Climate, Environment Flashcards

Question

European Gas Demand Reduction Plan

Answer 1

**Goal**: to reduce gas demand by 15% between August 2022 and March 2023, given the drop in gas supply from Russia (1/3rd of average level between 2016-2021). It is a Council Regulation and has been renewed again in 2023, extending the period for voluntary reduction by one year (hence between AUgust 2023 and March 2024) In order to achieve the 15% gas demand reduction, the plan sets out the principles and criteria for coordinated demand reduction, but MS are free in choose their reduction paths. If the supply situation deteriorates further, the proposed Council Regulation provides the possibility for the Commission to declare a **Union Alert.** Once the Alert is triggered, the gas demand reduction becomes binding on all Member States and an enforcement mechanism is triggered.

Answer 2

**Legal basis:**Articles 38 to 44 TFEU (shared competency) **Goal:** The EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP) is a partnership between agriculture and society, and between Europe and its farmers. It aims to: * support farmers and improve agricultural productivity, ensuring a stable supply of affordable food; * safeguard European Union farmers to make a reasonable living; * help tackle climate change and the sustainable management of natural resources; * maintain rural areas and landscapes across the EU; * keep the rural economy alive by promoting jobs in farming, agri-food industries and associated sectors. **Funding:** The total allocation for the common agricultural policy (CAP) amounts to €386.6 billion, divided between two funds (often referred to as the “two pillars” of the CAP): 1) **European agricultural guarantee fund (EAGF)** – Income Support and Market Measures * allocation of €291.1 billion. Up to €270 billion will be provided for income support schemes, with the remainder dedicated to supporting agricultural markets. * The EAGF supports EU farmers through different payment schemes, including a basic payment scheme, a payment for sustainable farming methods (“green direct payments”) and a payment for young farmers. * - The EAGF also funds measures to support and stabilise agricultural markets. These market measures operate as part of the common market organisation (CMO), which sets out the parameters for intervening in agricultural markets 2) **European agricultural fund for rural development (EAFRD)** – Rural Development * total allocation amounts to €95.5 billion. This includes €8.1 billion from the Next Generation EU recovery instrument to help address the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic * The EAFRD was included as one of the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) until 2022, after which it fell under the CAP strategic plan. * The European agricultural fund for rural development (EAFRD) finances the CAP’s contribution to the EU’s rural development objectives: * improving the competitiveness of agriculture, * encouraging sustainable management of natural resources and climate action, * achieving a balanced territorial development of rural economies and communities. **Management of CAP Funds** - Mostly done through shared management (99.1% of the budget): Commission bears overall responsibility, but EU MS are responsible for setting up management and control system. - Commission plays supervisory role, ensuring system compliant. MS execute payments, through paying agencies. **Beneftis of CAP** * Food production: There are around 10 million farms in the EU and 22 million people work regularly in the sector. * Rural community development: To operate efficiently and remain modern and productive * Environmentally sustainable farming: Farmers have a double challenge – to produce food whilst simultaneously protecting nature and safeguarding biodiversity.

Answer 3

Adopted 2021, entred into force January 2023. Reform of the CAP for 2023-2027, to pave the way for a fairer, greener and more performance-based CAP. The reform covers three regulations, which generally applies from 1 January 2023: * Horizontal regulation * Strategic Plan regulation * Common Market Organisation regulation **Background**: Key issues that arose in new context were innovation, fairness, and growing challenges in relation to climate change, biodiversity loss and management of natural resources, **How:** Each EU country designed a national CAP Strategic Plan, combining funding for income support, rural development, and market measures. When designing their strategic plans, EU countries contributed to the ten specific objectives through a toolbox of broad policy measures provided by the Commission, which could be shaped around national needs and capabilities. **Objectives** The CAP 2023-27 contains a numbver of policy reforms to support the transition towards sustainable agriculture and forestry in the EU, linked to 10 key objectives of the new CAP **A greener CAP:** The CAP 2023-27 supports agriculture in making a much stronger contribution to the goals of the European Green Deal: * higher green ambitions * contribute to the Green Deal targets * enhanced conditionality of payments to green factors (e.g. 3% of land dedicated to biodiversity and non-productive elements) * eco-schemes: at least 25% of the budget for direct payments is allocated to eco-schemes, providing stronger incentives for climate-and environment-friendly farming practices and approaches * rural development: at least 35% of funds are allocated to measures to support climate, biodiversity, environment and animal welfare; * climate and biodiversity: 40% of the CAP budget has to be climate-relevant and strongly support the general commitment to dedicate 10% of the EU budget to biodiversity objectives by the end of the EU's MFF * a new obligation to protect wetlands and peatlands - which are major carbon sinks – as of 2025 at the latest; **A fairer CAP** * redistribution of income support: at least 10% to direct payments to the redistributive income support tool * social conditionality: CAP payments are linked to the respect of certain EU labour standards * supporting young farmers: EU countries have to distribute at least 3% of their direct payments budget towards young farmers * improving the gender balance: gender equality and increasing the participation of women in farming are – for the first time – part of the objectives for CAP Strategic Plans **Improving competitveness** * improved bargaining power: new rules reinforce producer cooperation * market orientation, e.g. by encouraging EU farms to align supply with demand in Europe and beyond * crisis reserve: to cope with future crises, the reformed CAP includes a new financial reserve amounting to at least €450 million per year; * support for the wine sector

Answer 4

Legal basis: Articles 43, 114, 168(4) and 169 TFEU Cssr. Stella Kyriakides European food safety policy aims are twofold: * to protect human health and consumer interests, * and to foster the smooth operation of the European single market. Total budget allocation to food safety was: The Commission has proposed to maintain a specific food strand in the Single Market Programme, with a total allocation of **1.68 billion €.** However, food safety is also integral part of new CAP, and in the framework of "one health" approach under other budget priorities (e.g. Horizn Erope, ESF+, Digital Europe) The implementation of this integrated Food Safety policy in the EU **involves various actions, namely**: * to assure effective control systems and evaluate compliance with EU standards in the food safety and quality, animal health, animal welfare, animal nutrition and plant health sectors * to manage international relations with non-EU countries and international organisations * to manage relations with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and ensure science-based risk management. History: * In the wake of a series of human food and animal feed crises (e.g. the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) outbreak and the dioxin scare), EU food safety policy underwent substantial reform in the early 2000s. * This has led to the development of the **‘Farm to Fork’ **approach, which seeks to ensure a high level of safety at all stages of the production and distribution process for all food products marketed within the EU, whether produced within the EU or imported from third countries.

Answer 5

1) Use of pesticides: reduce by 50% by 2030 use and risk of chemical pesticides, and use of hazardous pesticides 2) Address excess of nutrients in the environment, as a major source of air, soil and water pollution, negatively impacting biodiversity and the climate: * reduce nutrient losses by at least 50%, while ensuring no deterioration on soil fertility * reduce fertilizer use by at least 20% by 2030 3) Reduce by 50% the sales of antimicrobials for farmed animals and aquaculture by 2030, to help address antimicrobial resistance 4) Aim to achieve 25% of total farmland under organic farming by 2030

Answer 6

**Background:** * Nearly 59 million tonnes of food waste (131 kg/inhabitant) are generated in the EU each year. This represents an estimated loss of €132 billion. * Nearly 59 million tonnes of food waste (131 kg/inhabitant) are generated in the EU each year. This represents an estimated loss of €132 billion. * Food waste has a huge environmental impact, accounting for 252 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents or about 16% of the total greenhouse gas emissions from the EU food system. * If food waste were a Member State, it would be the fifth largest emitter of GHG emissions. **EU targets** * Commission adopted in July 2023 an amendet food waste directive, including mandatory legally binding food waste reduction targets * the Commission proposes that, by 2030, Member States reduce food waste by 10%, in processing and manufacturing, and by 30% (per capita), jointly at retail and consumption (restaurants, food services and households).

Answer 7

Adopted by EC in July 2023 Proposal to amend the Waste Framework Directive, with a focus on textiles waste. Under EU rules on waste, Member States are required to set up separate collection of textiles by 1 January 2025 In particular, the Commission is proposing to introduce m**n particular, the Commission is proposing to introduce mandatory and harmonised Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes for textiles in all EU Member States.**schemes for textiles in all EU Member States. * EPR schemes require producers to take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of their products, in particular at the end of the product’s life. * The proposal will foster research and development in innovative technologies that promote circularity in the textile sector * To reduce illegal waste shipments to non-EU countries, often disguised as intended for reuse, the Commission's proposal further clarifies the definitions of waste and reusable textiles (will complement proposed regulation on waste shipmens)

Answer 8

**Statistics:** * 5 million tonnes of clothing discarded each year in the EU - around 12kg per person * 20 to 35 jobs created for each 1000 tonnes of textiles collected for re-use * 1% of material in clothing is recycled into new clothing * EU consumption of textiles has, on average, **t****he fourth highest impact on the environment an**d climate change, after food, housing and mobility. * It is also the **third highest area of consumption for water and land use,** and **fifth highest for the use of primary raw materials and greenhouse gas emissions** **Objectives** The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles addresses the production and consumption of textiles, implementing commtiments of teh European Green Deal, Circular Economy Action Plan, and EU Industrial Strategy. The Strategy aims to create a greener, more competitive sector that is more resistant to global shocks. The Commission's 2030 vision for textiles is that * all textile products placed on the EU market are durable, repairable and recyclable, to a great extent made of recycled fibres, free of hazardous substances, produced in respect of social rights and the environment * ”fast fashion is out of fashion” and consumers benefit longer from high quality affordable textiles * profitable re-use and repair services are widely available * the textiles sector is competitive, resilient and innovative with producers taking responsibility for their products along the value chain **Actions** * Set design requirements for textiles to make them last longer, easier to repair and recycle as well as requirements on minimum recycled content * Introduce clearer information and a Digital Product Passport * Introduce mandatory and harmonised Extender Producer Responsibility rules for textiles in all Member States * Restrict the export of textile waste and promote sustainable textiles globally * Incentivise circular business models, including reuse and repair sectors **Implementations** * The *Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation*, proposed in 2022, creates a framework to set ecodesign requirements for products, including textiles. * The *Empowering Consumers in the Green Transition Directive *and *Green Claims Directive*, proposed in 2022 and 2023, aim to tackle greenwashing. * The “Reset the Trend” campaign (#ReFashionNow) was launched in 2023 to raise awareness about sustainable fashion. * The *Waste Shipment Regulation*, proposed in 2021, will help restrict the export of textile waste. * *Transition Pathway for the Textiles Ecosystem*, published in 2023,and the *European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform* (since 2018) promote and foster cooperation between industry, public authorities, social partners and other stakeholders. * Calls have been launched under Horizon Europe to further develop technologies and processes increasing the circularity and sustainability of the textiles sector. * In 2023 the Commission proposed a *revision to the Waste Framework Directive* to introduce mandatory and harmonised Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes for textiles in all EU Member States.

