News
European Union launches a Green Team Europe Initiative in partnership with South East Asia
On 18 November, a Green Team Europe Initiative in partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)/South East Asia, was launched by Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, during the 3rd ASEAN-EU Dialogue on Sustainable Development. The initiative, backed by an initial €30 million grant from the EU budget, will strengthen the EU's partnership with the region in areas including climate action, environmental and biodiversity protection, clean energy transition, disaster resilience, prevention of illegal logging, wildlife trafficking and air pollution.
EU invests over €1 billion in innovative projects to decarbonise the economy
The European Union is investing over €1.1 billion into seven large-scale innovative projects under the Innovation Fund. The grants will support projects aiming to bring breakthrough technologies to the market in energy-intensive industries, hydrogen, carbon capture, use and storage, and renewable energy. The projects are located in Belgium, Italy, Finland, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden.
European Green Deal: Commission adopts new proposals to stop deforestation, innovate sustainable waste management and make soils healthy for people, nature and climate
On 17 November, the Commission adopted three new initiatives that are necessary for making the European Green Deal a reality. The Commission is proposing new rules to curb EU-driven deforestation, as well as new rules to facilitate intra-EU waste shipments to promote circular economy and tackle the export of illegal waste and waste challenges to third countries. The Commission also presented a new Soil strategy to have all European soils restored, resilient, and adequately protected by 2050. With these proposals, the Commission is presenting the tools to move to a circular economy, protect nature, and raise environmental standards in the European Union and in the world.
International Methane Emissions Observatory launched to boost action on powerful climate-warming gas
To support further progress on fulfilling the Paris Agreement, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) with support from the European Union launched International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO). IMEO will bring global reporting on methane emissions to an entirely different level, ensuring public transparency on anthropogenic methane emissions.