Efficiency Directive. This deal marks a further step in the completion of the ‘Fit for 55′ package to deliver the European Green Deal and the REPowerEU Plan. It shows once again the EU’s determination to become climate […]
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The European Commission announces more than 116M € of investment in strategic projects under the new LIFE Program
The Commission announced an investment of over €116 million for the new LIFE Programme‘s Strategic Projects. The funding will help eight major projects in Belgium, Estonia, Spain, Italy, Poland, Slovakia and Finland reach their climate and environmental targets. The projects are expected to mobilise significant additional funds from other EU funding sources, including agricultural, structural, regional and research funds, in addition to national funds […]
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Global agreement on protection and sustainable use of resources and biodiversity in high seas
Global negotiations concluded on the landmark Treaty of the High Seas to protect the ocean, tackle environmental degradation, fight climate change, and prevent biodiversity loss. The new treaty will allow to establish large-scale marine protected areas on the high seas, which are also necessary to meet the global commitment of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Agreement concluded last December to […]
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EU Biodiversity strategy for 2030
According to data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 36 species have become extinct in Europe since 2015. These figures are alarming, and prompt action is urgently needed to protect not only the animals but also their habitats. The European Union has developed numerous initiatives and programs to preserve nature and ecosystems, […]
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EIB underwrites €55m green loan for wind farm in Castile and León
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has officially approved a EUR 55 million green loan to a joint venture between Iberdrola (75%) and Caja Rural de Soria (25%) for the construction of one of Castilla y León’s largest wind farms. The Buniel wind farm in the province of Burgos has a total capacity of approximately 100 […]
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EU announces €816.5 million worth of commitments to protect the ocean
At the Our Ocean Conference in Panama, the EU is confirming its strong engagement for international ocean governance by announcing 39 commitments for action for the year 2023. These actions will be funded by €816.5 million. This is one of the biggest amounts ever announced by the EU since the start of the Our Ocean […]
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Provisional agreement reached on European green bonds
The new regulation aims to prevent greenwashing in the bonds market. Issuers of bonds will be able to demonstrate that they are funding green projects aligned with the EU taxonomy, whilst investors will be able to identify high-quality green bonds more easily. The EU is taking further steps to implement its strategy on financing sustainable […]
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Used textiles in Europe are a growing waste and export problem
Discarded textiles in Europe, including used clothing and footwear, are an increasing waste and export problem. Rapidly increasing EU exports of used textiles — some of which is reused and some of which ends up in landfills — show that Europe faces a challenge in how to handle its own used textiles, according to a […]
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Road safety: Updated requirements for driving licences
The Commission has presented proposals to modernise driving licence rules, including the introduction of a digital driving licence valid throughout the EU, and new provisions to facilitate the enforcement of traffic rules across borders. More than 20,000 lives were lost on EU roads last year and the majority of victims were pedestrians, cyclists and users […]
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