EU plans for emissions from trucks and buses
The Commission presented on 14 February its plans to tackle the greenhouse gas emissions from so-called ‘heavy-duty vehicles’ (trucks and buses). The proposed regulation aims at having zero-emission buses by 2030 and reducing the emissions of new trucks by 90% by 2040.
In a first reaction, green NGO Transport and Environment criticized these targets, urging the European Parliament and governments to set a 2035 zero-emissions target for new trucks.
European trade union organization industriAll welcomed the proposal but underlined that the new strategy should ‘be based on a clean transport industrial strategy’ and on ‘Just Transition’ principles. ‘The proposed targets must be compatible with the time needed to convert existing production facilities and build new ones, to roll out charging infrastructure, to secure supply of key components and raw materials, to create lead markets and to train the workforce’, industriAll said in their press release.
The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) expressed its satisfaction with the Commission proposal, saying the EU ‘proposed world-leading decarbonization targets for trucks and buses’.
On the same day, the European Parliament endorsed the trilogue deal with the Council on the zero CO2 emissions standards for new cars and vans for 2035 (part of the ‘Fit for 55’ package).
Further reading:
- Euractiv: EU retains combustion engines for trucks with 90% CO2 reduction target
- Financial Times: EU drives though truck emissions targets with new 2040 goal
EU electricity market reform
On 23 January, the EU Commission launched an open consultation on the fifth reform of Europe’s electricity markets. The current electricity market design does not protect consumers against volatile price shocks as the price of electricity in the current system is based on the short-term price of gas. The consultation ran until 13 February, and the Commission is now expected to propose its actual reform plans on 14 March.
- EU Commission DG Energy: Electricity Market Design
- EurActiv: Need for speed as EU launches debate on electricity market reform
- BEUC: An Electricity Market that delivers to consumers
- EUI Florence School of Regulation: The 5th EU electricity market reform : a renewable jackpot for all Europeans package?
- EUI Florence School of Regulation: Reforming the EU internal electricity market in the middle of a huge energy crisis: an absolute short-term emergency or preparation for the future?
- MIT Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research: Calls for an Electricity
Market Reform in the EU: Don’t Shoot the Messenger - European Distribution System Operators (E.DSO): Position paper on the revision
- Joint letter by Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Luxembourg, Latvia and the Netherlands on priorities for a targeted EU electricity market reform.
COP15 on biodiversity
The UN’s Biodiversity Conference (COP15) in Montreal, Canada, adopted on 19 December a ‘historic’ agreement on the protection of the Earth’s ecosystems.
The Global Biodiversity Framework (also known as the ‘Kungmin-Montreal’ framework) aims at protecting 30% of land and 30% of oceans and at restoring 30% of damaged ecosystems by 2030.
A detailed analysis of the key outcomes of COP15 was provided by Carbon Brief.
Further reading:
- The Guardian: Cop15: historic deal struck to halt biodiversity loss by 2030
- FranceInfo: Voici ce qu'il faut retenir de l'accord Kunming-Montréal
- EurActiv: EU Commission chief hails ‘historic’ COP15 biodiversity accord
- The Guardian: Cop15 in Montreal: did the summit deliver for the natural world?
- WWF: Global deal to reverse nature loss by 2030 agreed, but immediate action and funds needed to deliver
- Sustainability Times: The new UN deal fails to address the root causes of nature’s destruction