EU climate chief defends plans for ‘carbon farming’
2 years ago

EU climate chief defends plans for ‘carbon farming’

Associated Press  

BERLIN — The European Union’s top climate official on Wednesday dismissed criticism from environmental groups over its proposal to incorporate carbon removal methods into its climate plans, insisting the plan won’t undermine the bloc’s efforts to tackle global warming. Dozens of organizations issued a joint call Monday slamming the EU’s plans to certify so-called offsets — carbon absorbed through nature or with technological means — which could then be bought by polluters to reduce their emissions balance. The groups, including Friends of the Earth, Corporate Accountability and the Center for International Environmental Law, argue that subtracting carbon captured in this way from the 27-nation bloc’s emissions total amounts to “ greenwashing.” Frans Timmermans, vice-president of the EU’s executive Commission, insisted the plans for carbon removal certificates were consistent with the bloc’s legally binding climate targets. But he acknowledged that the EU won’t completely end its greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century, so having a way to credibly achieve a ‘ net zero ’ goal was important.

Carbon  defends  chief  removal  farming  emissions  wont  removals  carbon  climate  groups  way  eu  plans  blocs

History of this topic

The world is “miles short” of its target to limit climate change, UN reports
1 month, 3 weeks ago

The world is “miles short” of its target to limit climate change, UN reports

Salon  

For the world to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the 200 countries who signed the Paris climate agreement must hit a target of 43% reduction by 2030. Yet according to a recent report by the United Nations agency tasked with tackling global warming, the planet is currently on track to just hit a measly 2.6% reduction in carbon emissions. …

European carbon removal specialists to support new projects in India
5 months, 2 weeks ago

European carbon removal specialists to support new projects in India

The Hindu  

A team of European carbon removal specialists launched an initiative on Tuesday to help Indian businesses develop projects that suck carbon dioxide out the atmosphere and mitigate global warming. The Amsterdam-based group, called remove, has raised more than 220 million euros to support carbon dioxide removal projects throughout Europe, and will now accept applications from Indian start-ups. Indian projects are …

Countries’ carbon removal plans not enough for 1.5C warming limit, study warns
7 months, 3 weeks ago

Countries’ carbon removal plans not enough for 1.5C warming limit, study warns

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Scientists have taken the UN’s approach of assessing the “emissions gap” between national climate protection plans and what is …

EU set to move ahead with landmark climate plan despite farmer protests
9 months, 3 weeks ago

EU set to move ahead with landmark climate plan despite farmer protests

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The European Union is on the brink of approving a major plan to fight climate …

Some nations want to remove more pollution than they produce. That will take giving nature a boost
1 year ago

Some nations want to remove more pollution than they produce. That will take giving nature a boost

Associated Press  

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Why promise net zero emissions when you can go even lower, such as negative emissions? “It’s a huge challenge to become carbon neutral and then carbon negative and we are not yet there,” cautioned Kai Mykkänen, Finland’s environment minister, “but we are really targeting this.” For the rich Nordic country, the strategy is threefold. There …

How the UK’s net zero pledges compare to other decarbonising countries
1 year, 3 months ago

How the UK’s net zero pledges compare to other decarbonising countries

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. More than 70 countries including the UK, US, EU and China have targets to …

Carbon capture might finally work but taxpayers must not be burdened unnecessarily
1 year, 4 months ago

Carbon capture might finally work but taxpayers must not be burdened unnecessarily

The Telegraph  

The International Energy Agency has said carbon capture has so far “not lived up to its promise”, and questioned whether it will be able to play a major role in the transition to net zero by mid-century. The Climate Change Committee estimates carbon capture will be by far one of the most expensive green technologies by 2035. Getting carbon capture …

Climate talks chief, who also heads oil company, says world must ‘attack all emissions, everywhere’
1 year, 5 months ago

Climate talks chief, who also heads oil company, says world must ‘attack all emissions, everywhere’

Associated Press  

BERLIN — The head of this year’s United Nations climate talks called Thursday for governments and businesses to tackle global warming by reducing greenhouse gas emissions in all regions and sectors if they want to stop the planet from passing a key temperature limit agreed on more than seven years ago. “We need to attack all emissions, everywhere: one, two …

