Fit for 55

Central and Eastern Europe’s climate plans lack ambition, say environmental NGOs

The updated national energy and climate plans (NECPs) are due to be submitted on 30 June, and environmental NGOs are denouncing the lack of ambition on the part of Central and Eastern European countries (CEE) in their decarbonisation policies.

Carbon pricing: Economists question lump-sum payouts to households

While many economists have long advocated introducing a 'climate dividend' to avoid social tensions caused by carbon pricing, a group around Nobel-prize winner Joseph Stiglitz questioned this approach in a paper released on Monday (17 June) in Nature Climate Change.

Experts: France will not submit its national energy and climate plan to Brussels on time

The current political situation in France makes it almost impossible to send the EU Commission the French national energy-climate plan (NECP) by 30 June. 

Outgoing EU parliament transport chair Karima Delli talks trains, planes and automobiles

Set to bid farewell to the European Parliament after three successive terms, French Green MEP and chair of the Transport Committee Karima Delli told Euractiv that the biggest achievement of her time there is bringing transport high on the agenda.

France cuts emissions by 5.8% in 2023: Politicians celebrate, NGOs sceptical

Politicians have been quick to celebrate France's 5.8% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2023 from a year earlier, but environmental NGOs questioned whether the progress can be sustained without additional policy measures.

Departing from coal: Poland’s new energy roadmap

The election of a new government in Poland has enabled this Central European country to revive its ambitions in terms of energy transition and to meet European targets.

Next EU legislative term must reconcile climate and industry, says French think tank

Équilibre des énergies (EdEn), a French think tank, issued its recommendations for the next EU term of office (2024-2029). In exclusivity for Euractiv France, the group stresses the need for a European industrial strategy that is properly geared towards the climate and the economy, rather than a collection of targets.

The EU’s 2040 climate targets and strategy must prioritise farmers

The EU is already struggling to meet its 2030 climate and energy targets, so it needs to put farmers as well as the social and environmental benefits first in order to project itself forward to 2040, write Zsolt Lengyel and Erica Johnson.

EU targets for greener flights at risk amid lack of investment 

In a rare show of unity, environmental organisations and oil companies have both warned that the EU’s targets for green jet fuels are in danger of being missed as investment into the production of synthetic fuels is so far not materialising.

European Parliament wants fair, flexible approach to efficient buildings law

Building renovations, like those encouraged under the draft Energy Performance of Buildings directive, are key to improving people's well-being and reducing emissions, but they must be flexible and rolled out with social safeguards, writes Ciarán Cuffe.

EU reaches deal on exit schedule from climate-wrecking F-gases

Lawmakers in Brussels have agreed on the dates by which heat pumps and electrical equipment must ditch fluorinated gases and switch to more climate-friendly alternatives.

Berlin considers slashing electricity tax by 95% to boost heat pump uptake

Germany may slash electricity taxes to near-nothing amid flagging heat pump sales, a move backed by liberal and conservative politicians as well as the renewable energy lobby.

E-fuels for new combustion cars must be 100% climate neutral: EU Commission draft

E-fuels must be climate-neutral for new vehicles with combustion engines to be sold after 2035, according to a new draft regulation – which resolves an internal dispute within the EU Commission – seen by Euractiv.

Germany adopts watered-down fossil boiler ban for 2028

The German parliament adopted on Friday (8 September) a controversial ban on new fossil heaters starting from 2028 at the latest, following months of government infighting and an injunction by the country’s top court.

F-gas revision: far more than a climate victory for Europe

Swiftly banning fluorinated gases (F-gases) will not only significantly curb the EU's climate impact, but also reduce its dependence on critical raw materials, and result in substantial savings for EU households, especially in the transition to decarbonised heating, writes Davide Sabbadin.

EU deal on F-gases delayed by dispute on heat pumps, timeline

Negotiations on an EU law to crack down on planet-warming fluorinated gases have hit a snag, amid pressure from some EU countries and parts of industry to secure carve-outs for heat pumps.

Why Austria has yet to pass its 2023 boiler ban

Austria's heating law, which aimed to ban new fossil-fuel heaters from 2023, has been stuck in parliament for months as the government has yet to obtain the necessary backing from the centre-left SPÖ. 

Slovakia’s gap in heat pump subsidies could ‘lose a year’ of progress

Households in Slovakia postpone replacing their old fossil fuel boilers with greener heat pumps due to a six-month subsidy lag during a crucial period before the heating season, said Petra Čakovská of the Slovak consumer group SOS.

Boiler wars: German spat over fossil heating ban comes to Brussels

A proposed EU-wide ban on new fossil heating systems as of 2029 is hanging in the balance as a German spat over boilers spilld over into Brussels, presenting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with a tough choice. 

Four key hurdles for would-be owners of heat pumps in Europe

Consumers looking to switch to heat pumps today face challenges like complicated permits, dubious installers and a tax system that favours gas over electricity.

Key EU lawmaker: Europe ‘needs to stay ahead of the game’ on heat pump manufacturing

Natural refrigerants like propane are the way forward to replace climate-warming fluorinated gases in heat pumps, Green EU lawmaker Bas Eickhout argues in an interview with EURACTIV.

500,000 missing workers: Heat pump industry looks to attract more women

Heat pumps are slated to transform Europe’s heating sector, a process that has laid bare a skilled workers gap that industry and governments are aiming to fill by boosting female participation in the workforce.

Heat pumps: Gearing up for the boom years

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The heat pump industry is entering a transformative decade, with major producers jostling for market share, consumers angling for state support and EU governments aiming to nurture the bloc's nascent industry while meeting climate goals.