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Climate POWERSTATION COAL

Call for tougher ETS caps and carbon tax in UK

The EU's emissions trading scheme (ETS) is failing to deliver the investments needed for Europe to move to a low-carbon economy, an influential UK parliamentary committee said on Monday. It proposes radical interventions from the British government.

Chemicals

Industry resists tougher stance on intermediates

Industry and EU authorities clashed over the treatment of intermediates under the bloc’s chemicals policy at a meeting of an expert advisory group on REACH and classification, labelling and packaging (CARACAL) last week.

Energy, Waste & Resources

Concerns raised over counting rules for biofuels

Allowing biofuels from waste to count double compared to other biofuels in efforts to meet Europe's 2020 target for green transport fuels could cause indirect land use changes with serious environmental impacts, green transport group T&E has warned.

Energy

Norway signs up to North Sea offshore supergrid

Norway is to participate in a joint initiative between nine EU countries on developing an offshore energy grid in the North Sea region. The initiative's idea is to link up wind farms in the region to address problems such as intermittence.

Pollution & Nature

Netherlands given extra time on heavy nitrate use

The EU has agreed to to extend a Dutch derogation from the nitrates directive. Until 31 December 2013 some 25,000 farms will still be permitted to apply manure containing nitrogen above the directive's annual limit of 170kg per hectare.

General Policy

Commission disappoints on green growth strategy

The European Commission has shown little ambition to develop a truly green growth strategy in its consultation on a post-Lisbon strategy for 2020, several stakeholders have said. Ideas proposed lack substance, they say.