Brussels, 17th October 2023. Today, the Economic and Financial Affairs Council configuration (Ecofin) decided on the EU’s climate finance priorities, following the Environment Council’s Conclusions setting out the EU’s overall position for COP28 yesterday. The EU failed to take a strong, sustainable stance on the $100 billion climate finance promise

The Environment Council, consisting of EU Environment and Climate Ministers, gathered on 16 October 2023 to approve Council Conclusions on COP28, taking place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 30 November to 12 December 2023. See below CAN Europe’s reactions to the Council Conclusions. Global Stocktake Explanatory context: The global

Read the whole report: Protecting the Defenders: Briefing on initiatives aiming to protect environmental & climate defenders in Europe In Europe, recent months have seen an amplification in the number, scale and diversity of forms of public protest by environmentalists and climate activists. In France and Belgium, hundreds of people have

To: Executive Vice President Commissioner for an Economy that works for the People, European Commissioners for Budget and Economy Copy: Executive Vice President for the European Green Deal, European Commissioners for Climate and International Partnerships Dear Commissioners, We are writing in the context of the Economic and Financial Affairs (ECOFIN)

To: European Commissioner for Climate Copy: Executive Vice President Commissioner for the European Green Deal Dear Commissioner Hoekstra, We are writing to share recommendations in the context of the Environment Council’s adoption of COP28 Conclusions on 16 October. In a year of record-breaking extreme heat and shifting geopolitics, we are

Central Eastern European countries do not have the best track record with regards to public participation and involving the citizens in the process of drafting and implementing energy and climate strategies and policies. However, recent signs show that keeping the pressure high on policy makers pays off and can bring

Europeans can’t afford empty promises on climate action Brussels, 03 October 2023 – Wopke Hoekstra’s rhetoric display in last night’s questioning by the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment (ENVI) must be backed by urgent action. President Von der Leyen’s nomination of Hoekstra to be the next EU Climate Commissioner has already

On 29 September 2023, Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe together with BirdLife Europe, European Environmental Bureau, Transport & Environment and WWF European Policy Office sent a letter to President of the European Council Charles Michel, the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola and the President of the European Commission

The report provides an overview of main options for scaling up new and additional public climate finance resources, summarizing the current state of affairs and providing an outlook with regard to new and innovative sources of funding through new and existing policies at multilateral and EU level. A major focus

Brussels, 15th September 2023 – As hundreds of thousands of people around the world take to the streets this weekend in a major global climate mobilisation to demand a fast, fair, and permanent end to fossil fuels, 43 civil society organisations from across Europe have signed onto a ‘10-point plan

Written by Ana-Maria Seman, Regional Climate and Infrastructure Lead at WWF Central and Eastern Europe. In pursuit of the EU’s ambitious 2030 target of 60GW of offshore wind capacity, there is growing recognition of its importance in decarbonising the continent’s energy use. While Nordic nations have made substantial strides in

This article was originally published in Euractiv   It is now clear that extreme weather events will have a massive impact on our economies if we don’t transform them. Times have changed and the rules governing the coordination of national economic policies in the EU must adapt. By Isabelle Brachet,

Rolling out heat pumps is central to the clean-energy transition and to achieving carbon neutrality in line with the goals set in the European Green Deal. All policy scenarios underpinning the ‘Fit for 55’ legislative proposals show a significant uptake of heat pumps in all sectors, and notably in buildings.

On the 29th August 2023, ahead of the second EPBD trilogue under the Spanish Council Presidency, 67 civil society organisations, social, health and environmental NGOs, trade unions and youth movements across Europe have signed onto a joint statement calling on their elected representatives to deliver an ambitious and socially just

Since its establishment in 2013, EKOenergy ecolabel and its Climate Fund have successfully financed 94 renewable energy projects in countries of the Global South. These projects have been implemented by non-profit organisations in collaboration with local communities, amounting to a total funding of almost €3 million. All projects contribute to

Brought to you by the Together for 100% Renewable Europe Campaign Why a EU Solar Standard? Accelerating solar energy deployment, both photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal, in buildings, coupled with energy savings and demand-side flexibility activation, is critical to increase the resilience of Europe’s energy system and mitigate the climate crisis.