Answer 9

**Relevance of Ukraine for food security** * Russia and Ukraine are key agricultural players, together exporting nearly 12 % of food calories traded globally. * They are major providers of basic agro-commodities, including wheat (Ukraine 10% share of world exports), maize and sunflower oil (15% and 61%), and Russia is the world's top exporter of fertilisers. * Russia and Ukraine, combined, supply over 50 % of cereal imports in North Africa and the Middle East, while Eastern African countries import 72 % of their cereals from Russia and 18 % from Ukraine * In Ukraine itself, the United Nations World Food Programme estimates that 45 % of the population are already 'worried about finding enough to eat'. **Impacts** * Global fertilizer prices reached near-record levels in mid-2022 as global oil and natural gas prices rose * rising food prices all over the world, also in the EU **EU action and solutions** * Together with the Member States, the EU has mobilised almost EUR 18 billion to help partner countries address the global food crisis until 2024. Almost EUR 7 billion has already been disbursed in 2022. * Black Sea Grain Initiative was supposed to solve exports, but Russia ended deal in July unilaterally * EU postponed of nature restoration law and sustainable use of pesticides directive * EU communication outlining short-term and long-term actions to adress food security (e.g. state aid changes, support packages, market safety nets, etc.)

Answer 10

Cssr.: Virginijus Sinkevičius (LT, Environment, Oceans and Fisheries)

Answer 11

Legal basis: Art. 11, 191-193 TFEU The EU is competent to act in all areas of environment policy, such as air and water pollution, waste management and climate change. Its scope for action is limited by the principle of subsidiarity and the requirement for unanimity in the Council in the fields of fiscal matters, town and country planning, land use, quantitative water resource management, choice of energy sources and structure of energy supply. ** Agenda setting** Since 1973, the Commission has issued multiannual Environment Action Programmes (EAPs) setting out forthcoming legislative proposals and goals for EU environment policy. In May 2022, the 8th EAP entered into force, as the EU’s legally agreed upon common agenda for environment policy until the end of 2030. **History** * EU environment policy dates back to the European Council held in Paris in 1972, at which the Heads of State or Government EU environment policy dates back to the European Council held in Paris in 1972, at which the Heads of State or Governmen * The Single European Act of 1987 introduced a new ‘Environment Title’, which provided the first legal basis for a common environment policy * The Treaty of Maastricht (1993) made the environment an official EU policy area * The Treaty of Amsterdam (1999) established the duty to integrate environmental protection into all EU sectoral policie * Combating climate change’ (2.5.2) became a specific goal with the Treaty of Lisbon (2009), as did sustainable development in relations with third countries

Answer 12

EU environment policy rests on the **principles of precaution, prevention and rectifying pollution at source, and on the ‘polluter pays’ principle.** * The precautionary principle is a risk management tool that may be invoked when there is scientific uncertainty about a suspected risk to human health or to the environment emanating from a certain action or policy * The ‘polluter pays’ principle is implemented by the Environmental Liability Directive, ims to prevent or otherwise remedy environmental damage to protected species or to natural habitats, water and soil, where polluers in certain sectors have to take action. * Furthermore, integrating environmental concerns into other EU policy areas has become an important concept in European politics since it first arose from an initiative of the European Council held in Cardiff in 1998.

Answer 13

European Green Deal priorities include * protecting our biodiversity and ecosystems * reducing air, water and soil pollution * moving towards a circular economy * improving waste management * ensuring the sustainability of our blue economy and fisheries sectors

Answer 14

* Will guide the EU’s environmental policy until 2030, supporting the environment and climate action objectives of the European Green Deal. * It enshrines in a legal framework EU environment and climate objectives, as well as a mechanism to monitor progress “beyond GDP”. **- Building on the European Green Deal, it has the following six priority objectives (Art.2(2))** * achieving the 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction target and climate neutrality by 2050 * enhancing adaptive capacity, strengthening resilience and reducing vulnerability to climate change * advancing towards a regenerative growth model, decoupling economic growth from resource use and environmental degradation, and accelerating the transition to a circular economy * pursuing a zero-pollution ambition, including for air, water and soil and protecting the health and well-being of Europeans * protecting, preserving and restoring biodiversity, and enhancing natural capital (notably air, water, soil, and forest, freshwater, wetland and marine ecosystems) * reducing environmental and climate pressures related to production and consumption (particularly in the areas of energy, industrial development, buildings and infrastructure, mobility and the food system) Monitoring framework implemented in 2022.

Answer 15

**Objectives** * The biodiversity strategy aims to put Europe’s biodiversity on the path to recovery by 2030 for the benefit of people, climate and the planet. * In the post-COVID-19 context, the strategy aims to build our societies’ resilience to future threats such as the impacts of climate change, forest fires, food insecurity, disease outbreaks - including by protecting wildlife and fighting illegal wildlife trade. **Actions** The strategy contains specific commitments and actions to be delivered by 2030. * Establishing a larger EU-wide network of protected areas on land and at sea. The EU will enlarge existing Natura 2000 areas, with strict protection for areas of very high biodiversity and climate value. The Commission published two sets of guidelines on forests in March 2023 * Launching an EU nature restoration plan (adopted by Council) * Introducing measures to enable the necessary transformative change: funding for biodiversity, improve knowledge, financing and investment * Introducing measures to tackle the global biodiversity challenge * EU countries are expected to submit National Restoration Plans to the Commission within two years of the Regulation coming into force, showing how they will deliver on the targets. **Example of targets** * Legally protect a minimum of 30% of EU's land area and a minimum of 30% of the EU's sea area, and integrate ecological corridors * Legally binding nature restoration targets * Decline of pollinators is reversed * Risk and use of chemical pesticidies and use of more hazardous pesticidies is reduced by 50% * At least 25% of agricultural land is under organic farming management * 3 billion additional trees planted in EU

Answer 16

**Overview and background** * Communication, adopted in 2021 * Pollution is the largest environmental cause of multiple mental and physical diseases and of premature deaths, especially among children, people with certain medical conditions and the elderly. * In addition to affecting people’s health, pollution is one of the main reasons for the loss of biodiversity. **Key targets** The plan sets out the overarching vision that by 2050, pollution is reduced to levels no longer considered harmful to health and natural ecosystems, by reducing * by more than 55 % the health impacts (premature deaths) of air pollution; * by 30 % the share of people chronically disturbed by transport noise; * by 25 % the EU ecosystems where air pollution threatens biodiversity; * by 50 % nutrient losses, the use and risk of chemical pesticides, the use of the more hazardous ones, and the sale of antimicrobials for farmed animals and in aquaculture; * by 50 % plastic litter at sea and by 30 % microplastics released into the environment; * significantly total waste generation and by 50 % residual municipal waste. **actions** * reviewing waste laws (e.g. waste frameowrk directive) * review industrial emissions directive * revision of ambient air quality directive * chemicals strategy * etc.