EU told to slash greenhouse gas emissions 90-95% by 2040
1 year, 6 months ago

EU told to slash greenhouse gas emissions 90-95% by 2040

India Today  

The European Union should commit to slash its net greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 95% by 2040, official advisers said on Thursday, as Brussels prepares a new goal to curb Europe's contribution to climate change. The European Commission is drafting what would be the EU's first legally binding emissions-cutting target for 2040, aimed at guiding the world's third-biggest …

EU plans strategy to scale up investment in capturing CO2 emissions
1 year, 6 months ago

EU plans strategy to scale up investment in capturing CO2 emissions

The Hindu  

The European Commission is working on plans to speed up investment in capturing and storing carbon dioxide emissions, it said on Friday, as the bloc prepares to slash its net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050. In a public consultation on the plans, the Commission said infrastructure to capture and store CO2 underground or use it in industries was …

Carbon removal industry challenges findings of skeptical UN body
1 year, 6 months ago

Carbon removal industry challenges findings of skeptical UN body

The Hindu  

Carbon removal industry representatives have challenged a document a United Nations scientific body released this week that casts doubt on the nascent technology's usefulness in efforts to limit global warming. It sent a letter dated May 25 to a UN-appointed advisory body taking issue with its assertion that carbon removal activities are “technologically and economically unproven” and “do not serve …

Government plans £1bn per year for carbon capture technology
1 year, 9 months ago

Government plans £1bn per year for carbon capture technology

The Independent  

The Government has announced a new plan to funnel around £1 billion a year into technology which can help capture carbon emissions before they are released into the atmosphere. The Chancellor will next week set out what he promises to be a “clean energy reset” with extra money for carbon capture and new promises on nuclear power. This plan will …

Study: Big gap in carbon removal effort key to climate goals
1 year, 11 months ago

Study: Big gap in carbon removal effort key to climate goals

Associated Press  

BERLIN — Researchers say efforts to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere aren’t being scaled up fast enough and can’t be relied on to meet crucial climate goals. Developing countries argue that their contribution to global carbon removal — mostly in the form of forests and land management — are equally important and deserve greater recognition. The study concludes that …

Carbon removal efforts not moving fast enough to reach climate goals, study shows
1 year, 11 months ago

Carbon removal efforts not moving fast enough to reach climate goals, study shows

LA Times  

Researchers say efforts to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere aren’t being scaled up fast enough and can’t be relied on to meet crucial climate goals. New carbon removal technologies include so-called direct air capture, in which carbon dioxide is sucked from the atmosphere and stored underground. Achieving “net zero” emissions by midcentury — a goal many countries are aiming …

EU reaches deal on major carbon market reform
2 years ago

EU reaches deal on major carbon market reform

The Hindu  

EU member States and parliamentarians on Sunday announced an agreement for a major reform to the bloc's carbon market, the central plank of its ambitions to reduce emissions and invest in climate-friendly technologies. The EU Emissions Trading System allows electricity producers and industries with high energy demands such as steel and cement to purchase "free allowances" to cover their carbon …

UK well off track to meet 2030s carbon-cutting goals, official figures project
2 years, 1 month ago

UK well off track to meet 2030s carbon-cutting goals, official figures project

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In the light of the new data, senior climate lawyer for environmental law charity Sam Hunter Jones said: “These …

G7 vows to end greenhouse emissions from 2035, could boost climate aid
2 years, 6 months ago

G7 vows to end greenhouse emissions from 2035, could boost climate aid

The Hindu  

Officials from the Group of Seven wealthy nations announced Friday that they will aim to largely end greenhouse gas emissions from their power sectors by 2035, making it highly unlikely that those countries will burn coal for electricity beyond that date. Financial aid for developing countries In a move aimed at ending the recurring conflict between rich and poor nations …

Carbon farming: Climate change fix or greenwashing?
2 years, 7 months ago

Carbon farming: Climate change fix or greenwashing?