  The energy system of tomorrow is primarily electrified, digital and flexible, harnessing 100% renewable energy. This system will fully optimise high renewables generation through balancing out supply and demand in a more efficient manner, and allow people to control their energy production and consumption. Households will play a vital

Next week, Members of the European Parliament will sit down to adopt the agreed Energy Efficiency Directive and overall EU Energy Efficiency Target for 2030. This has important implications for Europe’s energy transition and how it will stay on track to meet the Paris Agreement´s goal of limiting global temperature

The EU’s renewable energy Directive (RED) sets the framework for the EU in deploying renewable energy across all sectors in the Member States with the overall goal of increasing the EU’s renewable share. After long and difficult negotiations, the RED is entering its final stages for adoption and Europe’s renewable

The electricity market design reform, launched this year by the European Commission as a response to the volatility of energy prices during the fossil fuel price crisis, caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, is at risk. A last minute push to open the door for coal subsidies is diverting attention

The European Commission proposed, along with the mid-term review of the EU budget (Multi-annual Financial Framework, MFF) a regulation establishing a Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (‘STEP’). The objectives of this initiative are to strengthen Europe’s autonomy by reducing its dependence on strategic technologies; enhance its competitiveness; favour a level

  Brought to you by the Together for 100% Renewable Europe Campaign Energy communities are a democratic solution to our pressing energy, poverty and social challenges. In response to the worsening fossil fuel crisis, more and more communities across Europe are establishing local energy communities to take control of how

This briefing calls on policymakers to strengthen citizen participation in the energy transition through the ongoing revision of the recovery and resilience plans and drafting of the REPowerEU chapters.  All Member States should have submitted and published their updated recovery plans by the end of April 2023. However, the process

MEDIA ADVISORY Brussels, 31st May – What is happening: On Thursday, 1st June, the European Parliament and Council will start their first trilogue discussions on the hydrogen and decarbonised gas package, a crucial part of the ‘Fit For 55’ climate and energy package. Why it is important: The war on

Today the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) of the European Parliament failed to push ambition for climate and the environment with its decision on the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED). Despite the mild effort in the Commission’s proposal to take a step towards integrating decarbonisation and energy

The climate crisis remains the defining challenge of our time and Europe will play a significant role in determining whether we can avert the worst impacts of rising temperatures or whether people and the planet continue heading towards climate breakdown. In November 2019, the European Parliament declared a state of

Review of the Multiannual Financial Framework: The case for increased funding for external action This paper has been drafted by civil society organisations (CSOs) and networks from various sectors of development cooperation, climate and environmental protection and humanitarian aid. We are calling on the European Commission, the European Parliament and

MEDIA ADVISORY Brussels, 8th May – What is happening: On Tuesday, 9th May, Members of the European Parliament will vote in plenary on the Methane Regulation and set Parliament’s position for trilogue negotiations with the Council. This is a critical piece of legislation poised to both slow global warming and

THE NEED FOR RESTORATION OF FORESTS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF PROTECTED AREAS   Biodiversity loss in European forests is taking place at an alarming scale. To reverse this we must: strictly protect (meaning non-intervention in) our remaining old-growth forests, set aside additional forests for restoration in order for them to

20 April 2023, Brussels Dear Member of the European Parliament,  Methane is the primary component of fossil gas and it has an extremely high global warming potential. There is no possible pathway to limit global warming to around 1.5°C without drastically cutting methane emissions NOW.  The EU Methane Regulation could

The EU will not reach climate neutrality by accident nor without thorough planning. National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) are a central strategic tool in this regard, laying out key reforms at national level for achieving climate and energy targets, mobilising crucial investments and reacting to the fossil energy price

