Emma joined IEEP in May 2007. She has a degree in European Studies and French and spent nine months of her studies as an intern with a UK MEP in Brussels. After graduating she lived in Brussels for six years, firstly undertaking an internship in the Secretariat-General of the European Commission. She then worked for the Brussels representations of two UK regions (the East of England and London) on EU environment, transport, and energy policy, as well as coordinating their communications work. Emma works on waste, sustainable consumption and production, resource efficiency, marine litter and environmental taxation issues. She also edits the quarterly IEEP newsletter.
Following French president Emmanuel Macron’s decision to rethink a carbon tax on vehicle fuel in the face of widespread protests, Celine Charveriat and Emma Watkins consider what lessons policymakers should learn from the gilets jaunes affair.
In line with the theme of this year’s World Environment Day “Beat Plastic Pollution”, IEEP has produced a briefing under the iSQAPER project to shed light on the issue of plastic and microplastic pollution in soils, the sources and implications as well as policies to address the associated challenges.
The final report of an IEEP-led study for the Pacific Community entitled ‘Towards greener taxes and subsidies in Pacific Island Countries and Territories’.
Plastic packaging is often presented as part of the solution to food waste, but this conflicts with waste linked to single use plastics. New research examines the role packaging plays in the food system as well as how supply chains and policies might be applied to reduce waste overall.
Read IEEP's 3 key conclusions on the European Commission's much anticipated EU Plastics Strategy.