The Hindu  

"Now society expects much more from farmers," reflects Belgian dairy farmer Kris Heirbaut. Two years ago, concerned with agriculture's damage to the environment, Heirbaut signed up to a "carbon farming" pilot project funded by the European Union that aims to improve agricultural soil health while tackling climate change. In a letter to the U.S. Congress last year, over 200 NGOs …

Report: Corporate climate pledges are weaker than they seem
2 years, 10 months ago

Report: Corporate climate pledges are weaker than they seem

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Many of the world’s largest companies are failing to take significant enough steps to meet their pledges to vastly reduce the impact of their greenhouse gas emissions in the decades ahead. Even companies that are doing relatively well exaggerate their actions.” Among the 25 companies the researchers studied, 24 relied too heavily on carbon offsets, which are …

Germany faces ‘gigantic’ task meeting energy, climate goals
2 years, 11 months ago

Germany faces ‘gigantic’ task meeting energy, climate goals

Associated Press  

BERLIN — Germany’s new climate minister said Tuesday that the country faces a “gigantic” task if it wants to achieve its goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions while ensuring sufficient energy for its energy-hungry industry. The government plans to phase out coal power “ideally” by 2030 as well, filling the gap with less polluting natural gas until enough renewable energy …

It’s Time to Delete Carbon From the Atmosphere. But How?
3 years, 1 month ago

It’s Time to Delete Carbon From the Atmosphere. But How?

Wired  

This week and next, government representatives are gathering in Glasgow for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP26, the latest of an increasingly frantic string of meetings as humanity runs out of time to drastically reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. But nations don’t agree on how we’ll get there: Staving off the worst of climate change will require cutting …

Can carbon capture facilities reverse climate change?
3 years, 1 month ago

Can carbon capture facilities reverse climate change?

Al Jazeera  

The world’s biggest such complex will capture 4,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas per year in boxes the size of shipping containers. But with plans under way for even larger “direct air capture” operations than the one in Iceland, proponents say this pioneering technology can help humanity to make the world carbon neutral and limit heating to the internationally agreed target …

Op-Ed: On the climate crisis, delay has become the new form of denial
3 years, 1 month ago

Op-Ed: On the climate crisis, delay has become the new form of denial

LA Times  

Whether it’s the apocalyptic wildfires that once again ravaged California and the West this summer, a heat dome over the Pacific Northwest that made parts of Canada feel like Phoenix on the Fourth of July or the devastating floods in my state of Pennsylvania after Hurricane Ida dumped months’ worth of rainfall in a few hours, it is clear that …

How trading CO2 could save the climate
3 years, 2 months ago

How trading CO2 could save the climate

BBC  

How trading CO2 could save the climate Getty Images A global carbon market would have potential to significantly lower the world's carbon emissions, proponents say For its proponents, a global carbon market could significantly reduce the world's carbon emissions. Governments say carbon credits, and a global carbon market where these credits can be bought and sold, can help them achieve …

Key airline group targets net-zero carbon emissions by 2050
3 years, 2 months ago

Key airline group targets net-zero carbon emissions by 2050

Associated Press  

GENEVA — The world’s largest association of airlines said Monday that it is aiming for the air transport industry to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050, while acknowledging it will be a “huge challenge.” The International Air Transport Association, which has key offices in Geneva, said its general meeting in Boston had agreed on the target, a commitment that …

US, China, India, Europe Need to Do Maximum to Reduce Greenhouse Emissions Without Waiting for Others: UN
3 years, 3 months ago

US, China, India, Europe Need to Do Maximum to Reduce Greenhouse Emissions Without Waiting for Others: UN

News 18  

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Monday asserted that both developing and developed nations must do their job to reach the goal of net zero emissions by 2050, expressing hope that countries such as the US, China, India, Europe will understand they need to do the maximum without waiting for what the others are doing. To limit temperature rise to …

Governments are ‘hiding behind’ tree-planting and unproven carbon removal instead of cutting fossil fuels
3 years, 4 months ago

Governments are ‘hiding behind’ tree-planting and unproven carbon removal instead of cutting fossil fuels

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Governments around the world are “hiding behind unreliable, unproven and unrealistic carbon removal schemes” and …

A fighting chance: EU to lower greenhouse emissions by 55%, target Net Zero by 2050
3 years, 5 months ago

A fighting chance: EU to lower greenhouse emissions by 55%, target Net Zero by 2050