The Social Climate Fund (SCF) is the first EU Fund specifically dedicated to provide financial support to vulnerable households, transport users and micro-enterprises in the transition towards sustainable mobility and energy consumption in buildings. Its adoption represents a milestone towards a more systematic integration of a social dimension into EU

The Commission is soon to make a legislative proposal to reform the EU fiscal rules in order to give more leeway and time for member states with debt above 60% of GDP to reduce their debt and deficit spending. We call upon the European Commission not to re-introduce so-called common

The upheaval in the global energy sector in 2022 created renewed speculation of a “coal comeback,” but the end of coal nevertheless remains in sight. Today, nearly one-third of operating global coal capacity (580 gigawatts (GW)) has a phase out date, and much of the remaining capacity (1,400 GW) is

In February, CAN Europe launched a new report on renewable heating, which finds that ineffective EU and national policies are not keeping up with demand as homes and businesses look to reduce their energy consumption and cut down on costs and emissions. Despite the urgent need to wean off fossil

Cross-cutting political action needed to eradicate fossil fuel subsidies and make better use of taxpayers’ money Brussels, 31 March 2023 – A new report launched today by CAN Europe outlines how fossil fuel subsidies have infiltrated all sectors of our economy and are now pervasive, multiform and massive. The report

Regret, not REPowerEU: EU policymakers lack conviction when it comes to Europe’s renewable energy transition The agreed binding 42.5% 2030 EU renewable energy target fails to recognise the multiple crisis Europe faces Brussels, 30th March-  Early this morning, co-legislators came to a disappointing agreement on the Renewable Energy Directive (RED).

Gas package provides timid steps towards decommissioning fossil gas networks or reduced blending rates but fails to solve fundamental governance problems and to provide a systematic plan for a full fossil gas phase out by 2035 Risk for the Renewables Directive to be twisted during final negotiations tomorrow to allow

On February 13th, the European Commission adopted the Delegated Acts (DAs) which outline the rules for producing Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBOs). These provide clear regulations that will encourage investments and promote the renewable hydrogen market in Europe. It also ensures that climate and consumer protections are in place.

  The backbone of Europe’s energy transition; The final stand for EU’s Renewables Directive A 2030 Renewable Energy target lower than 45% does not reflect neither the energy price or climate crises Any attempts to allow low-carbon undermines the sole purpose of the directive; to promote the development of renewable

  To:  Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President, European Green Deal Kadri Simson, Commissioner for Energy MEP Markus Pieper, Rapporteur for the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) Deputy Permanent Representatives   Support the target of “at least 45%” renewable energy for 2030: lead the charge for a safe, sustainable and affordable energy future

The Paris-Agreement-Compatible (PAC) scenario gives the recipe for the EU to do its fair share to deliver the Paris Agreement commitment to keep global temperature increase to 1.5°C. This civil-society led scenario identifies four key areas: enabling sustainable lifestyles, energy and process improvements, electrification coupled with a zero-carbon power production,

It has been two years since the Modernisation Fund (based in EU Emmission Trading System) started operating. As NGOs, we have been closely following the spending as we believe it has the potential to be a real game-changer for lower-income EU Member States to achieve the just energy transition and

  Reaction to today’s release of the IPCC’s Synthesis report of the 6th Assessment Cycle, which reflects an undeniable scientific consensus about the urgency of the climate crisis, its primary causes, its current devastating impacts especially on most climate vulnerable regions and the irreversible harm that will occur if warming

Member States set to undermine key industrial pollution prevention rules, green NGOs warn Brussels, 15 March 2023 Environmental NGOs warn that the EU Council Presidency proposal for a general approach on the revision of the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) ignores the urgency of aligning an industry with climate neutrality, zero

The Green Deal Industrial Plan (GDIP), and proposals for a Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) and a Critical Raw Materials Regulation (CRMR) are presented as drivers for the EU’s ambitions and actions towards net-zero by supporting industrial manufacturing of key technologies and ensuring the EU’s easy access to the critical raw