Answer 17

**Overview** Legislative Act, Not directly part of European Green Deal – indirectly through Circular economy The EU adopted a European strategy for plastics in January 2018. It is part of the EU’s circular economy action plan and builds on existing measures to reduce plastic waste. - The plastics strategy also aims to transform the way plastic products are designed, produced, used and recycled in the EU. Actions - Making recycling profitable for businesses: new rules on packaging to improve the recyclability of plastics and increase the demand for recycled plastic content **Statistics** * On average, each European generates almost 180 kg of packaging waste per year * Packaging is one of the main users of virgin materials as 40% of plastics and 50% of paper used in the EU is destined for packaging. * packaging waste increased by more than 20% over the last 10 years in the EU * plastic packaging waste is expected to increase by 46% in 2030. **Actions** * Directive for single use plastic in 2018 (entered into force in 2019) **Legislative framework for biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastic** (2022) (key building block of circular economy action plan). This includes mandatory rates of recycled content for producers, banning of unecessary single plastic use, companies to offer certain percentage of theri products to consumer in reusable or refillable packaging. There is also a reduction target of 15% by 2040 per capita per Member State, compared to the 2018 figures

Answer 18

**Background** Proposed in 2019, as part of zero-pollution ambition. The EU already has sophisticated chemicals laws in place, but global chemicals production is expected to double by 2030. **Objectives** The EU’s chemicals strategy aims to: * better protect citizens and the environment * boost innovation for safe and sustainable chemicals **Actions:** * banning the most harmful chemicals in consumer products * account for the cocktail effect of chemicals when assessing risks from chemicals * phasing out the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the EU, unless their use is essential * boosting the investment and innovative capacity for production and use of chemicals that are safe and sustainable by design, and throughout their life cycle * promoting the EU’s resilience of supply and sustainability of critical chemicals * establishing a simpler “one substance one assessment” process for the risk and hazard assessment of chemicals * playing a leading role globally by championing and promoting high standards and not exporting chemicals banned in the EU **Implementation** * July 2023: Proposal to ban all remaining intentional uses of mercury in the EU, e.g. dental amalgam * Dec 2022: Revision of regulation on classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals:

Answer 19

Legal basis fisheries: Common fisheries policy (CFF) Art. 38-43 TFEU Legal basis water protection and management: Art. 191-193 TFEU Summary: agricolture and fisheries is shared competency, however, the conservation of marine biological resources under the common fisheries policy is exclusive competency

Answer 20

**Overview** Legal basis: Articles 38 to 43 TFEU The main objective is to ensure the long-term viability of the sector through the sustainable exploitation of resources. With a view to achieving this objective, the European Union has adopted legislation on access to EU waters, the allocation and use of resources, total allowable catches, fishing effort limitation and technical measures. **History:** * The CFP originally formed part of the common agricultural policy, but gradually developed a separate identity as the Community evolved * It was not until 1970 that the Council adopted legislation to establish a common organisation of the market for fishery products, and put in place a Community structural policy for fisheries. * Big reforms in 2002 and 2013 *** European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF)** * The EMFAF runs from 2021 to 2027 and supports the EU common fisheries policy (CFP), the EU maritime policy and the EU agenda for international ocean governance. * The total budget for 2021-2027 is €6.1 billion. * shared management – €5.311 billion * direct management – €797 million

Answer 21

To fully embed the blue economy into the Green Deal and the Recovery Strategy, the Commission has adopted a new approach for a sustainable blue economy in the EU. **Obbjective:** The detailed agenda for the blue economy should help achieve the European Green Deal’s objectives, and complement other recent Commission initiatives on biodiversity, food, mobility, security, data and more. **Action:** Rather than an exhaustive action plan, the new approach provides coherence across the blue economy sectors, facilitates their coexistence and looks for synergies in the maritime space, without damaging the environment

Answer 22

A series of different laws announced in the circular economy action plan. main focus in 4 areas; * **Making sustainable products the norm: **proposal for a Regulation on Ecodesign for Sustainable Products (extends Ecodesign directive) addresses product design, which determines up to 80% of a product's lifecycle environmental impact. * It sets new requirements to make products more durable, reliable, reusable, upgradable, reparable, easier to maintain, refurbish and recycle, and energy and resource efficient. * All regulated products will have Digital Product Passports. * **Sustainable and circular textiles:** * European consumption of textiles has the fourth highest impact on the environment and climate change, after food, housing and mobility. * The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles sets out the vision and concrete actions to ensure that by 2030 textile products placed on the EU market are long-lived and recyclable, made as much as possible of recycled fibres, free of hazardous substances and produced in respect of social rights and the environment. * The specific measures will include ecodesign requirements for textiles, clearer information, a Digital Product Passport and a mandatory EU extended producer responsibility scheme * **The construction products of tomorrow** * The construction ecosystem represents almost 10% of EU value added, and employs around 25 million people in over 5 million firms. * The construction products industry counts 430,000 companies in the EU, with a turnover of €800 billion. * Buildings are responsible for around 50% of resource extraction and consumption and more than 30% of the EU's total waste generated per year. * In addition, buildings are responsible for 40% of EU's energy consumption and 36% of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. * New product requirements will ensure that the design and manufacture of construction products is based on state of the art to make these more durable, repairable, recyclable, easier to re-manufacture. * Wil also include digital Products Passport. * ** empower consumers in the green transition** * Today, the Commission is proposing to update the EU consumer rules to empower consumers for the green transition. * The Commission is proposing to amend the Consumer Rights Directive to oblige traders to provide consumers with information on products' durability and reparability: * The Commission is also proposing several amendments to the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (UCPD) which will ban greenwashing and fight planned obscolence. For example, vague claims cannot be made anymore

Answer 23

**Goal**: * empower European consumers to play an active role in the green and digital transitions * vision for 2020-2025 * the Agenda also addresses how to increase consumer protection and resilience during and after the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g. increase in online scams or cancelled travel arrangements,) The Agenda puts forward priorities and **key action points to be taken in the next 5 years** * **Green transition**: the Commission aims to ensure that sustainable products are available to consumers on the EU market and that consumers have better information to be able to make an informed choice. * **Digital transformation**: The Commission aims to tackle online commercial practices that disregard consumers' right to make an informed choice, abuse their behavioural biases or distort their decision-making processes, such as dark patterns and hidden advertising * **Effective enforcement of consumer rights **(MS repsonsibility): he Commission will assist Member States in the timely implementation and enforcement of consumer law, including through the Consumer Protection Cooperation network. * ** Specific needs of certain consumer groups**. The Commission will look into requirements for childcare product standards. In relation to those with financial vulnerabilities, exacerbated by COVID-19 crisis, the Commission will increase funding for improved debt advice in Member States. * ** International cooperation:** The Commission will develop an Action Plan with China in 2021 to enhance the safety of products sold online. As of 2021, the Commission will also develop regulatory support, technical assistance and capacity building for EU partner regions including Africa

Answer 24

**Overview** Cssr. Adina Valean (RO, transport) Legal basis: Title VI – Transport, Art. 91 TFEU * With transport contributing around 5% to EU GDP and employing more than 10 million people in Europe, the transport system is critical to European businesses and global supply chains. * Transport emissions represent around 25% of the EU's total greenhouse gas emissions, and these emissions have increased over recent year. A clear path is needed to achieve a 90% reduction in transport-related greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. **Objectives of EU** By 2050, the EU wants a 90% cut in transport-related greenhouse gas emissions versus 1990 levels and more specifically: * No more conventionally-fuelled cars in cities * 40% use of sustainable low‑carbon fuels in aviation * 40% cut in CO2 emissions from maritime bunker fuels * 50% shift of freight journeys greater than or equal to 300 km from road to rail and to waterborne transport * Majority of medium‑distance travel completed by rail * Complete European high-speed rail network * Complete trans-European transport network * Progress towards zero road‑transport fatalities

Answer 25

* List of 82 innitatives that will guide EU's work on transport * With transport contributing around 5% to EU GDP and employing more than 10 million people in Europe, the transport system is critical to European businesses and global supply chains **Goal:** * All transport modes need to become more sustainable, with green alternatives widely available and the right incentives put in place to drive the transition * Milestones are set out to show the European transport system’s path towards achieving our objectives of a sustainable, smart and resilient mobility **Milestones** By 2030 * at least 30 million zero-emission cars will be in operation on European roads * 100 European cities will be climate neutral. * high-speed rail traffic will double across Europe * scheduled collective travel for journeys under 500 km should be carbon neutral * automated mobility will be deployed at large scale * zero-emission marine vessels will be market-ready By 2035 * zero-emission large aircraft will be market-ready By 2050 * nearly all cars, vans, buses as well as new heavy-duty vehicles will be zero-emission. * rail freight traffic will double. * a fully operational, multimodal Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) for sustainable and smart transport with high speed connectivity. **Key policy areas** **Sustainable mobility** * Boosting the uptake of zero-emission vehicles, vessels and aeroplanes, renewable & low-carbon fuels and related infrastructure * Creating zero-emission airports and ports * Making interurban and urban mobility healthy and sustainable * Greening freight transport – for instance by doubling rail freight traffic by 2050. * Pricing carbon and providing better incentives for users **Smart mobility** * Making connected and automated multimodal mobility a reality: * Boosting innovation and the use of data and artificial intelligence (AI) for smarter mobility **Resilient mobility** * Reinforce the Single Market, e.g. by completing Trans-European Transport Network * Make mobility fair and just for all * Step up transport safety and security across all modes **Example legislations** * revision of the CO2 emission performance standards for cars and vans * Revision of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive 2 and a roll-out plan with funding opportunities and requirements * Launch FuelEU Maritime – Green European Maritime Space 3 and ReFuelEU Aviation – Sustainable Aviation Fuels * Establish sustainable taxonomy criteria for all modes * EU 2021 Rail Corridor Initiative - Action Plan to boost passenger rail transport

Answer 26

**What is Corsia:** CORSIA is a global scheme for offsetting CO2 emissions from international aviation adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in 2018, in which EU member states committed to participate from its pilot phase, which began in January 2021. in 2023, the Council a**dopted the decision on the notification of CORSIA** (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) offsetting requirements, which aims to contribute to world wide’s ambitious goals towards climate neutrality. This will allow Member States to begin implementing theri commitments.

