An end to gas cooking in Europe is in sight as homes switch to less polluting and more efficient electric hobs that will soon be price competitive in much of Europe, new research suggests.
Press release | Companies that make no changes to their usual practices but claim their products or operations are climate neutral by buying carbon offsetting credits are greenwashing – plain and simple. The European Union recently took the same stance with new rules on green claims and empowering consumers. A report from environmental NGO ECOS [1] reveals that a new international standard rubberstamps practices that are in contradiction to these laws and are not aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement [2].
Plans to fuel European homes with hydrogen suffered a further blow today as the first published lab tests reveal that leaks rise sharply when hydrogen is added to regular household fossil gas.
The European Parliament has voted to water down the proposed Soil Monitoring Law [1], undermining efforts to unlock the environmental and health benefits of soils for EU citizens. With the first dedicated EU law to address soil health, MEPs could have cleared the path for an ambitious text, but they planted weeds instead.
The European Parliament has endorsed a revised EU Construction Products Regulation (CPR) that shifts action to the implementation phase instead of introducing mandatory requirements right away. The agreed law takes some timid steps forward, but without the comprehensive measures that are needed it is a far cry from the jump-start on decarbonisation that progressive voices have been calling for.
The European Parliament has voted in favour of a strong Green Claims Directive, confirming its stance before negotiations on the final text – and the EU elections. In its current state, this law would introduce a game-changing legal framework to eliminate greenwashing. However, regrettably, it could already be too late for the file to be finalised before the elections.
On 12 March, the European Parliament will vote in plenary on the proposed Green Claims Directive, finalising their position on this important law. To make greenwashing a thing of the past, MEPs must adopt the ambitious report of their ENVI and IMCO Committee colleagues – without weakening or delaying it.
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.