European Union News - Environmnet

The European Environment Agency (EEA) published a report that shows how the climate change is affecting all regions in Europe, causing a wide range of impacts on society and the environment. In addition, the European Parliament approved a resolution which called for the EU to aim for a 30% reduction in emissions by 2020.

Two resolutions approved by MEPs in plenary session underline that the emergence of exploration for shale oil and shale gas in some EU countries should be backed up with "robust regulatory regimes". Moreover, an amendment urging member states not to authorise any new fracking operations in the EU, tabled by MEPs from various groups was rejected.

The European Commission presented an Action Plan that sets up a management framework to minimise seabird bycatch to the lowest levels practically possible. It consists of 30 recommended actions that focus on long line and static net fisheries where seabird bycatch which are known to be highest.

The European Commission called on member states in a Communication to step up their efforts to transpose and implement the existing EU internal energy market rules. Furthermore, the European institution announced that it will work with Member States to empower consumers and to reduce state interventions which distort markets.

The European Commission presented a new plan that has as main objective ensuring that enough good quality water is available to meet the needs of people, the economy and the environment.

Due to the the rapid build-up of the surplus of emissions allowances, the European Commission presented a formal proposal to revise the auction time profile and delay ("back-load") the auctioning of 900 million allowances in the third phase of the EU ETS starting next year. In addition, it adopted a report on the state of the European carbon market which sets out a range of possible structural measures that can be taken to tackle the surplus.

A special meeting held by the Environment Committee with the Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard in the European Parliament was focused in the progress towards a global deal to curb aviation emissions and proposals to delay the release of greenhouse gas allowances in the Emissions Trading System (ETS).

A new assessment from the European Environment Agency (EEA) confirms that waste is increasingly moving across EU borders, for recovery or disposal, and trade in hazardous waste is also expected to increase. The report recommends encouraging new technologies and business models that generate less waste, or waste that is less hazardous.

The European Commission presented a proposal in order to reach a significant reduction in emissions of climate-warming fluorinated gases (F-gases). Emissions of F-gases, which have a warming effect up to 23,000 times more powerful than carbon dioxide, have risen by 60% since 1990, while all other greenhouse gases have been reduced.