Answer 27

**Overview** * Rail remains one of the safest and cleanest transport modes and is therefore at the heart of EU policy to make EU mobility more sustainable * Over the last 25 years, the Commission has been proactive in proposing changes to Europe's rail transport market to strengthen rail vis-à-vis other transport modes. Efforts have targeted three areas crucial for a strong and competitive rail industry: opening the rail transport market to competition; improving interoperability and safety; developing rail infrastructure and improve single European railway area. **Statistics on rail** * safest mode of land transport * 21% of workforce are women * 916 000 people work in EU railway sector * 75% of total train-kilometers are traveled by electricity-powered trains * 9100 km of high-speed network in Europe **European Year of Rail** * 2021 * Throughout the year, the Commission has highlighted the benefits of rail as a sustainable, smart and safe means of transport. * Connecting Europe Express: As part of the European Year of Rail, a special EU train criss-crossed the continent from 2 September to 7 October 2021, stopping in over 100 cities in 26 countries:

Answer 28

**Background:** The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) is a carbon market based on a system of cap-and-trade of emissions allowances for energy-intensive industries, the power generation sector and the aviation sector. in the last revision, the target was set that emissions reduction in the sectors covered by the the ETS was 43%. State: adopted by Council in 2023. **Content of revision** 1) The new rules increase the overall ambition of emissions reductions by 2030 in the sectors covered by the EU ETS to 62% compared to 2005 levels. * to accomplish this, the reform raises the linear reduction factor (LRF) from 2.2% to 4.3% from 2024-2027 and to 4.4% from 2028-2030. * Furthermore, the reform includes two one-off ‘rebasings’ of the cap, reducing it by 90 million allowances in 2024 and an additional 27 million in 2026. 2) the phase out of free allocation in some sectors accompanied by the phase-in of the CBAM * starting in 2026, importers in sectors covered by CBAM (cement, aluminum, fertilizers, electricity, hydrogen, iron and steel, along with some precursors and downstream products) will be required to surrender newly created CBAM certificates equivalent to the embedded emissions of their products. * The CBAM phase-in plan gradually ceases the free allocation of EU ETS allowances over a nine-year period (from 2026 to 2034) for sectors covered by CBAM It will also correspond directly to the CBAM phase-in, so that during the transition period CBAM will only apply to the proportion of emissions that are not subject to free allocation under the EU ETS. * The free allowances phase-out corresponds 4) revised parameters for the Market Stability Reserve (MSR); * The MSR will be strengthened by maintaining the annual allowance intake rate at 24% of the TNAC until 2030 (initially scheduled to be reduced to 12% from 2023 onwards). Furthermore, the agreement will restrict the number of allowances that can be held in the reserve to 400 million, with any surplus being permanently cancelled. 5) the expansion of the EU ETS to cover maritime shipping; * The reform entails the phasing in of maritime sector emissions into the EU ETS, with the obligation to surrender allowances rising from 40% of verified emissions in 2024 to 100% in 2026. All emissions from intra-EU voyages and within EU ports will be covered by the ETS, and 50% of the emissions for journeys to or from a non-EU country. * By the end of 2026, the Commission will also assess whether to introduce emissions from municipal waste incineration into the EU ETS from 2028. 5) a new and separate ETS for buildings, road transport, and additional sectors (ETS 2); * The new ETS 2 will complement the EU ETS sectoral coverage, broadening EU-level carbon pricing to cover all major sectors of the economy except agriculture and land-use. * In light of the impact of the energy crisis, the new system is set to come into force in 2027. However, as a means of safeguarding vulnerable households, the ETS 2 will be delayed to 2028 if energy prices are deemed exceptionally high. * To give the new system a smooth start, it was agreed to frontload the supply of allowances by auctioning an additional 30% in the first year of operation * A new price stability mechanism has also been agreed, so that if the allowance price exceeds EUR 45 per tonne over a period of two consecutive months, market supply shall be increased by releasing an additional 20 million allowances from a separate section of the MSR 6) and a strengthened commitment to use ETS revenues to address distributional effects and spur innovation. * Revenues from the ETS 2 will flow into a newly established Social Climate Fund * The EU ETS’s existing Innovation Fund is also set for a significant boost, with funding (coming from the auctioning of dedicated allowances) rising from 450 million to 575 million allowances in the period 2020-2030.

Answer 29

**What it is** * EU Emissions Trading System for buildings and road transport and additional sectors (mainly small industry not covered by the existing ETS) * This new ETS (“ETS 2”) will complement Member States’ efforts to reduce emissions in line with national targets under the “Effort Sharing Regulation” * It will be separate from the existing EU ETS for emissions from electricity and heat generation, industrial production, maritime transport and commercial aviation in the bloc. * The agreement provides that the ETS 2 will launch in 2027 or 2028. The start may be postponed by one year in the event of exceptionally high energy prices. **How it works** * The system will cover emissions upstream, thus regulating fuel suppliers rather than end-consumers. * It will put an absolute cap on emissions, which will decrease in line with a linear reduction factor. * Allowances will be distributed exclusively via auctioning. Auction volumes will be frontloaded in the first year to ensure a smooth start of the system. * Its cap is set to achieve 42% emission reductions in 2030 compared to 2005 levels

Answer 30

**Overview** * The Innovation Fund is one of the world’s largest funding programmes for the deployment of net-zero and innovative technologies. * The Innovation Fund is a key funding instrument for delivering the EU’s economy-wide commitments under the Paris Agreement, and the climate and energy priorities put forward in the REPowerEU Plan, the Hydrogen Bank, the Green Deal Industrial Plan and the Net-Zero Industry Act. * The Innovation Fund focuses on highly innovative technologies and flagship projects within Europe that can bring about significant emission reductions. **Funding and financing** * The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) - the world’s largest carbon pricing system – provides the revenues for the Innovation Fund from the monetisation of 530 million ETS allowances. * Size: EUR 40 billion to invest from 2020-2030 in EU's climate neutral future, calculated using a carbon price of EUR 75 EUR/tCO2 * The Innovation Fund supports up to 60% (in case of regular grants) and up to 100% (in case of competitive bidding) of the relevant costs (usually CAPEX and operational costs minus revenues) * CINEA (European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Agency) is the implementing body of the Innovation Fund, EIB provides projects developments assistance **Goal** The Innovation Fund’s goals are to: * help businesses invest in clean energy and industry * boost economic growth * reate future-proof jobs * reinforce European technological leadership on a global scale. In 2023, the revision of the **EU Emissions Trading System Directive** strengthened the Innovation Fund as follows: * The overall size of the Innovation Fund has been increased from 450 million ETS allowances to approximately 530 million ETS allowances * Scope changes: new sectors (e.g. maritime, aviation); introduction of medium-scale projects; application of the Do Not Significant Harm (DNSH) principle from 2025; stronger reference to multiple environmental impacts * The introduction of new financial instruments (“Competitive Bidding) * Stronger attention to geographical balance, including through technical assistance to Member States with low effective participation.

Answer 31

**Overview** * A surplus of emission allowances has built up in the EU emissions trading system (ETS) since 2009. * The Effort Sharing Regulation establishes for each EU Member State a national target for the reduction of greenhouse gas emission by 2030 in the following sectors: domestic transport (excluding aviation), buildings, agriculture, small industry and waste. * Originally in 2018, amended in 2023. * In total, the emissions covered by the Effort Sharing Regulation account for almost 60% of total domestic EU emissions. * In addition to EU Member States, Iceland and Norway have agreed to implement the Effort Sharing Regulation and commit to binding 2030 emission reduction targets. * In addition to establishing targets for the reduction of emissions in the Member States by 2030, the Effort Sharing Regulation also defines annual emission limits for the years 2021 to 2030. * For that purpose, Member States are provided with a number of emission allocations (each corresponding to a tonne of CO2 equivalent) for each of the years in the period, and the number of allowances decreases every year. * To address challenges which might be faced by certain lower income Member States, an additional adjustment of 41 million tonnes was provided in the year 2021. **Market stability reserve** * * As a long-term solution, a market stability reserve began operating in January 2019. * The reserve ddresses the current surplus of allowances and mproves the system's resilience to major shocks by adjusting the supply of allowances to be auctioned. * **Targets** * ith their new national targets Member States will collectively contribute to an emission reduction at EU level, in the Effort Sharing sectors, of 40% compared to 2005 levels. * The Regulation recognises the different capacities of Member States to take action by differentiating targets according to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita across Member States. For richer MS, the targets are adjusted to reflect cost-effectiveness for those Member States with an above average GDP per capita. * For example, target for BE is -47%, for DE -50%, for FR -47.5%, for Greece -22.7% **Amendment in 2023:** * adopted by Council in April 2023 * target increased to * Member States target increases were limited to 12 percentage points, * The 2023 revision of the Effort Sharing Regulation amended the 2030 targets and the system of trajectories leading to them.

Answer 32

**What it is and functioning** * The EU ETS is a cornerstone of the EU's policy to combat climate change and its key tool for reducing greenhouse gas emissions cost-effectively. It is the world's first major carbon market and remains the biggest one. * The EU ETS works on the 'cap and trade' principle. A cap is set on the total amount of certain greenhouse gases that can be emitted by the operators covered by the system. The cap is reduced over time so that total emissions fall. * Within the cap, operators buy or receive emissions allowances, which they can trade with one another as needed. * The price signal incentivises emission reductions and promotes investment in innovative, low-carbon technologies, whilst trading brings flexibility that ensures emissions are cut where it costs least to do so. * After each year, an operator must surrender enough allowances to cover fully its emissions, otherwise heavy fines are imposed. If an installation reduces its emissions, it can keep the spare allowances to cover its future needs or else sell them to another operator that is short of allowances. * Revenues from the sale of allowances in the EU ETS mostly feed into Member States’ budgets. Allowances are also auctioned to supply the funds supporting innovation in low-carbon technologies and the energy transition: the Innovation Fund and the Modernisation Fund*. * Installations covered by the ETS reduced emissions by about 35% between 2005 and 2021 **Scope** * Operates in all EU MS, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway * limits emissions from around 10,000 installations in the energy sector and manufacturing industry, as well as aircraft operators operating between these countries and departing to Switzerland and the United Kingdom, * limits emissions from around 10,000 installations in the energy sector and manufacturing industry, as well as aircraft operators operating between these countries and departing to Switzerland and the United Kingdom, * By 2030, the cap on emissions from sectors covered by the EU ETS is set to decrease by 62% compared to 2005 levels. (ETS revision) **Sectors and gases covered** The EU ETS covers the following sectors and gases, focusing on emissions that can be measured, reported and verified with a high level of accuracy: **carbon dioxide (CO2) from** * electricity and heat generation, * energy-intensive industry sectors, including oil refineries, steel works, and production of iron, aluminium, metals, cement, lime, glass, ceramics, pulp, paper, cardboard, acids and bulk organic chemicals, * aviation within the European Economic Area and departing flights to Switzerland and the United Kingdom; * maritime transport **nitrous oxide (N2O**) * from production of nitric, adipic and glyoxylic acids and glyoxal; **perfluorocarbons (PFCs**) * from the production of aluminium.

