The building industry is a massive consumer of global resources and a major contributor to climate change. Do we have the right tools to build truly green? Whether using sustainable building materials or pushing policy-makers to develop improved ‘Zero-Emissions Buildings’ criteria… It is time to make the construction sector sustainable, resilient and aligned with global climate neutrality goals.
Today is World Standards Day! In this issue, we take a deep dive into how technical specifications in standards can make or break the global transition towards sustainability. Cement, textiles, energy systems… Read on to explore where robust standards can make a difference for the planet.
Soaring electricity prices are driving up cement production costs. This is putting pressure on producers, who are calling for urgent public aid and threatening plant closures. Problems in the cement industry are not surprising. Cement production needs large amounts of energy. The billions of tonnes of cement we make every year are behind 8% of global CO2 emissions. Our main story this month explores how the 200-year-old recipe for cement can be adjusted to slash energy use.
Last week, MEPs rubber-stamped the Commission's plans to label nuclear and gas as green investments. In this issue, we give our reaction to the decision, which paves the way for massive state-sponsored greenwashing. Plus, do bioplastics truly have an environmental benefit?
‘Carbon neutral’, ‘Climate friendly’, ‘CO2 neutral’… sound familiar? In this issue, we focus on misleading climate claims as policymakers and standardisers are racing to introduce new rules to prevent greenwashing. Plus, we highlight the three main reasons why including nuclear as a sustainable investment in the EU Taxonomy is a mistake.
In this issue... we provide our assessment of the Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Working Plan 2022-2024... will the new F-Gas regulation curb the use of the worst greenhouse gases?... and why it's time to tackle microplastic pollution!
In this special issue, we give you a rundown on the package, which will extend the ecodesign approach to many new sectors. What will make or break the SPI? How can we slow down and close the textiles loop? And… is the EU set to give a free pass to construction products?
ECOS is co-funded by the European Commission and EFTA
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or EISMEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.