Von der Leyen tells anti-wolf supporters she is ‘collecting data’ ahead of expected cull push
Ursula von der Leyen took time out from a meeting with fellow German politicians to update supporters about a potential EU-wide wolf cull on September 6.
Energy and climate
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German government to push through controversial heat-pump law without parliament’s input
Germany's coalition government is to push through its controversial heat-pump bill without consulting the German Parliament.
Ministers call for EU-wide taxes to fund green agenda, rebuilding Ukraine
European Union ministers from a number of national governments have called for the establishment of new pan-European taxes to fund the bloc's “green” agenda,…
EU imports ‘record volumes’ of liquefied natural gas from Russia
European Union countries have increased imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia by almost half compared to the same period in 2021, according to environmental…
Nuclear weapons testing ’cause of radioactivity in central European wild boars’, study says
Scientists have found that nuclear testing in the 1950s and 1960s has caused lasting radioactive contamination of wild boars in Central Europe, thus solving the…
Germany starts dismantling wind farm to make room for lignite coal mine
A wind farm in Germany is being dismantled to make room for the expansion of a lignite coal mine, angering climate activists.
Von der Leyen approves Dutch nomination for climate Commissioner but clips his wings
Social Democrats said they would not simply roll over regarding Hoekstra’s nomination.
One-third of German businesses relocating over ‘green’ agenda
Almost a third of businesses operating in Germany are moving operations out of the country in response to its “green” agenda, research has found.
China overtakes Europe as world’s largest offshore wind-energy producer
Communist China has outstripped mainland Europe in terms of offshore wind production, an international report has found.
Security personnel shortage ‘puts Paris Olympics at risk’
A year before the Olympic Games in Paris, experts say there is a worrying lack of security personnel.
‘All evidence’ suggests Ukraine blew up Nord Stream pipelines
"All the evidence points to Kyiv" regarding the destruction of Germany's Nord Stream gas pipelines, a joint investigation has reportedly found.
‘Eco-friendly’ straws found to contain ‘forever chemicals’
A new study shows that paper and bamboo drinking-straws contain PFAS - per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances that are often referred to as “forever chemicals”…
EC funding research on killing weeds with lasers
The European Commission has confirmed it is funding projects researching how farmers could kill weeds using laser beams.
France extends coal-fired power-plant operation times to avoid winter power cuts
France has extended the legal operating times of coal-burning power-plants in the country to combat possible blackouts this winter.
French nuclear reactor authorised to operate for up to 50 years
France's Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire (ASN – Nuclear Safety Authority) has greenlighted the extension of the Tricastin nuclear power plant lifespan by 10 years,…
Anger towards others is a ‘major driver of climate activism’, study finds
Feelings of anger towards others over climate change seems to be one of the main drivers of climate activism, argues a new study.
Timmermans lays out his vision for Netherlands
In his first speech spearheading the Netherlands' combined list of Socialists (PvdA) and Greens (GroenLinks) parties for the November general elections, former European…
Timmermans resigns from EC, Maroš Šefčovič to replace him
Following his election as head of the Netherland’s combined list of Socialists (PvdA) and Greens (GroenLinks), European Commission Executive Vice-President Frans…
Serbia to boost supplies of Russian gas to Hungary
If Ukraine follows through on ending a gas transit agreement with Russia, Serbia has promised to provide Hungary with increased supplies of Russian natural gas.
Brigitte Bardot targets environmentalists as ‘impostors’ and Macron as a ‘failure’
Iconic French film actress Brigitte Bardot has accused ecologists of being "impostors" while slamming French President Emmanuel Macron's animal welfare record.
Wind-farm projects put whales in danger of ‘imminent extinction’, documentary claims
A forthcoming documentary about the construction of wind farms in the North Atlantic claims that such projects are putting a species of whale under threat of "imminent…
Militant Farmer Defence Force spreads to Belgium
Angry Belgian farmers have rallied behind the new Farmers Defence Force (FDF) to protest in Antwerp on August 18, echoing earlier demonstrations in the Netherlands.
Don’t be fooled: China’s investment in renewables is not about net zero – it is about preparing for war with the United States
History is a harsh mistress, especially for those who refuse to learn lessons from the past.
European Commission gave €10 million to “degrowth” research
While the debate on de-industrialisation in Europe is raging, the European Commission is pumping bags of cash into research exploring regrowth and the “planned…
International Energy Agency foresees record oil demand and prices going up
The International Energy Agency's (IEA) latest Oil Market Report (OMR) predicts global oil demand to expand by 2.2 million barrels per day (mb/d) to 102.
‘Green Pope’ Timmermans in pole position to lead Dutch elections alliance
Timmermans was nominated by an internal commission that saw him as the ideal candidate to "spread the common ‘green’ and social philosophy" of the cooperating…
No cash for emergency generators despite possible energy crisis, Brussels declares
The European Commission has rejected giving businesses support to buy emergency generators in preparation for a possible energy crisis.
‘No engines in existence’ can avail of EU ‘green’ energy scheme, MEP claims
There are no conventional fishing-trawler engines currently in existence that can effectively comply with the European Union's new "green" energy scheme, a French…
Lack of nuclear investment shows EU is ‘not serious about Net Zero’
European officials are "not serious" about achieving the EU's “net zero” goals as proven by the lack of investment in nuclear energy, Conservative think-tank…
Poland fires up legal assault on EC ‘green’ legislation ahead of elections
Poland is to challenge two key European Union environmental laws, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the Emissions Trading System (ETS), in the European…