by Géraldine Kutas | Nov 26, 2018 | air quality, ethanol, sustainability
As COP24 approaches it is clear that we are nowhere near to being on track to meet the commitments made at Paris. Much more needs to be done just to meet those obligations, and even if we did, this still wouldn’t be sufficient to contain the rise in average...
by Géraldine Kutas | Oct 24, 2016 | Sem categoria
Like most people with an interest in European energy issues, we are impatiently waiting for the release of the European Commission’s ‘Winter Package’. In this package, the Commission will amongst other things present its much awaited and certainly controversial new...
by Géraldine Kutas | Sep 8, 2014 | Sem categoria
After an intense summer break, which saw Brussels far from quiet but rather busy speculating about the nominations to top EU posts, business has resumed in the institutions. In the Parliament, the Environment committee has already met to vote on the questionnaire to...
by Géraldine Kutas | Jul 15, 2014 | Sem categoria
After a short break occasioned by the European elections in May, it will soon be time for new and returning Members of the European Parliament to embark on second reading discussions on ILUC. Member States adopted their common position on 13 June and, as soon the text...
by Géraldine Kutas | Jun 13, 2014 | Sem categoria
Today, European Energy Ministers finally adopted the Council’s position on ILUC, after EU ambassadors passed the Greek compromise last week. Key elements of the positions are a cap for conventional biofuels at 7% and a non-binding sub-target for advanced biofuels at...
by Géraldine Kutas | May 28, 2014 | Sem categoria
After the stalemate at the December Council where a blocking minority of Member States prevented the adoption of a Council common position on ILUC, Member States’ Permanent Representatives finally agreed today on a compromise text proposed by the Greek Presidency...
by Géraldine Kutas | Apr 4, 2014 | Sem categoria
This week the United Nations scientific panel on climate change (IPCC) published its latest report on climate change. The report, echoing its past findings about a clear link between climate change and human factors driving that change, argues that immediate action is...
by Géraldine Kutas | Nov 8, 2013 | Sem categoria
As an indication of how the European Union biofuels dossier remains stuck in a holding pattern, the European Parliament’s Energy Committee has canceled a planned vote on whether to give the EU’s Parliament Rapporteur a mandate to hold negotiations (so-called...
by Géraldine Kutas | Oct 17, 2013 | Sem categoria
The United Nations’ Committee on World Food Security (CFS) met last week in Rome and, not surprisingly, biofuels were again at the centre of a hot debate. Governments, industry, civil society and academics all represented at the meeting could agree on an overall mild...
by Géraldine Kutas | Oct 3, 2013 | Sem categoria
Ecofys, a well-respected Dutch consultancy, is out with a new study that effectively eviscerates the association of biofuels with “land grabbing,” that favorite charged-phrase NGOs pedal that industry is in the business of pushing locals off their land. The meaty...
by Géraldine Kutas | Dec 12, 2011 | Sem categoria
That’s the question many of us are grappling with today. With the aim of meeting environmental goals, the European Commission is now due to finalize the very last provisions of the sustainability criteria it established two years ago in both the Renewable Energy...
