At the COP27 UN Climate Change Conference which ended on Sunday morning in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, the European Commission showed ambition and flexibility to keep the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees within reach. After a difficult week of negotiations, a strong and united European effort helped secure a hard-fought deal to keep […]
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Biodiversity: Stronger measures against wildlife trafficking
The Commission has adopted a revised EU Action Plan to put an end to illegal wildlife trade, as announced in the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. The lucrative global black market in illegal wildlife trade contributes to the depletion or extinction of entire species and furthers zoonotic diseases – diseases that spread between animals and humans. According […]
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‘Fit for 55’: EU strengthens emission reduction targets for member states
The Council and the European Parliament today reached a provisional political agreement on stronger emission reduction targets for member states under the so-called effort sharing regulation. Pending a formal adoption, the provisional deal endorses an EU-level greenhouse gas emission reduction target of 40% compared to 2005, by 2030, for the sectors not covered by the EU Emissions […]
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COP27: EU launches Forest Partnerships with five partner countries
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, on behalf of the EU, signed five Memoranda of Understanding for a Forest Partnership with Guyana, Mongolia, the Republic of Congo, Uganda and Zambia in the presence of President of Guyana Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh, President of Zambia Hakainde Hichilema and representatives of President […]
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COP27: European Union signs a strategic partnership with Namibia on sustainable raw materials and renewable hydrogen
Today, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President of Namibia Hage Geingob signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a strategic partnership between the EU and Namibia at the COP27 in Egypt. The partnership aims to ensure the development of a secure and sustainable supply of raw materials, refined materials and renewable hydrogen to support the green […]
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COP27: EU calls on all Parties to take concrete steps to limit global warming to 1.5°C and respect the Paris Agreement
At the COP27 UN Climate Change Conference starting this weekend in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, the Commission will call on all Parties to take urgent action to bring down greenhouse gas emissions and respect the commitments they made under the Paris Agreement and in the Glasgow Climate Pact adopted last year at COP26. On 7-8 November, President von der Leyen will […]
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Commission invests EUR 3 billion in innovative clean technology projects to accelerate energy independence
Today, the European Commission is launching the third call for large-scale projects under the EU Innovation Fund. With a budget doubled to €3 billion thanks to increased revenue from the auctioning of EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) allowances, this 2022 call for large-scale projects will boost the deployment of industrial solutions to decarbonise Europe. With a special focus […]
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European Forest Fire report: Three of the worst fire seasons on record took place in the last six years
Today, the Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) published the latest edition of its Annual Report on Forest Fires in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa in 2021. It concludes that last year’s fire season was the second worst in the EU territory in terms of burnt area (since records began in 2006), after 2017 when over […]
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Council commits 23.04 billion euros to combat climate change by 2021
In 2021, the European Union and its 27 member states committed €23.04 billion in climate finance from public sources to support developing countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. The Council approved the figure, in preparation for the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27), which will […]
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