Oil jumps, stocks drop on Middle East conflict: markets wrap
Oil surged more than five per cent and investors sought safety in gold, bonds and the dollar after Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel sparked fears of a wider…
Energy and climate
Latest reporting and analysis on energy and climate.
Most EU Member States not on target to reach Paris Agreement goals, says WWF
Seventeen European Union Member States are not putting enough wind farms in place to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement, nature conservation organisation World…
Germany to fire up ‘brown coal’ power plants over energy shortage fears
Germany will reactivate a number of its "brown coal" power plants in the hopes of staving off winter energy shortages, media in the country is reporting.
Pope Francis’s Laudate Deum is a political exhortation, not a religious treatise
Eight years after the encyclical Laudato Si, Pope Francis published another document, called an apostolic exhortation, to say what has been done - and what has not…
Mr U-turn: Climate Commissioner hopeful Hoekstra becomes a born-again environmentalist
The Dutch Candidate for EU Climate Commissioner, Wopke Hoekstra, performed a series of U-turns on October 2 as he auditioned for the job in front of Euro MPs.
Incoming EU carbon tax will raise cost of a car by €580
A new European Union carbon border tax starting its trial period in the week beginning October 1 and will raise the price of an average car by almost €600, said…
Less is not always more – especially if driven by EU policy
“Less is more,” goes the old adage.
Macron bypasses parliament vote on budget with maligned tool
French President Emmanuel Macron is bypassing parliament votes to push ahead with his plans to cut debt, boost green and defence spending, and secure access to billions…
Meloni has a plan which may both develop Africa and supply Europe with abundant clean energy
Agreements between national oil companies rarely change the world.
Poland signs deal with US for first Polish nuclear power plant
Polish and US dignitaries have signed off on the construction of Poland's first nuclear power plant as part of the country’s gradual move away from fossil fuels.
ANALYSIS-Wind power industry drifts off course
A perfect storm of supply chain delays, design flaws and higher costs in the offshore wind industry has put dozens of projects at risk of not being delivered in…
Portuguese youths launch climate-change case in European Court of Human Rights
Six Portuguese young people have launched a case at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) demanding 32 European nations take action against climate change.
Nature magazine study predicts catastrophic consequences of ‘degrowth’ policy
The British scientific journal Nature has published a study that forecasts the potentially devastating effects of the so-called “degrowth” economic model.
Von der Leyen says EC ‘willing to consider state aid’ for nuclear technology
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made a case for subsidising nuclear technology at the Green Deal Summit in Prague on September 26.
‘EU must choose between cheaper power or protecting wind industry’
Europe will have to decide whether it wants to reduce electricity prices or protect its wind turbine manufacturers from low-cost Chinese competitors, said the boss…
‘Lose the moral superiority complex’, German Greens minister tells climate activists
Climate activists need to drop their moral superiority complex if they hope to win over the average voter, a senior German Greens party minister has said.
‘Clapped-out second-hand tankers’ enable Russian oil to avoid Western price-cap sanctions
The majority of oil exported by the Russian Federation is avoiding price-cap sanctions imposed upon it by the West.
Germany demolishes strict climate rules for housing
In a major concession to its housing industry, the progressive government in Germany has decided to drop tougher "climate efficiency" demands for new homes.
Extinction Rebellion goes to court over use of water cannon by police
The Netherlands branch of the radical environmental organisation Extinction Rebellion is suing the Dutch Government over hosing downs they received from police when…
EU ministers agree watered-down position on vehicle emissions
European Union ministers agreed on Monday to water down an initial European Commission proposal on new vehicle commissions after eight states including France and…
EU-backed trade tariffs will cost car manufacturers ‘billions’
A European Union-backed trade agreement with the UK will cost the continent's car manufacturers billions, an industry group has claimed.
Azerbaijan has ‘no intention’ of joining EU, ambassador says
Azerbaijan has no intention of joining the European Union, the country's ambassador to the bloc has said.
Swedish auditor slams government over ‘green’ energy policy
Sweden's National Audit Office (NAO) is highly critical of the Swedish Government and its “green” energy transition in its latest audit report.
German minister calls for cuts in livestock to boost ‘green’ ambitions
Germany's agriculture minister has called for a reduction in the number of livestock in the country in order to help fight climate change.
European Court of Auditors warns about the environmental impact of offshore wind farms
The European Court of Auditors (ECA) is sounding an alarm over the potential negative effects of building wind farms at sea.
EU victory as Apple launches first USB-C iPhone
The European Union looks like it has emerged victorious over Apple, with the Californian tech company bowing to the bloc's demands to implement USB-C charging in…
Belgian green party chief left red-faced over car-free Sundays taxi trip
Rajae Maouane, president of Ecolo, the francophone “green” party in Belgium, has been taking flak following an embarrassing confession on TV.
Greta Thunberg charged again for disobeying police order
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was charged with disobeying a police order on Friday, less than two months after she was convicted and fined for the same…
Special report: Inside Bulgaria’s gas deal
Bulgaria is ploughing ahead with a gas deal that will create a European “backdoor for Russian gas”, despite European Union objections.
Dutch suffer biggest loss of purchasing power in 40 years
In 2022, the Dutch lost 1.2 per cent of their purchasing power - the biggest drop in almost 40 years.