The EU Commission proposal is a needed step for a 100% renewable energy-based system but needs to avoid non-renewable technologies stealing the role   Brussels, 14 March 2023 – CAN Europe welcomes today’s legislative proposal by the European Commission to reform the EU electricity market design, a good step in

EU Parliament’s vote on Buildings directive is a hit and miss for our buildings transition   The MEPs’ vote in favour of a mandatory renovations requirement that limits exemptions is welcomed and will help lift millions of Europeans out of energy poverty for winters to come Yet, flexibilities granted to

Brussels, 10th March 2023 To: Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President and European Commissioner for Competition Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President and European Commissioner for Trade Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for the Internal Market Virginijus Sinkevičius,

Final decision on EU Energy Efficiency: Policymakers settle for meagre mediocrity rather than meaningful efficiency  A disappointing decision from the final trilogue that fails to recognise the urgent action needed to address the current ‘trilemma’ that Europe now faces. The final agreement between the EU Commission, Parliament and Council lacks

The climate crisis, its impacts and the actions that are needed to rapidly slow it down and respond to it effectively require an intersectional, gender-responsive lens. The most recent and biggest scientific assessment, the 6th Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), has given strong attention to

As many pieces of legislation try to organise industry’s transition, CAN Europe proposes its vision for a better planned transition, taking people and the environment at its heart.   The destination of climate-neutrality for heavy industry matters and so does the journey To avoid squeezing the planet for more than

Brussels 1st of March 2023 Dear Minister, You have been invited to discuss the European Commission’s proposal to establish an EU certification framework for carbon removals (the CRCF) at the March Environment Council meeting. The members of Climate Action Network Europe have identified a number of critical shortcomings in the

Dear Deputy Permanent Representative, Ahead of the conclusion of the final trilogues of the revision of the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED), CAN Europe is calling on rapidly stepping up energy savings through an ambitious revision of the EED. In this context, we are very concerned about the Presidency’s non paper

INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE: Seven EU economic governance reforms for a stronger, greener and more resilient Europe   Europe faces serious economic, environmental and social challenges that require reforms and investment. Europe is coping with multiple compounding crises, particularly the cost of living crisis, the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic,

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CAN Europe’s launches a new report on renewable heating, which finds that ineffective EU and national policies are not keeping up with demand as homes and businesses look to reduce their energy consumption and cut down on costs and emissions. Despite the urgent need to wean off fossil fuels and

Introduction Civil Society Organisations, including CAN Europe, welcome the Commission’s non-paper on the next steps regarding the membership of the EU and Euratom to the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT). In particular, we strongly agree with the Commission Services that the EU’s withdrawal from the ECT is unavoidable and that a

Unprecedented levels of global energy price increase and volatility due to the EU’s systemic dependence on fossil gas started surfacing by the end of 2021. In order to shield consumers (households, businesses and industry) and overall economies, European governments started implementing short-term energy market interventions. In the meantime a debate

  To: European Ministers of Foreign Affairs   Dear EU Minister of Foreign Affairs, We are writing to you ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) on 20 February, where you will discuss and likely adopt climate and energy diplomacy conclusions. We encourage you to adopt bold and ambitious conclusions

Hydrogen has been proclaimed for some time now as a transitional fuel from fossil gas to sustainable renewables, especially in the last months with the fossil fuel crisis and geopolitics driven from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, for hydrogen to be a true sustainable energy source, it has to be

To: Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President, European Green Deal  To: Ditte Juul-Jorgensen, Director General for Energy of the European Commission  To: Céline Gauer, Director General of the Recovery and Resilience Task Force  Cc: Diederik Samsom, Head of the Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans RE: Civil society organisations open letter –

PRESS RELEASE Majority vote in favour of gas operators in charge of designing hydrogen infrastructure undermines infrastructure plans for the much needed transition to really sustainable renewables, especially in the heating sector. More work is needed for a Buildings Directive that is on track with the Paris Agreement and our