At least one of the coal plants for which Poland is requesting €7 billion of free carbon allowances under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS)’s little-known ‘10c derogation’ does not exist, a EurActiv investigation has found. Poland has applied for €33-million worth of free allowances for the Łęczna coal plant, near the Ukrainian border, but [...]
Europe at the lead of the new industrial revolution Venue TBC AGENDA 9:15 Opening Session: Helle Thorning-Schmidt (tbc): Prime Minister of Denmark José Manuel Barroso: President of the European Commission 9:50 Key-Note Speech Antonio Tajani Vice-President of the European Commission 10:40 Panel Discussion “Industry’s role in the new industrial revolution: Generating smart growth through Europe 2020″ 11:50 Panel Discussion [...]
It’s been a good week for green business political dialogue in Europe. Yesterday (May 3) in Brussels, sustainable business leaders from EU Corporate Sustainability Group met with Commission President Barroso, Commissioner Hedegaard and Commissioner Potočnik to ask for a redoubling of green growth efforts. Also on Wednesday, Chancellor Angela Merkel met energy industry executives to [...]
Nearly one third of global energy demand and almost 40% of global CO2 emissions are attributable to industrial activities, mainly large primary material industries (i.e. chemicals and petrochemicals, iron and steel, cement, pulp and paper and aluminium) (IEA). Various studies have shown that there is substantial emissions reduction potential in industry (McKinsey, IEA, Fraunhofer ISI). For [...]
Clean energy markets are already substantial in scope and growing fast. Between 2004 and 2010, global clean energy investment exhibited a compound annual growth rate of 32%, reaching €185 billion in 2010. By the end of 2009 the renewable energy sector secured more than 10% of Europe’s final energy consumption. In terms of new capacity, renewable [...]
The true risk to jobs in European heavy industries is not high-carbon prices, but the collapse of European demand in construction and infrastructure markets. Ironically, one sure way to encourage growth and jobs in these markets would be to incentivise investment in large-scale low-carbon infrastructure, which is a voracious user of steel, cement, aluminium and [...]