India Today  

The 27 countries of the European Union have decided to give the entire world, comprising of 195 countries, a fighting chance to keep breathing in the days to come. On July 14, the EU announced a slew of sweeping legislation aimed at bringing down their combined greenhouse gas emissions by 55 per cent by the end of 2029. The President …

EU unveils tough climate rules, eyes tax on foreign firms
3 years, 5 months ago

EU unveils tough climate rules, eyes tax on foreign firms

Associated Press  

BRUSSELS — The European Union unveiled sweeping new legislation Wednesday to help meet its pledge to cut emissions of the gases that cause global warming by 55% over this decade, including a controversial plan to tax foreign companies for the pollution they cause. European Commission Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans said that by failing to act now, “we would fail our …

EU to unveil tough rules to combat climate change, including plan to tax foreign firms
3 years, 5 months ago

EU to unveil tough rules to combat climate change, including plan to tax foreign firms

Firstpost  

The proposals by the European Commission will cover everything from tougher caps on car pollution to new national limits on gases from buildings Brussels: The European Union on Wednesday is unveiling sweeping new legislation to help meet its pledge to cut emissions of the gases that cause global warming by 55 percent over this decade, including a controversial plan to …

European Union unveils tough climate proposal, including new taxes on foreign firms
3 years, 5 months ago

European Union unveils tough climate proposal, including new taxes on foreign firms

LA Times  

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, center, and other commission officials announce plans for new emissions rules at a news conference in Brussels on Wednesday. ”The principle is simple: emission of CO 2 must have a price, a price on CO 2 that incentivizes consumers, producers and innovators to choose the clean technologies, to go toward the clean and …

Climate change: European Union enshrines net zero and emissions targets into law
3 years, 5 months ago

Climate change: European Union enshrines net zero and emissions targets into law

CNN  

CNN — The European Council adopted a climate change law Monday that legally obliges its 27 nations to collectively slash greenhouse emissions by 55% by 2030 – from 1990 levels – and to become a net-zero-emissions economy by 2050. The European Union and several other nations increased pledges to cut greenhouse gases and reach carbon neutrality at a virtual climate …

To reach net-zero emissions and remove CO2 from the air, scientists drawn up six priorities
3 years, 6 months ago

To reach net-zero emissions and remove CO2 from the air, scientists drawn up six priorities

Firstpost  

Information on CO₂ removal is found in academic literature and focuses on a global scale but actually doing it will involve everyone from local farmers to international financiers. Done right, carbon removal could be the perfect accompaniment to emissions cuts, bringing the climate back into balance. Some experts worry that carbon removal could prove to be a mirage – particularly …

EU leaders set for spat over distribution of carbon-cut burden
3 years, 6 months ago

EU leaders set for spat over distribution of carbon-cut burden

Hindustan Times  

European Union leaders are poised for a wrangle over how to distribute the burden of the EU’s bolstered plan to stem climate change. Sharing the burden is likely to expose the divide between the richer western countries and poorer eastern members as the 27-nation EU seeks to reinforce its position as a global leader in reducing pollution. East-West divide Poland, …

Germany maps path to reaching ‘net zero’ emissions by 2045
3 years, 7 months ago

Germany maps path to reaching ‘net zero’ emissions by 2045

Associated Press  

BERLIN — The German government adopted an ambitious plan Wednesday to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions to ‘net zero’ by 2045, five years earlier and with deeper cuts than previously planned. The roadmap approved by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Cabinet sets out a number of measures for achieving the new target, including spending more to expand renewable energy sources and …

Economists want ‘drastic’ action to stop climate change: Survey
3 years, 8 months ago

Economists want ‘drastic’ action to stop climate change: Survey

Al Jazeera  

Two-thirds of respondents say economic benefits from net-zero emissions by 2050 would outweigh the cost of achieving it. A growing number of climate economists say the world should take “immediate and drastic action” to tackle climate change, according to a survey published Tuesday. For another question on reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, two-thirds said the costs of investing towards that …

Climate Change Tracker: Do net-zero emissions pledges actually work?
3 years, 9 months ago

Climate Change Tracker: Do net-zero emissions pledges actually work?