Answer 33

**Overvoiew** * action plan to prepare ground for renessaince in rail, part of measures for efficient and green mobility * will help the EU meet its strategic milestones of doubling high-speed rail traffic by 2030 and tripling it by 2050. * cross-border trips account for just 7% of the kilometres travelled by train * Rail transports about 7% of passengers and 17% of freight in the European Union, but it is only responsible for 0.5% of the greenhouse gas emissions related to transport. **Measures** * gvernments can use pubnlci service obligation and award public service contracts to rail operators for connections or netwrok where the market is not yet able or willing to offer servces necessary * Launch of EIB "green rail investment platform": * accelerate the work to ensure implementation and correct application of the four railway packages * propose a revision of the Technical Specifications for Interoperability in 2022;

Answer 34

€25.8 billion CEF Transport budget €11 billion for cohesion policy countries EUr 1.68 biullion military mobility Conmectong Europe Facility The Connecting Europe Facility is a key EU funding instrument to promote growth, jobs and competitiveness through infrastructure investment at European level Divided between CEF Energy (finance Trans-European Network for Energy Policy , cross border infrastructure) CEF Transport CEF Digital

Answer 35

**Definition** * Defintion: Sustainable finance refers to the process of taking environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations into account when making investment decisions in the financial sector, leading to more long-term * In the EU's policy context, sustainable finance is understood as finance to support economic growth while reducing pressures on the environment to help reach the climate- and environmental objectives of the European Green Deal, taking into account social and governance aspects * Sustainable finance is about financing both what is already environment-friendly today (green finance) and what is transitioning to environment-friendly performance levels over time (transition finance) **Why** * ustainable finance has a key role to play in delivering on the policy objectives under the European green dealEN*** as well as the EU’s international commitments on climate and sustainability objectives. I * At least 80% of invsestments may have to come from private sector to achieve green transition **Sustainable finance frameowrk** * Corporate disclosure of climate-related information * EU lables for benchmarks, and benchmark ESG disclosures * Sustainability related disclosures in the financial services sector * EU taxonomy for sustainable activities * European green bond standard * International Platform on Sustainable green finance

Answer 36

This first, landmark action plan set out a comprehensive strategy to further connect finance with sustainability. It included ten key actions that can be divided into three categories **Reorienting capital flows towards a more sustainable economy** * Establishing a clear and detailed EU taxonomyEN***, a classification system for sustainable activities. * Creating an EU Green Bond Standard and labels for green financial products * Fostering investment in sustainable projects: Commission connects sustainable finance frameworks and tools with the Sustainable Europe Investment Plan, InvestEU and other relevant EU funds. * Incorporating sustainability in financial advice: rules ion how investment advisory and insurace distributors sho9uld take sustainability factors into account when providing advice to their clients * Developing sustainability benchmarks: create a new category of benchmarks comprising low-carbon and positive carbon impact benchmarks, which will provide investors with better information on the carbon footprint of their investments. (regulation amenidng benchmark regulation in OJ in Dec 2019) **Mainstreaming sustainability into risk management** * Better integrating sustainability in ratings and market research: guideines for how credit rating agencies apply these criteria * Clarifying asset managers' and institutional investors' duties regarding sustainability: On 9 December 2019, the Regulation on sustainability-related disclosures in the financial services sector was published in OJ * Introducing a 'green supporting factor' in the EU prudential rules for banks and insurance companies: **mandate the European Banking Authority (EBA) to** * Identify the principles and methodologies for the inclusion of ESG risks in the review and evaluation performed by supervisors, and * Explore the prudential soundness of introducing a more risk sensitive treatment of “green asset” (so called green supporting factor). **Fostering transparency and long-termism** * trengthening sustainability disclosure and accounting rule-making: review of non-financial disclosure directive * Fostering sustainable corporate governance and attenuating short-termism in capital markets: done through advise from ESMA, EBA, EIOPIA and DJ Just study

Answer 37

**Overiew** * The European Green Deal Investment Plan (EGDIP), also referred to as Sustainable Europe Investment Plan (SEIP), is the investment pillar of the Green Deal. * To achieve the goals set by the European Green Deal, the Plan will mobilise at least €1 trillion in sustainable investments over the next decade. Part of the plan, the Just Transition Mechanism, will be targeted to a fair and just green transition. **Objectives** The European Green Deal Investment Plan has three main objectives: * First, it will increase funding for the transition, and mobilise at least €1 trillion to support sustainable investments over the next decade through the EU budget and associated instruments, in particular InvestEU; * Second, it will create an enabling framework for private investors and the public sector to facilitate sustainable investments; * Third, it will provide support to public administrations and project promoters in identifying, structuring and executing sustainable projects. **Funding sources** * Taken together and extrapolated from 7 to 10 years, as well as assuming that the climate target post-2027 will be at least maintained, the EU budget will provide €503 billion to the European Green Deal Investment Plan. This will trigger additional national co-financing of around €114 billion over this timeframe on climate and environment projects. * - the Innovation and Modernisation funds, which are not part of the EU budget, but are financed by a part of the revenues from the ETS, will provide some €25 billion for the EU transition to climate neutrality * The Just Transition mechanisms will mobilise at least €100 billion in investments over the period 2021-2027 to support workers and citizens of the regions most impacted by the transition * InvestEU will mobilitse EUR 279 billion (30% of InvestEU guarantee allocatd to green project) * In addition, EIB, has announced the doubling of its climate target from currently 25 to 50% by 2025. Over the next decade, this means a total of €1 trillion in investments (EIB specific)

Answer 38

**Overview** * the new Sustainable Finance Strategy sets out several initiatives to tackle climate change, and other environmental challenges, while increasing investment – and the inclusiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – in the EU's transition towards a sustainable economy. **actions** 1) Extend the existing sustainable finance toolbox to facilitate access to transition finance 2) Improve the inclusiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and consumers, by giving them the right tools and incentives to access transition finance. 3) Enhance the resilience of the economic and financial system to sustainability risks 4) Increase the contribution of the financial sector to sustainability 5) Ensure the integrity of the EU financial system and monitor its orderly transition to sustainability 6) Develop international sustainable finance initiatives and standards, and support EU partner countries INitiatives: Solvency II revision, to integrate sustainabnility risks in risk management of insurers Amend CRR and CRD in order to ensure integration of sustainability risks Sustainable Croporate Deu Diligence

Answer 39

* The Just Transition Mechanism focus on the social and economic costs of the transition in the most impacted region * It provides targeted support to help mobilise around €55 billion over the period 2021-2027 in the most affected regions, to alleviate the socio-economic impact of the transition. **Financing** The Just Transition Mechanism addresses the social and economic effects of the transition, focusing on the regions, industries and workers who will face the greatest challenges, through three pillars: * **A new Just Transition Fund:** of €19.2 billion in current prices, is expected to mobilise around EUR €25.4 billion in investments. * **InvestEU "Just Transition" scheme** will provide a budgetary guarantee under the InvestEU programme across the four policy windows and an InvestEU Advisory Hub that will act as a central entry point for advisory support requests. It is expected to mobilise €10-15 billion in mostly private sector investments. * **A new Public Sector Loan Facility:** will combine €1.5 billion of grants financed from the EU budget with €10 billion of loans from the European Investment Bank, to mobilise €18.5 billion of public investment.

