This month’s edition takes a look at projects being implemented by city and regions to create a more sustainable environment and implement European sustainability goals… Florence’s smart trams Even the oldest city centres require modern innovations to develop intelligent and sustainable mobility solutions. Florence, one of the oldest and grandest of all European city centres, has recently deployed three new smart trams on their streets. The smart tram project is part of the EU-funded ELASTIC project, developing new systems to provide real-time location information and hazard detection data. The trams have been fitted with various sensors and cameras to […]

  This month’s edition looks at Europe’s first driverless bus and carbon-neutral bus station, unveils the EU’s new instrument for public-private partnerships, the Commission’s intentions to set up rules for sustainable smartphones, and much more… Europe’s first driverless bus begins its route The EU Commission is looking to lead the way in promoting the commercialisation of autonomous vehicles and the necessary regulatory framework. There currently exists almost no regulatory background for autonomous vehicles, and there is a good reason for this. It has proved highly problematic to get autonomous vehicles on the ground in real-world situations. This is why the […]

  This month’s edition looks at the EU’s and UK’s approach to sustainable aviation, uncovers how the Finnish city Lahti became the EU Green Capital, assesses what the election of Armin Laschet as new CDU chairman means for Germany’s EU and climate policy, and much more…   A Greener Prague – to bee or not to bee Prague has become a leading light in the rollout of sustainable projects – particularly in the transport spheres. The city – on of nearly 30 to sign the European Circular Cities Declaration – is showing that to be innovative, you should never forget […]

This month’s edition looks at Portugal’s flagship green hydrogen project, Oslo’s and Rotterdam’s approach to electric construction and garbage collection, reveals the EU’s and UK’s new post-Brexit transport agenda, and much more…   Portugal’s Green Flamingo: how the green hydrogen project reflects the priorities of the Portuguese Council Presidency. “The world is moving ahead on the need to decarbonise and the need to commit to climate neutrality — so in that context, the importance of hydrogen increases on almost a daily basis,” said Frans Timmermans, the Commission’s Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal. Indeed, Hydrogen is in everyone’s ears […]

  This month’s edition reveals what is behind the EU’s new Right to Repair, looks at the return of the US Environmental Protection Agency and Brussels’ and Westminster’s busy 2021 transport agenda, and tells you all you need to know about the EU’s carbon scheme   The return of the Americans For those engaged in global sustainability regulations, one of the most profound effects of the US election will be the return of an ambitious and proactive US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the negotiating table. The US environmental regulators have been absent in recent years. However, with the confirmed […]

  This month’s episode looks at the European Commission’s busy 2021 work programme, explores the potential of chemical recycling, reveals the UK government’s strategy on reducing emissions from heavy duty vehicles, and much more.   Chemical recycling: fixing the plastics problem? When the EU Circular Economy Action Plan was published in Spring 2020, the Commission’s intentions to revolutionise the European waste policy according to the credo of “less waste, more value” alarmed the waste management sector. While the recycling industry strives to improve efficiency and increase recycling rates, a rise in the complexity and contamination of plastics increasingly complicates the […]

  This month’s episode looks at the EU’s new greenhouse gas target and what it implies for businesses, examines Brussels’ ambitions to curb packaging and packaging waste, and reveals what’s behind the Brexit term “level playing field”.   State of the European Union: What does Von der Leyen’s new greenhouse gas emissions reduction target mean for Europe’s energy, environment and transport sector? On 16 September, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered the much-anticipated 2020 State of the European Union (SOTEU) address. The presidential speech is one of the main events in Brussels’ calendar, setting out the Commission’s long-term […]

  This month we bring you news on sustainable mobility, the EU’s future (zero) waste policy, Brexit, the re-opening of Brussels and much more…   Norway: What can the e-mobility poster child teach the European Commission on sustainable mobility? The new EU Strategy for a Sustainable and Smart Mobility, which will be published in December 2020, seeks to streamline clean, connected and smart mobility across the EU. While European roads are still dominated by combustion engines, just outside the EU, Norway sits in the driving seat of the transition to e-mobility. What can Norway teach the Commission on sustainable mobility? […]

EU Parliament is back… And the Commission is nearly back too! With all the talk this week of parliaments being prorogued, you can rest assured that at least the European Parliament shall be open during September. After the long Summer Recess this will be a busy month – both legislatively and politically. The new and emboldened EU Parliamentary Committees will be scrutinising the proposed EU Commissioners under their remit in what will prove to be a feisty exchange and legislative portfolios will begin to be picked up again. What a Waste (Directive)! 2018 revised directive to be re-reviewed in 2020 […]

EU Transport Policy, Single Use Plastic Directive and Environment Policy Newsletter European Parliament Kicks off again! The European Parliament Committees were back in action this week to begin their policy work. With the membership and makeup of the committees all decided during the first Strasbourg session, this week gave us our first glimpse of how the new Environment (ENVI) and Transport (TRAN) Committees are likely to operate going forward. Needless to say, neither committee disappointed and we are set for loud, proud, and ambitious ENVI and TRAN committees over the next two years. Expect sweeping changes to EU Commission proposals […]