Live Mint  

If you follow the current state of global climate change decision-making, on phrase that you would have come across a lot is “net-zero”. From the UN Secretary General António Guterres to various governments, the narrative of net-zero emissions, a target set by individual countries to be achieved sometime around 2050, is clearly the dominant narrative in climate change mitigation discusses. …

Climate Change Tracker: Why 2021 is a crucial year to stop global warming
3 years, 9 months ago

Climate Change Tracker: Why 2021 is a crucial year to stop global warming

Live Mint  

2021 is already shaping up as an important year for climate change mitigation. Moreover, in the run-up to the crucial UN climate change summit in Glasgow in November, Western nations are also driving a change in policy vocabulary by labelling climate change a global security threat. While commentators have weighed in on both the pros and cons of this, 2021 …

Climate Change: How companies are using carbon offsets to chase net-zero emissions
3 years, 10 months ago

Climate Change: How companies are using carbon offsets to chase net-zero emissions

Live Mint  

As more companies commit to cutting their emissions to net zero, the offsets they purchase, to make up for carbon pollution they do not reduce themselves, could spur development of clean technologies like hydrogen fuel, market backers said this week. Carbon-offsetting projects have often focused on protecting forests—which absorb carbon dioxide from the air—or planting new trees, as companies flock …

Five years on, signs that Paris climate accord is working
4 years ago

Five years on, signs that Paris climate accord is working

Associated Press  

The forecast for global warming is looking a little less bleak in the long term, but not so rosy in the short term. On Saturday, exactly five years after the Paris climate agreement was struck, world leaders will gather virtually to both celebrate progress and chart the next steps. But Swedish teen environmentalist Greta Thunberg on Thursday blasted world leaders …

EU Agrees to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 55 percent by 2030
4 years ago

EU Agrees to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 55 percent by 2030

News 18  

EU leaders agreed on Friday after a long night of wrangling to set a more ambitious target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030. “Europe is the leader in the fight against climate change,” European Council president and summit host Charles Michel declared on Twitter. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said: “Europe will reduce emissions …

EU Environment Ministers Strike Deal on Climate Law, Leave Out 2030 Emissions-cutting Target
4 years, 2 months ago

EU Environment Ministers Strike Deal on Climate Law, Leave Out 2030 Emissions-cutting Target

News 18  

European Union environment ministers struck a deal on Friday to make the bloc’s 2050 net zero emissions target legally binding, but left a decision on a 2030 emissions-cutting target for leaders to discuss in December. It will fix in law the EU target to reach net zero emissions by 2050 and define the rules for reviewing progress towards climate targets. …

European Commission to propose more ambitious 2030 climate goal: Document
4 years, 3 months ago

European Commission to propose more ambitious 2030 climate goal: Document

India Today  

The European Commission will propose that the European Union sets a 2030 target of cutting its net greenhouse gas emissions by “at least 55%” against 1990 levels, according to an internal document seen by Reuters. Already well on the way to meeting its current climate target of a 40% cut by 2030, the EU wants to set a more ambitious …

Climate change: Eating plants, not meat, could remove 16 years' worth of CO2 emissions by 2050
4 years, 3 months ago

Climate change: Eating plants, not meat, could remove 16 years' worth of CO2 emissions by 2050

Daily Mail  

Switching from eating 'land-hungry' meat and dairy produce to foodstuffs like beans, lentils and nuts could remove 16 years' worth of CO2 emissions by 2050. Switching from eating 'land-hungry' meat and dairy produce to foodstuffs like beans, lentils and nuts, pictured, could remove 16 year's worth of CO2 emissions by 2050, expert said 'The greatest potential for forest regrowth, and …

Carbon capture systems must be developed in the UK if we are to have any hope of reaching net zero
4 years, 4 months ago

Carbon capture systems must be developed in the UK if we are to have any hope of reaching net zero

The Telegraph  

Stretching 81 miles out to sea from Scotland’s rugged north-east coast, the Goldeneye pipeline has helped bring vast amounts of gas back to the mainland for owner Shell during its 16 years of operation. The Acorn project is among several embryonic Carbon Capture and Storage projects being developed by Shell, Vitol, Drax and others in Yorkshire, Liverpool and elsewhere as …

Discover Related