Answer 40

**Overview** * Energy is reponsible for 77% of GHG emissions in the EU. * All ll studies suggest that electrification – up to 60-70% of the economy – is the cheapest solution to achieve Europe’s carbon reduction objectives * In Italy, Spain, the UK, Belgium, and Germany, “electricity is overtaxed, in three cases by more than 200%, and oil and fossil gas are undertaxed,” * The ETD lays down structures and minimum rates for taxation of energy products that are used as motor fuel or heating fuel and electricity * State: proposed in 2021, still stuck in Council due to unanimity and concerns by MS over ending expemtions or tax breaks. Probably law will not be adopted by end of this Commission **Revision** * The proposed revisions to the ETD seek to ensure that fossil fuels are subject to *higher* minimum tax rates, while renewable energies (including biofuels, synthetic fuels, and hydrogen) are subject to *lower* minimum tax rates. * The proposal links, for the first time, taxation levels to the energy content and environmental performance of an energy product, thereby favoring the use of renewable fuels over conventional fossil fuels. * The tax base will be broadened * Most polluting fuels (coal, oil, gas) subject to highest taxes * Aviation and maritime fuels taxed now: minimum tax rates would increase over 10 years * No distinction of type of use * Annual rates changed each years

Answer 41

**Background** * To achieve climate & environment targets, EU need a common language & clear definition of what is ‘sustainable’. The action plan on financing sustainable growth called for the creation of a common classification system for sustainable economic activities the “EU taxonomy”. * The EU taxonomy is a classification system, establishing a list of environmentally sustainable economic activities. It could play an important role helping the EU scale up sustainable investment and implement the European green deal. **EU taxonomy** The EU Taxonomy Regulation establishes a taxonomy of **sustainable economic activities** for each EU environmental objective – namely, * climate change mitigation, * climate change adaptation, * pollution prevention, * circular economy, * protection of marine resources, * healthy ecosystems **and** which contribute significantly to reach at least one of the objectives (ii) without harming significantly any of the 5 other objectives (iii) while meeting minimum social and governance safeguards. The EU Taxonomy Regulation also introduces transparency requirements: * On the proportion of investments in environmentally sustainable economic activities for financial products in the scope of SFDR with environmental characteristics or sustainable investment as an objective and, * On KPIs showing the alignment of activities carried out by companies subject to the Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD) (EU public interest companies with staff over 500 people, covering approximately 11 700 companies and groups) with economic activities listed in the EU taxonomy. **Implementation** * Under the Taxonomy Regulation, the Commission had to come up with the actual list of environmentally sustainable activities by defining technical screening criteria for each environmental objective through delegated acts. * A first delegated act was approved and applicable since January 2022, while a second will be published in 2022. * Controversy surrounded the complementary climate act from March 2022, which under strict conditions, included nuclear and gas energy as activities covered by teh EU taxonomy * Final delegated act from June 2023 (sustainable finance package) covered sustainable use and protection of water and marine resourcesl, transition to a circular economy, pollution prevention and control, and the protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems

Answer 42

July 2023 * package of measures to build on and strengthen the foundations of the EU sustainable finance framework. **New regulation for Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) rating providers**, to improve the reliability and transparency of ESG ratings activities. * New organisational principles and clear rules on the prevention of conflicts of interest will increase the integrity of the operations of ESG rating providers. * Moreover, the proposal will require that ESG rating providers offering services to investors and companies in the EU be authorised and supervised by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) **Delegated Act on EU Taxonomy** * The Commission has today approved in principle a new set of EU Taxonomy criteria for economic activities making a substantial contribution to one or more of the non-climate environmental objectives, namely: * sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources, transition to a circular economy, pollution prevention and control, protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems. * Also, Commission included targeted amendments to Taxonomy Regulation, which expand on economic activities contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation not included so far – in particular in the manufacturing and transport sectors

Answer 43

**Overview and background** * review of the non-financial reporting directive (NFRD), which established important principles for large companies to report sustainability information on annual basis * Companies have to report about how sustainability issues affect their business and about their own impact on people and the environment (*‘double materiality perspective*). * The NFRD applies to public interest entities: Banks, insurance of more than 500 employees. * State: entered into force in January 2023, final delegated act implementeds sin July 2023 **Content** * The new CSRD will extend the scope of requirements including all large companies, without the previous 500-employees threshold. The proposal will: * Extend the scope of these requirements to include all large companies, whether they are listed or not, and without the previous 500-employee threshold. - Extend the scope to include listed SMEs, with the exception of listed micro-enterprises. If listed SMEs do not report sustainability information, they may find themselves at risk of exclusion from investment portfolios. This risk will grow as sustainability information becomes ever more important throughout the financial system. For SMEs to report more easily, the Commission will prepare a proportionate standards and will apply three year after they apply to other companies.

Answer 44

**Overview** - - The European green bond standard (EUGBS) is a voluntary standard to help scale up and raise the environmental ambitions of the green bond market, and part of the Green Deal. - announced in European Green Deal Investment Plan, with the reason that there is no real green bond standard yet in the EU - State: political agreement between Council and EP reached in March 2023, **Content** - This proposed Regulation will set a gold standard for how companies and public authorities can use green bonds to raise funds on capital markets to finance such ambitious large-scale investments, while meeting tough sustainability requirements and protecting investors. - The requirements are: taxonomy alignment, transparency, external review, and supervision by ESMA

Answer 45

The aim of this Directive is to * foster sustainable and responsible corporate behaviour and * to anchor human rights and environmental considerations in companies’ operations and corporate governance This Directive establishes a **corporate due diligence duty:**The core elements of this duty are * identifying, * * bringing to an end, * preventing, * mitigating and * accounting for negative human rights and environmental impacts in the company’s **own operations, their subsidiaries and their value chains.** The Directive also introduces **duties for the directors** of the EU companies covered. **Scope** Companies Large EU limited liability companies: * Group 1: +/- 9,400 companies - 500+ employees and net EUR 150 million+ turnover worldwide. * Group 2: +/- 3,400 companies in high-impact sectors. - 250+ employees and net EUR 40+ million turnover worldwide, and operating in defined high impact sectors, e.g. textiles, agriculture, extraction of minerals. **For this group, the rules start to apply two years later than for group 1.** * Non–EU companies: +/- 2,600 companies in Group 1 and +/- 1,400 in Group 2 * Third country companies active in the EU with turnover threshold aligned with Group 1 and 2, generated in the EU. SMEs * Micro companies and SMEs are not concerned by the proposed rules. However, the proposal provides supporting measures for SMEs, which could be indirectly affected. **Enforcement** * Administrative supervision: Member States will designate an authority to supervise and impose sanctions * Civil liability: Member States will ensure that victims get compensation for damages resulting from the failure to comply with the obligations of the new proposals. * The rules of directors' duties are enforced through existing Member States' laws. **State** * Trilogue ongoing

Answer 46

Cssr.: Margrethe Vestager (interim) Legal basis: Art, 173 TFEU, Art. 179-190 TFEU The EU Research and Innovation is not considered under any specific priority, given that it supports all priorities. The Commission has set 6 broad political goals. Research and innovation will be a key driver in achieving each of them (Strategy 2020-2024). Research and innovation proved to be among the most powerful of European policies to boost the Union’s economies and competitiveness at the global scale. With its ability to drive growth, to create up to 320,000 new highly skilled jobs by 2040 and to leverage approximately 11 euro of additional investments for each euro invested at the European level, the R&I policy is an engine of the green and digital transitions on the continent and stairways to ‘the future we want’.

Answer 47

**Background** * The EU spends a smaller percentage of annual GDP (2.3% in 2020) than the United States (3.45% in 2020) and Japan (3.26% in 2020) on research and development (R&D). * In addition, there is a brain drain effect, as many of the EU’s best researchers and innovators move to countries where conditions are more favourable. * The EU market remains fragmented and is not sufficiently innovation friendly. **Goals** o reverse these trends, the EU developed the concept of an ‘Innovation Union’, which aimed to: * Make the EU a world-class science performer; * Remove obstacles to innovation – like expensive patenting, market fragmentation, slow standard-setting and skills shortages – which prevent ideas getting to market quickly; * Revolutionise the way the public and private sectors work together, notably through the implementation of European innovation partnerships between the EU institutions, national and regional authorities and business. **European Innovation Scoreboard** * Developed under Lisbon Strategy, The European Innovation Scoreboard provides a comparative assessment of the Research and Innovation performance of EU Member States, other European countries, and regional neighbours. * Based on their scores, EU countries fall into four performance groups: Innovation leaders (DK, BE, etc.), Strong innovators (DE, AU, FR), Moderate innovators (IT, PT, GR) and Emerging innovators (PL, RO) **Regional innovation scoreboard** * The regional innovation scoreboard (RIS) is a regional extension of the European innovation scoreboard (EIS), assessing the innovation performance of European regions on a limited number of indicators. * Across 239 regions in 22 EU MS in 2023 scoreboard **Funding sources** * Horizon Erurope * Cohesion policy also focuses on research and innovation. In more developed regions, at least 85% of resources from the European Regional Development Fund at national level are allocated to objectives related to innovation * Various financial instruments to unlock private investments (EFSI, InnovFin, COSME) * EIT: main contribution are the innovation communiteis whch bring together more than 1200 partenrs from business, research adn education (the knwlege triangle) * European Innovaton Council (2017): The EIC is the EU’s flagship innovation programme to identify, develop and scale up breakthrough, and in particular deep-tech, innovations, and it has a budget of EUR 10.1 billion. In response to the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, the Commission set aside EUR 20 million to support Ukrainian start-ups through a targeted amendment of the 2022 EIC work programme.

