Archive
News & Opinions
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Carbon Removals Handbook: A FleishmanHillard policy guide to EU carbon sequestration
November 4, 2022
Brussels is embarking on its carbon removals journey to try to tackle the CO2 already emitted into our atmosphere and the CO2 emissions we cannot reduce. The first big milestone will be the European Commission’s proposal for a carbon removal certification mechanism (CRCM). The challenge will be in setting credible standards for both nature-based removals (such as forestry) and technology-based removals (like direct air capture). The plans for the publication of the CRCM have piqued...
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Why the EU can’t risk failure at COP27
November 4, 2022
Some claim that the toxic cocktail of conflict, inflation and an energy crisis mean global climate action is doomed. The EU has no choice but to prove the critics wrong, starting with COP27. The case for urgent climate action has rarely been stronger. Earlier this year, the IPCC, the panel of climate scientists of the United Nations, warned that the world needs to prepare for a hotter planet unless concerted, preventive global climate action is taken...
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No excuses: accelerate the transformation of urban mobility ecosystems
October 21, 2022
The urban mobility revolution is under way. The transport sector has long been an underachiever in the fight against climate change – accounting for 30% of EU greenhouse gas emissions despite its enormous decarbonisation potential thanks to current technologies. Accelerating the transition towards sustainable urban mobility will generate immediate socio-economic benefits. Air pollution is a major cause of premature death and is the largest environmental health risk in Europe, according to the European Environment Agency...
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Digitalising the energy system – The EU’s one way ticket to a decarbonised future?
October 3, 2022
Cutting our energy use and ramping up renewable energy has been the talk of the town over the past months in Brussels. Recently, policymakers have been scrambling to find solutions that will swiftly alleviate the spiralling impacts of the energy crisis on households. But what about long-term solutions? How do we make sure our energy system is ready for a decarbonised future? The upcoming EU Action Plan on Digitalising the Energy System is expected to...
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Digital policy remains top of the agenda with cross-sectoral consequences
September 21, 2022
Europe has achieved much in terms of digital policy this year. Landmark pieces of legislation, such as the long-awaited Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act have been agreed and enter into force from October. Nevertheless, digital policy still remains critical at the European level. In her recent State of the Union speech, Ursula von der Leyen announced two key initiatives for digital in 2023: an initiative regulating the metaverse and a bolster of...
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As the summer break ends, are we entering the most significant period for European Healthcare since the formation of the Union?
September 9, 2022
After a restful, and restorative summer break, the Brussels Bubble is buzzing again. And the buzz is palpable. There is a lot deserving attention, from the looming recession to the lingering pandemic and the critical energy crisis, and amongst it all, there is a packed healthcare agenda. It could be argued that this is the most significant period for European healthcare reform since the formation of the Union. For a long time, healthcare sat firmly...
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Is online advertising in the EU about to change forever?
August 30, 2022
Part 2: We look at what the legislation might mean for campaign managers Dramatic changes to the way advertisers run their online promotions are set to come into force in Europe. Changes to the existing legislation won’t just impact Europeans but anyone wanting to advertise in Europe and from Europe. In our previous blog, we presented the current status and possible developments of the EU's new laws on political advertising, whose main objective is...
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Is online advertising in the EU about to change forever?
August 16, 2022
Part 1: We look at the proposed legislation Dramatic changes to the way advertisers run their online promotions are set to come into force in Europe. Changes to the existing legislation won’t just impact Europeans but anyone wanting to advertise in Europe and from Europe. Online advertising in Europe has had a quite troubled history. In 2018, revelations about Cambridge Analytica threatened to undermine our democratic systems. In the aftermath of the US’ 2016...
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Europe’s ageing population: why it’s considered a crisis and how lessons can be learnt from Asia
July 8, 2022
Last week the question over ageing populations in Europe re-emerged following the release of UK census results, which showed that citizens over the age of 65 now make up almost one fifth of the population, the highest figure ever. The increase in over-65 population is occurring alongside a decline for those of working age, which raises fears over long-term economic stability. This trend is causing increased pressure on overburdened healthcare systems to a degree that...
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REPower in trouble
July 7, 2022
REPowerEU represents a shift in impetus for decarbonization, where wartime energy security now supersedes climate leadership. While the plan maintains its multi-pronged commitment to supporting renewables, extraordinary measures have been proposed by way of managing the immediacy of the conflict’s reverberations. These include options such as boosting LNG imports and the promotion of bio-methane, among others. REpower, as comprehensive as it is, faces five mammoth challenges: First, Moscow is betting on a long war...