In one of its increasingly clandestine late-night meetings, the German parliament has neutered the Nature Protection Act and partially abolished previous species protection regulations — in order to accelerate the construction of wind farms. The power drunkenness of Germany’s grand coalition has no limits. Increasingly, unconstitutional and ragged laws are pushed through under cover of […]

Due to Brexit and other new commitments, the EU will soon be short of € 25 billion. As a new source of revenue, EU Budget Commissioner Günther Oettinger is proposing to introduce a EU-wide CO2 tax. Germany could be a beneficiary. As a result of Brexit and because of many new tasks the EU budget […]

Russia’s state-run gas monopoly Gazprom has warned that new U.S. sanctions on Russia pose a threat to Europe’s gas supply. Viktor Zubkov, chairman of the company’s board of directors and the Kremlin representative, was speaking in Vienna Wednesday, two days after the U.S. introduced new sanctions on Russia. Zubkov, who is close to Russian President […]

Europe’s drive to decarbonize its energy “poses long-term risks to the region’s regulated electricity and gas network operators” according to a new report from credit and risk company Moody’s Investors Service. And the study states that Europe’s continued transition to renewables, particularly wind and solar, is prompting new business models, developing technology and evolving regulation […]

BRUSSELS—European Union governments clashed Monday over joint efforts to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, highlighting the challenges facing the bloc as it vies to lead the global fight against climate change. Environment ministers from the EU’s 28 members struggled to bridge divides on legislation to cut emissions. Some pushed for carbon subsidies to help plug national shortcomings, while […]

WASHINGTON — The Energy Department is closing an office that works with other countries to develop clean energy technology, another sign of the Trump administration’s retreat on climate-related activities after its withdrawal from the Paris agreement this month. The 11 staff members of the Office of International Climate and Technology were told this month that […]

Angry Coalition MPs have warned Malcolm Turnbull against embracing a clean energy target that hits consumers with higher prices, in a revolt against a sweeping plan to shift the economy to wind and solar power. Malcolm Turnbull in question time yesterday. Picture: Kym Smith fierce reaction is aimed at forcing the Prime Minister to rule […]

The United States refused to sign up to the Group of Seven major industrialized economies’ statement on climate change and plans to fund sustainable development, a statement from the group’s environment ministers said on Monday. The U.S. said it did not sign up to statements by its G7 colleagues from Italy, Canada, Japan, France, Britain […]