Answer 48

**What** * Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of €95.5 billion, largest EU Research and Innovation Framework Programme ever * It tackles climate change, helps to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and boosts the EU’s competitiveness and growth. * Over 35% of Horizon Europe spending is allocated to address climate change. **Structure** Structured in 3 pillars: **1) Excellent Science (EUR 25 billion)** * European Research Council * Marie Curie * Research Infrastructures **2) Global Challenges & European industrial competitiveness (EUR 53.5 billion)** This pillar has different cluster topics, such as health, culture & creativity, climate & eneryg & mobility, Food & environments, etc. **3) Innovative Europe (EUR 13.6 billion)** This pillar includes EIC, European Innovation Ecosystems, Europen Instiute of Innovation and Technology **New elements in Horizon Europe** * European Innovation Council: Support for innovations with potential breakthrough and disruptive nature with scale-up potential that may be too risky for private investors. This is 70% of the budget earmarked for SMEs. * Missions: Sets of measures to achieve bold, inspirational and measurable goals within a set timeframe. There are 5 main mission areas as part of Horizon Europe. * Open science policy: Mandatory open access to publications and open science principles are applied throughout the programme * New approach to partnerships: Objective-driven and more ambitious partnerships with industry in support of EU policy objectives

Answer 49

* Def mission: A mission is a portfolio of actions across disciplines intended to achieve a bold and inspirational and measurable goal within a set timeframe So far 5 mission (6th will be NEB) * adaptation to climate change, including societal transformation * cancer * healhty oceans, seas, coastal & inland waters * climate-neutral and smart cities * soil health & food

Answer 50

* 17% of global R&D in Europe * 25% of all high-quality scientific publications * 1.5% of GDP business R&D (vs. 2.1 in US, 3.6 in Korea)

Answer 51

**Description** * was the financial instrument supporting the implementation of the Innovation Union (8th framework programme) * Horizon 2020 was the first programme to integrate research and innovation * Budget of EUr 77 billion (of whch 2 billion went to EFSI) **Statistics** * 1.5 million Collaborations from more than 150 countries * 84% of investments address Sustainable Development Goals; 30% address climate change * 3Xmore often among top 1% cited publications compared to output in Member States * EUR 48 millin directed to Coronavirus R&I jsut seven days after first case in Europe * 19% labour productivity increase thanks to programme

Answer 52

**Goal** * The New European Innovation Agenda, adopted on 5 July 2022, aims to position Europe at the forefront of the new wave of deep tech innovation and start-ups. The New European Innovation Agenda focuses on **five flagships**: **Funding scale-ups** * Debt-equity bias reduction allowance (DEBRA) directive. Will enter into force by January 2024 * Listing Act (2022): simplify and ease both initial and ongoing listing requirements for certain types of companies in order to reduce costs and increase legal certainty for issuers, while safeguarding investor protection and market integrity. * European Scale-up action for risk capital (ESCALAR): Building on a successful pilot, ESCALAR will be expanded under the InvestEU Programme in Q2 2023 to attract untapped sources of private capital. Managed by EIF, this would close financing gap for scale-ups, up to EUR 100 million ticket size. EIF invests the money in funds with investment focus on scale-ups. * Innovation gender and diversity index: The EC will pilot an innovation gender and diversity index, which will include data on women and other less represented groups, including individuals with disabilities, in innovative start-ups and scale-ups, as well as amongst investors and funds investing in such companies * EIT Women2Invest Programme: It aims to support women with STEAM university studies to start their careers in venture investment by training them and matching them with investors **Enabling deep tech innovation through experimentation spaces and public procurement** * Guidance document on Regulatory Sandboxes: SWP in July 2023 that clarifies relevant use cases of regulatory sandboxes, test beds and living labs * Stimulating Experimentation Practices: The Commission will support innovators through the European Innovation Ecosystems Work Programme * Innovation-Friendly Regulations Advisory Group. The Commission established an expert group which focuses on the use of emerging technologies in support of the public sector to improve, optimise and innovate its operations and service provision. First meeting in March 2023 * Open innovation test bed in renewable Hydrogen: he Commission will establish a new open innovation test bed in renewable hydrogen in 2023 under Horizon Europe to provide access to physical facilities, capabilities and services. * Revised State Aid Framework for Research and Development and Innovation (RDI): adoptede in 2022, will facilitate State Aid for R/D **Accelerating and strengthening innovation in European Innovation Ecosystems across the EU and addressing the innovation divide** * Fostering connected regional deep-tech innovation valleys across the EU * Hydrogen valleys under REPoerEU * Innospace: The Commission will establish ‘Innospace, an AI-based open platform, to support the circulation of ideas and access to research results, highlight the demand and supply of innovative solutions, and connect stakeholders to facilitate collaboration * EIC Scaling Club: the EIC is setting up an EIC Scaling Club, an exclusive community of 100 European high-growth deep-tech champions and future unicorns. The Club will engage companies in a pan-European network of scalers to share their peer experience and obtain exposure at the European level. Companbies to be from ECI cohort. Fist batch in April 2024. **Fostering, attracting and retaining deep tech talent** * Deep tech talent initiative: Implemented by EIT, will skill 1 million people in deep tech fields over next 3 years (until 2025) * Innovation Internship Scheme: part of EIC, will allow EU-funded (read: Horizon Europe) researchers to intern at company ufundes by EIC or managed by EIT * Digital Europe programme: The European Commission will continue to provide training support to Higher Education Institutes, businesses and research and innovation centres through the Digital Europe programme * Launch Innovation Talent Platform * Stock options: working group under EIT forum to analyse approaches to employees' stock options and tackle administrative barreirs. Report expected end of 2023 **Improving policy making tools** * Report on definitions related to startups, scale-ups and deep tech innovation: report published in 2023, to get overview of data, reporting, etc. * Strengthen the role of the European Innovation Council Forum:

Answer 53

**Overview and background** * Today, the Commission has proposed to reform the EU's electricity market design to accelerate a surge in renewables and the phase-out of gas, make consumer bills less dependent on volatile fossil fuel prices, better protect consumers from future price spikes and potential market manipulation, and make the EU's industry clean and more competitive. * The EU has had an efficient, well-integrated electricity market for over twenty years, * The energy crisis spurred by Russia's invasion of Ukraine has underlined the need to quickly adapt the electricity market to better support the green transition and offer energy consumers, both households and businesses, widespread access to affordable renewable and non-fossil electricity. * To reach our energy and climate targets, the deployment of renewables will need to triple by the end of this decade. **Content** * The proposed reform foresees revisions to several pieces of EU legislation – notably the Electricity Regulation, the Electricity Directive, and the REMIT Regulation. 1) It introduces measures that incentivise longer term contracts with non-fossil power production * and bring more clean flexible solutions into the system to compete with gas, such as demand response and storage 2) the reform further aims to foster price stability by reducing the risk of supplier failure. * he proposal requires suppliers to manage their price risks at least to the extent of the volumes under fixed contracts, in order to be less exposed to price spikes and market volatility * It also obliges Member States to establish suppliers of last resort so that no consumer ends up without electricity. * 3) Theprotection of vulnerable consumers is also significantly enhanced. * Under the proposed reform, Member States will protect vulnerable consumers in arrears from being disconnected. * Also, it allows Member States to extend regulated retail prices to households and SMEs in case of a crisis. 4) Under the proposal, rules on sharing renewable energy are also being revamped. C * onsumers will be able to invest in wind or solar parks and sell excess rooftop solar electricity to neighbours, not just to their supplier. 5) To improve the flexibility of the power system, Member States will now be required to assess their needs, establish objectives to increase non-fossil flexibility, and will have the possibility to introduce new support schemes especially for demand response and storage. 6) t o enhance the competitiveness of EU industry and to reduce its exposure to volatile prices, the Comission is proposing to facilitate the deployment of more stable long-term contracts such as Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) * the reform obliges Member States to ensure the availability of market-based guarantees for PPAs. 7) In order to provide power producers with revenue stability and to shield industry from price volatility, all public support for new investments in infra-marginal and must-run renewable and non-fossil electricity generation will have to be in the form of two-way Contracts for Difference (CfDs), * while Member States are obliged to channel excess revenues to consumers. 8) In addition, the reform will boost liquidity of the markets for long term contracts that lock in future prices, so-called “forward contracts. **Benefit** * Will ensure that lower prices of REN are reflecte in actual electricity prices * it will give consumers a wide choice of contracts and clearer information before signing contracts for them to have the option to lock in secure, long-term prices to avoid excessive risks and volatility. * At the same time, they will still be able to choose to have dynamic pricing contracts to take advantage of price variability to use electricity when it is cheaper

Answer 54

**Overview** * Announced at a speech in Davos by President * EU answer to IRA * Works in tandem with REPowerEU and RRF * The Green Deal Industrial Plan enhances the competitiveness of Europe's net-zero industry and is accelerating the transition to climate neutrality. * It does so by creating a more supportive environment for scaling up the EU's manufacturing capacity for the net-zero technologies and products required to meet Europe's ambitious climate targets. **Stats** * Value of EU's net-zero start up ecosystem was EUR 100 billion in 2021, 2x since 2000 * More than 400 GW of wind and solar REN capacity in EU in 2022, 25% increase since 2020 * 4.5 million green jobs in EU economy in 2019, up from 3.2 million in 2000 * According to IEA, global market for key mass-manufactured cleantech will be EUR 650 billion in 2030, 3x current levels * EU funding: EUR 250 billion from RRF for green, InvestEU EUR 372 billion, EUR 40 billion under Innovation Fund * Productivity in green jobs in 20% higher than average * In July 2023, EIB announced record investments in clean tech: upport Green Deal Industrial Plan with €45 billion in additional financing, whcih is expected to mobilize over €150 billion in investment by 2027 ** 4Pillars of the Plan** 1) Predictable and simplified regulatory environment: This means creating a simpler, faster and more predictable framework, securing the volumes needed for raw materials, and ensuring users are able to benefit from the low costs of renewables. Includes CRM act, NZIA, Reform of electricity market design 2) Faster access to funding: the Commission consulted Member States and amended the Temporary State Aid Crisis and Transition Framework; and revised the General Block Exemption Regulation in light of the Green Deal * the Commission will also facilitate the use of existing EU funds for financing clean tech innovation, manufacturing and deployment, with a focus on REPowerEU, InvestEU and the Innovation Fund. * The Commission will also look to set up the European Sovereignty Fund, as a mid-term structural answer for the investment needs. 3) Enhancing necessary skills: To foster needed skills for making green transition happen, EC will: * propose to establish Net-Zero Industry Academies that will help roll out up-skilling and re-skilling programmes in strategic industries * consider how to combine a ‘Skills-first' approach, recognising actual skills, with existing approaches based on qualifications * look at how to facilitate access of third country nationals to EU labour markets in priority sectors * look at measures to foster and align public and private funding for skills development 4) Facilitate open and fair trade: To that end, the Commission will continue to develop the EU's network of Free Trade Agreements and other forms of cooperation with partners to support the green transition. It will also keep defending the Single Market from unfair trade practices. **Difference to the IRA** * the IRA is focused only on a manufacturing subsidy, while the Green Deal Industrial Plan aims to create a favourable regulatory and financial environment across the entire value chain of clean technologies – from manufacturing to demand.

