Archive

environment

  • How can the European Union better support consumer choice and promote more sustainable products?

    June 17, 2020

    The new Circular Economy Action Plan launched under the European Green Deal aims to transform production and consumption. This means changing the way consumer products for the EU market are made and offering consumers more sustainable choices. There are already measures that support more sustainable products in the EU. Yet, a comprehensive set of requirements is missing to effectively transition to more sustainable product design and manufacturing. To close this gap, the European Commission will...

  • How can the EU promote reuse in the Circular Economy?

    June 11, 2020

    The most efficient way to limit the impact of waste on the environment, is to prevent it. After prevention, the second best option, saving energy and resources is the reuse of products. Expanding reuse practices is critical to unlocking the EU’s circular economy ambitions set out in the European Green Deal and the new Circular Economy Action Plan. Despite the political momentum behind the circular economy agenda, reuse rates remain very low in the EU...

  • How will the Commission act on endocrine disruptors?

    May 28, 2020

    In July 2018, the European Commission released its Communication on a ‘Comprehensive European Union framework on endocrine disruptors’ outlining the strategic approach to deal with these substances in the future. To do this, the European Commission is undertaking a Fitness Check on endocrine disruptors to look at how the various pieces of relevant EU legislation delivers on the objective of protecting human health and the environment by minimising the overall exposure to endocrine disruptors. A...

  • What are Sweden’s priorities on chemicals in context of the European Green Deal?

    May 13, 2020

    Sweden is a key Member State when it comes to shaping EU environmental and chemicals policy. The annual report on Sweden’s progress on its environment objectives gives some clues about what the country’s priorities might be at the EU level. On chemicals, the main headline is that: “Sweden will not meet its non-toxic environment target by 2030”. Despite not keeping to the initial timeline, Sweden is continuing to work towards non-toxic products, for instance by...

  • How the US oil price fell below zero – and what this means for the industry

    May 7, 2020

    On Monday April 21st, West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the US crude oil benchmark, traded for the first time in history at -$40 per barrel. This all-time low raised the eyebrows of many observers and begs the question of how we arrived at such an unprecedented scenario. Furthermore, we have to ask how this will impact the green agenda.   Looking more closely at the causes of the WTI crash, we can identify at least three...

  • A long-term green recovery for Europe and the World?

    April 24, 2020

    Europe and the World are in the middle of an unprecedented crisis. Nothing since the end of the Second World War compares to what we are living today. On 20 April, for the first time in history the WTI oil index went negative. Brent was still around $20, so no drama, but still! We'll continue to monitor the situation so stay tuned for more on this space. The point is that we do not know...

  • #EUinTwo: How the EU Green Deal is taking shape

    March 26, 2020

    The European Green Deal is the flagship political project of the von der Leyen Commission and is expected to impact business across sectors. The European Green Deal will redirect all Commission policy efforts towards achieving climate neutrality in Europe by 2050. The plan sets out a new approach for growth that promotes a more sustainable EU economy with climate-friendly industry and clean technology. The plan will also increase CO2 reduction targets for 2030 and 2040...

  • European Green Deal: Anticipating the two years ahead

    December 13, 2019

    It is not exaggeration to suggest that the Green Deal is the farthest reaching environmental policy initiative ever undertaken by the European Commission. The integration of sustainability into every pillar of the EU’s activities, from industrial strategy to development aid, is what many have advocated for years. The question now is whether the Commission can follow through on its ambitious work programme, and how well will its unified vision survive the inevitable bruises of co-decision...

  • Circular Economy to Dominate the Agenda for the Next Five Years

    October 24, 2019

    Newly-elected Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, has committed to promoting a circular economy in her agenda for Europe, stating that the main priority area is high-impact sectors such as the textiles and construction industries. For some, the announcement seems standardised and vague, perhaps even just a precaution to ensure her confirmation as European Commission President. In reality, the statement is significant when combined with the fact that circular economy proponent, Frans Timmermans, is likely...

  • EnergiseEurope: How can we make carbon pricing work for decarbonisation

    June 27, 2019

    By Zoe Choulika and Eleanor Batilliet, Research Executives at FleishmanHillard Brussels.  On 22 May, FleishmanHillard Brussels held an EnergiseEurope roundtable on “How can we make carbon pricing work for decarbonisation” which addressed different options to accelerate the EU’s emission reduction efforts through carbon pricing. Overall, members of the panel representing the EU industry, think tanks and the European Commission agreed that the EU Emission Trading System is an undeniably effective tool to decarbonise the economy...