The Von der Leyen Commission: First reactions on its priorities
Martin Nesbit has taken a first look at how some of the nominated Commissioners stack up to Europe's environmental and sustainability needs
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Achieving sustainable transition requires major changes to Europe’s current governance system
Europe’s 2020 strategy and the 7th Environmental Action Plan were conceived before the SDGs, the Paris agreement and before some of the recent advances in scientific understanding of planetary boundaries, and of the scale of interconnected challenges to come. In light of the severity and urgency of risk identified by experts around the world, a new approach is now needed.
Science-policy solutions for a more sustainable Europe
Open letter after open letter, scientists are warning us that we are running out of time: the more we wait, the more likely it is that damage will become irreversible. The more we procrastinate, the more painful the decisions we'll have to make.
Thirty actions for a sustainable Europe 2030
The newly elected European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen has pledged a Green Deal for Europe in her first 100 days in office. Last year, we asked sustainability experts from all over Europe for policy recommendations. Here is what a Green Deal that's aligned with SDGs should look like.
Why Europe needs a more ambitious biodiversity agenda
Despite the alarming scale of biodiversity loss, the EU has not yet fully recognised the disastrous consequences that the scenario would have in the functioning of our ecosystems – not when it comes to political action, at least.
Environmental Governance in the EU Member States: status assessment
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.
IEEP held a session on marine protected areas at the 2019 Natural Capital Initiative Summit
IEEP organised a special session at the Natural Capital Initiative 2019 summit to discuss the socio-economic benefits that marine protected areas can provide to local communities, and the management and governance strategies required to realise them.
What role for the new European Parliament in closing the implementation gap?
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.
IEEP at the Monaco Blue Initiative 2019
IEEP’s Mia Pantzar attended the 10th edition of the Monaco Blue Initiative held in Monaco at the Oceanographic Museum on 24th and 25th March to discuss the next steps for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and ecosystem services in the blue economy.
Towards post-2020 regime for biodiversity: making EU trade deliver for conservation
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).
IEEP report on risks and opportunities of Brexit outcomes: “no deal” outcome poses the worst threats
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.
Commission’s Reflection Paper on a more sustainable Europe by 2030 – IEEP reaction & recommendations
IEEP welcomes the urgency of the Commission’s SDG reflection paper “Towards a sustainable Europe by 2030” and strongly supports the development of an overarching EU SDG strategy. To support further policy action, here is our ‘a-day-after’ analysis of the paper.
The Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration: some environmental implications
Two documents, central to Brexit and its aftermath, have been endorsed by the UK government and the European Council (for the EU27). In principle, one of these, the Agreement, will enter into force at the time of the UK’s departure from the EU. Taken together, they have potentially significant implications for the environment and environmental policy.
Environmental regulations: Far more than red tape
Leading up to IEEP's Think 2030 conference, experts express their views on Europe's most pressing sustainability issues in the Think 2030 blog series, Pathways to 2030.
The tenth edition of Pathways to 2030 features Nick Molho, Executive Director of the Aldersgate Group. The next European Commission must adopt a more positive stance on the value of regulations. Far from being a drag on the economy, well-designed environmental regulations can increase business investment in innovation and skills and drive competitiveness, he argues.
Brexit and the environment: Avoiding deregulatory pressures
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.
What could Brexit mean for the next 40 years of EU environmental policy?
IEEP Honorary Fellow, Nigel Haigh, delivers a speech on Brexit and environment the Environment Ireland Conference - Dublin on 4 October 2018.
Brexit negotiations: Equivalence, environmental standards and risks
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.
IEEP 2018 European Policy Calendar
Download the IEEP 2018 calendar to stay up to date with the most important dates for European and international environmental policy.
Policy outlook for the environment 2018: could momentum return?
In environmental terms there are at least two ways of looking at the prospects for 2018. Viewed through the rather sober lens of EU process, it has the look of a project completion and tidying up period with limited long term impetus to the last full year of the current European Parliament and Commission.
Building civil society capacity to support environmental tax reform
A newly published study for the European Commission by IEEP and partners investigates civil society’s role in improving the effectiveness of environmental taxes to reduce pollution and better manage natural resources.