Answer 55

**Overview** * The NZIA goal is to scale up manufacturing of clean technologies in the EU and make sure the Union is well-equipped for the clean-energy transition * The Act will strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of net-zero technologies manufacturing in the EU, and make our energy system more secure and sustainable * Part of Green Deal Industrial Plan **Goal and targets** * It will create better conditions to set up net-zero projects in Europe and attract investments, with the aim that the Union's overall strategic net-zero technologies manufacturing capacity approaches or reaches at least 40% of the Union's deployment needs by 2030. * The proposed legislation addresses technologies that will make a significant contribution to decarbonisation. These include (examples): solar photovoltaic and solar thermal, onshore wind and offshore renewable energy, batteries and storage, heat pumps and geothermal energy, electrolysers and fuel cells, biogas/biomethane, carbon capture, etc. * The Strategic Net Zero technologies identified in the Annex to the Regulation will receive particular support and are subject to the 40% domestic production benchmark. **Actions** The Net-Zero Industry Act is built on the following pillars: 1) *Setting enabling conditions:* improve conditions for investment in net-zero technologies by enhancing information, reducing the administrative burden to set up projects and simplifying permit-granting processes. * the Act proposes to give priority to Net-Zero Strategic Projects, that are deemed essential for reinforcing the resilience and competitiveness of the EU industry. They will be able to benefit from shorter permitting timelines and streamlined procedures. 2) *Accelerating CO2 capture*: zhe Act sets an EU objective to reach an annual 50Mt injection capacity in strategic CO2 storage sites in the EU by 2030. * This will remove a major barrier to developing CO2 capture and storage as an economically viable climate solution, in particular for hard to abate energy-intensive sectors 4) Facilitating access to markets: the Act requires public authorities to consider sustainability and resilience criteria for net-zero technologies in public procurement or auctions. 5) Enhancing skills: new measures for skills, including setting up Net-Zero Industry Academies, with the support and oversight by the Net-Zero Europe Platform. 6) Fostering innovation: the Act makes it possible for Member States to set up regulatory sandboxes to test innovative net-zero technologies and stimulate innovation 7) A Net-Zero Europe Platform will assist the Commission and Member States to coordinate action and exchange information, including around Net-Zero Industrial Partnerships.

Answer 56

**Overview** * EU demand for rare earth metals is expected to increase 6x by 2030 and 7x by 2050, for lithium, EU demand is expected to increase 12x by 2030 and 21x fold by 2050. * Today, Europe relies heavily on imports, often from a single third country, and recent crises have underlined EU strategic dependencies. * the Act will ensure that the EU can rely on strong, resilient, and sustainable value chains for critical raw materials. * The proposal for a Regulation will strengthen all stages of the European critical raw materials value chain, diversify the EU’s imports to reduce strategic dependencies, improve EU capacity to monitor and mitigate risks of disruptions to the supply of critical raw materials, and improve circularity and sustainability. **Actions** * In addition to an updated list of critical raw materials for the whole EU economy, it lists strategic raw materials, which are those most crucial for strategic technologies used for the green, digital, defence and space applications. * The Act sets these benchmarks along the strategic raw materials value chain and for the diversification of the EU supplies: 10% of annual EU consumptin for extraction, 40% for processing, 15% for recycling, no more than 6% from a single country * The Act will reduce the administrative burden, streamlining permitting procedures for critical raw materials projects in the EU while ensuring high social and environmental protection * In addition, selected strategic projects will benefit from support for access to finance and shorter permitting timeframes (24 months for extraction permits and 12 months for processing and recycling permits) * To ensure supply chain resilience, the Act creates critical raw materials supply chain monitoring and stress-testing, * EU countries will take measures to improve the collection of critical raw material-rich waste and ensure its recycling into secondary critical raw materials. EU countries and private operators will have to investigate the potential for recovery of critical raw materials from extractive waste. * Rules on recycling for permanent magnets * Measures to diversify supply of CRMs, including: using trade agreements, using Global Gateway, working with MS to set up export credit facility to de-risk investments abroad To ensure overall coordination, the act proposes a European Critical Raw Materials Board, composed of EU countries and the Commission to advise on and coordinate the implementation of the measures set out in the act and discuss the EU’s strategic partnerships with third countries.

Answer 57

**Overview** * With General Block exemption, the Commission can declare specific categories of State aid compatible with the Treaty if they fulfil certain conditions, thus exempting them from the requirement of prior notification and Commission approval. * Temporary Crisis Framework was adopted in 2022, and enabled Member States to support the economy in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine **Revison of General Block Exemption** * amendment grants Member States more flexibility to design and implement support measures in sectors that are key for the transition to climate neutrality and to a net-zero industry. This will support Green Deal Industrial Plan * Increase and streamline the possibilities for aid in the area of environmental protection and energy * Facilitate the implementation of certain projects involving beneficiaries in several Member States, such as Important Projects of Common European Interest (‘IPCEI') * Extend the possibilities for training and reskilling across sectors by exempting from notification training aid below €3 million; * Block exempt aid measures set up by Member States to regulate prices for energy * Introduce a very significant increase of notification thresholds for environmental aid as well as for Research, Development and Innovation (‘RDI') aid; * Prolongs the GBER until the end of 2026 **Revision of Temorary Crisis and Transition Frameowrk** * Prolongs the possibility for Member States to further support measures needed for the transition towards a net-zero industry. This concerns in particular schemes for accelerating the rollout of renewable energy and energy storage, and schemes for the decarbonisation of industrial production processes, now until 31 December 2025. * Introduces new measures, applicable until 31 December 2025, to further accelerate investments in key sectors for the transition towards a net-zero economy. New sectors are e.g. manufacturing of solar panels, heat-pumps, carbon capture, batteries, etc. * The remaining provisions of the Temporary Crisis Framework, more linked to the immediate crisis situation, remain applicable only until 31 December 2023.

Answer 58

**Overview** * Solar energy technologies convert sunlight into energy, either as electricity (photovoltaics and concentrated solar power) or in the form of heat, in the case of solar heat. * Solar is the source of energy that is growing at the highest pace in the EU. 5.7% of the EU’s total electricity production came from solar energy. Solar energy is cheap, clean, modular and flexible. The cost of solar power has decreased by 82% over the 2010-2020 decade, making it the most competitive source of electricity in many parts of the EU. * Different technologies used: Photovoltaics (standard form, uses photovoltaic effect), concentrated solar power (uses mirrors and heat to generate energy), Solar thermal technologies (used to generate heat for e.g. industry or water in houses) **EU solar energy strategy** As part of the REPowerEU plan, the Commission adopted in May 2022 an EU solar energy strategy, which identifies remaining barriers and challenges in the solar energy sector and outlines initiatives to overcome them and accelerate the deployment of solar technologies. * It aims to bring online over 320 GW of solar photovoltaic by 2025 and almost 600 GW by 2030. * Reaching this objective would deliver €60 billion of new GDP per year in Europe and the creation of more than 400,000 new jobs. * Launched 3 initiatives 1) European Solar Rooftops Initiative: aims to accelerate the vast and underutilised potential of rooftops to produce clean energy. It includes a proposal to gradually introduce an obligation to install solar energy in different types of buildings over the next years, starting with new public and commercial buildings, 2) EU large-scale skills partnership: Announced in the Solar Strategy, this partnership was launched in March 2023. It aims at addressing the skills gap in the EU and promotes the development of a skilled workforce in the renewable energy sector. 3) EU Solar PV Industry Alliance: Was launched in December 2022. The alliance is a forum for stakeholders in the sector focused on ensuring investment opportunities for European solar PVs and helping diversify the supply chains, retain more value in Europe and deliver efficient and sustainable PV products. 4) Photovoltaics

Answer 59

o Double renovation rates in the next 10 years; 35 million buildings by 2030 o New European Bauhaus ▪ Creative project aiming to combine sustainability with design o Recommendation on energy poverty o Revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive ▪ As of 2030, all new buildings must be zero-emission; upgrading worst-performing 15% of the EU building stock ▪ Clearer and more informative energy performance certificates; extension of EPCs (for rent, for sale, public) ▪ Building ‘renovation passports’ giving access to information and lower costs for consumers o Links to revised Energy Efficiency Directive (all public buildings should be subjected to renovation requirements) o Affordable Housing Initiative

Answer 60

o Increase Europe’s offshore wind capacity from 12 GW to at least 60 GW by 2030 and to 300 GW by 2050. o Link through Revised Trans-European Network in Energy (TEN-E) Regulation

Answer 61

* The main objective is to ensure the long-term viability of the sector through the sustainable exploitation of resources. * As a general rule, all registered EU fishing vessels have equal access to waters and resources throughout the Union. A number of temporary exceptions to this rule are in place but will expire by the end of 2032. * The maximum sustainable yield objective: To achieve sustainable exploitation, fish stocks need to be managed in accordance with the principle of maximum sustainable yield * Each year, the EU allocates fishing opportunities for most of its commercial species, expressed as total allowable catches. Fishing opportunities are allocated among the Member States in such a way as to ensure the relative stability of the fishing activities of each Member State for each stock concerned.

Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Climate, Environment Flashcards

Brainscape's Knowledge Genome^TM