The growing awareness among governments of the central role of climate change in public policy has led a number of administrations to develop mechanisms for a better understanding of how the public finance system prioritises climate policy outcomes.
The European Commission has published a staff working document that reaffirms the institution's commitment to the 2030 Agenda in light of COVID-19. What needs to happen to translate this into reality?
A deal on the budget and recovery plan is welcome – but will it deliver the promised 30% for the climate? Senior Fellow Martin Nesbit draws some lessons from IEEP’s new report for the European Parliament on climate mainstreaming.
The European Commission has unveiled its much-anticipated Green Deal – the EU's "new growth strategy". IEEP has taken an early look at the content. Here are our first impressions.
EU leaders want phase 1 of Brexit over: but we need to make sure we set the right precedents for trade and environment. Martin Nesbit sounds a note of alarm.
Ahead of the New York Climate Summit, the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) and its partners are hosting a side event in New York on September 19-21. As one of the partners, IEEP drafted a background paper on climate justice in the build-up to the event.
IEEP's Martin Nesbit was interviewed for the latest episode of France24's Down to Earth programme looking at the impact of Brexit on the environmental regulation in the UK.
This report arises from the Commission’s Environmental Implementation Review process, a biennial assessment of Member State performance on implementation of EU environmental law and policy.
Last week's Council summit failed to reach consensus on climate neutrality. IEEP's Martin Nesbit reflects on the reasons and steps forward in our blog.
IEEP was an official partner of this year’s EU Green Week, with a session reflecting on the achievements of the outgoing Parliament and the priorities for the new one.
With the 2030 benchmark in the horizon, the EU needs to step up the contribution of its trade policy to biodiversity and sustainable development. IEEP identifies concrete opportunities how improving the integration of protected areas into EU trade agreements will help to support global biodiversity conservation as well as multiple sustainable development goals (SDGs).
A new IEEP paper for UK NGOs looks at the risks and opportunities for environmental policy of possible Brexit outcomes. Crashing out without a deal would pose significant risks, while the Withdrawal Agreement has valuable elements which mitigate some environmental downsides of Brexit.
The Brexit negotiations enter what should be the final stages at the end of 2018, with an outline agreement on the future relationship. A new IEEP paper sets out what is needed to avoid the risk of environmental standards being lowered for competitive advantage.
Although the EU has an aspirational goal of an 80-95% GHG emissions cut for 2050, compared to 1990 levels, currently planned measures and intermediate goals are not in-line even with the low end of this aim. Additionally, the EU would have to over perform if 1.5 degrees were the aim, as developing economies cannot realistically be expected to reduce emissions as quickly.
The future-focused rhetorical framing of the State of the Union speech is encouraging. It needs to be followed through by the Commission with a renewed emphasis on environmental sustainability.
Read IEEP Senior Fellow and Head of Climate and Environmental Governance Programme, Martin Nesbit's, analysis of the 2018 State of the European Union speech.
Today, the Commission starts putting some flesh on the bones of its plans for EU spending after 2020. Their communication earlier in May set out some broad principles, which we commented on here. Over the next week or so, they will be publishing detailed legislative proposals for the different programmes; and regional affairs Commissioner Corina Crețu set the ball rolling by announcing proposals for cohesion spending.
As the UK and EU negotiators focus on the future relationship, our briefing note looks at how environmental legislation could be treated, and in particular what counts as an “equivalent” commitment. Getting this right matters; both to avoid competitiveness disputes, and to deliver green goals.