In the EU, public spending accounts for a large share of construction sector demand, with public contractors’ buying powers for construction activities accounting for 1,4% EU GDP. Yet, up until now, this potential goes largely unexploited, with a rather fragmented and ineffective approach across Member States. In this context, policies are however evolving at European […]
Post Type Archives: News & Events
Demand for electronics is booming – environmental NGOs call for EU action on e-waste
27 environmental NGOs call on the European Commission to rapidly overhaul the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive) [3]. Sustainability and circular economy must play a larger role in future legislation if we are to stay within our planet’s limits – the WEEE Directive offers a valuable opportunity to introduce sufficiency measures for […]
E-waste is going to waste – but a new international standard could change that
Managing this waste stream is essential as global e-waste generation will reach 74 million tonnes a year by 2030, nearly doubling since 2014. In 2022 alone, one-third of mobile phones worldwide became e-waste. The negative consequences of this unmitigated growth are enormous for both people and the planet. We need to make sure we recover, […]
Getting to know standards – World Standards Day 2023
Share our cartoons! The green line to standards Not everyone is aware of standards, but they affect all of us in our daily lives. Standards represent a set of agreed rules, which govern, for example, how products are made or measure their performance. As the only international environmental NGO working on standards, we ensure the […]
CALL FOR EXPERTS – Batteries
Batteries are a key component of the energy transition leading to a fully renewable energy system, but they need to have the smallest environmental footprint possible. Since 2018, ECOS has been working to ensure that policies and standards address a clean and circular battery value chain. Eligible experts will have in-depth technical and scientific knowledge […]
EU F-Gas Regulation: The beginning of the end for climate-damaging fluorinated gases
The EU has signalled to the fluorinated gas (F-gas) industry that its days are numbered. In an ambitious agreement reached today [1], the EU has reinforced its position as a global leader in the phase-out of F-gases, some of the most potent greenhouse gases, several hundred thousand times stronger than CO2. Highlights of today’s agreement […]
Briefing: Revised F-Gas Regulation poised to become a vehicle for change
What is at stake? The EU’s revision of its Regulation on Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases (F-Gas Regulation) offers a big opportunity to protect the climate by phasing out harmful F-gases in different sectors and applications. We want to see an ambitious agreement because the next opportunity may not arrive for years. Policymakers must make the most […]
Quarries are temporary, but their environmental impacts are forever: How ecodesign can help
An essential component of cement is limestone, which is heated at extreme temperatures to create clinker – cement’s key binding ingredient. Limestone is extracted from large, open pit mines called quarries. In Europe, it is estimated that there are 400 active limestone quarries. Quarries are temporary, but their environmental impacts are forever. Quarries are created […]
New EU carbon border tax to make biggest polluters pay – but not fast enough
What is CBAM? The goal of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is to reduce global emissions by preventing European industry from relocating their production to countries with weaker environmental policies, thus avoiding paying for their emissions. The new rules require importers of industrial goods to buy carbon certificates matching the price they would […]
