Green Deal

DEFINITION: A UK Government policy launched in 2012 to provide properties with loans for energy efficiency measures. The loans were repaid through energy bills and transfer with the property rather than those who took out the loan. High interest rates and charges of the scheme resulted in a lack of demand for the Green Deal, and the programme was scrapped by the Conservative Government in 2015.

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Pictured:  European Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen has maintained that she wants the Green Deal to be the "hallmark" of her tenure

EU leaders back 'green transition' in coronavirus recovery plan

While attention continues to focus on the urgent health aspects of the COVID-19 outbreak, EU leaders have called on the European Commission to start preparing "a comprehensive recovery plan" that integrates green and digital aspects.
Frans Timmermans, the Commission’s executive vice-president in charge of the Green Deal, will be in self-imposed quarantine until 20 March

Green Deal facing delays due to coronavirus, EU admits

The European Commission is having to re-order its priorities in the face of the coronavirus crisis, with "non-essential" initiatives like the biodiversity strategy and the farm-to-fork strategy likely to be delayed by several weeks.
CLG Europe is calling for clarity and direction on a plethora of low-carbon innovations

Corporate leaders want decarbonisation as central focus for Europe's Industrial Strategy

Business giants including Unilever, Interface, and Coca-Cola have called for the new European Industrial Strategy to focus heavily on decarbonisation in a way that sets out clear strategies for investment into low-carbon solutions and provides price incentives for new goods and services.
Green corporate investments made in 2019 will mitigate 2.4 gigatons of emissions over their lifetime - but a rapid upscaling is needed to meet net-zero by mid-century

CDP: Europe's biggest corporates must double green investments to reach net-zero

Some 880 of Europe's largest businesses collectively invested €124bn (£103.8bn) in low-carbon initiatives in 2019 - but this equates to just 12% of their capital expenditure, when 25% will be needed to meet the EU's 2050 net-zero target.
According to EU officials, the Commission is now working on preparing the ground for an ETS-extension proposal

EU starts to chart shipping's new green course

The shipping industry will soon have to pay for its environmental impact in the EU, as both the European Commission and Parliament are moving forward with plans to include vessels in the bloc's flagship carbon market. But there are choppy waters ahead.
The much-anticipated fund was unveiled on Tuesday 

EU unveils €100bn fund for 'just' low-carbon transition - which excludes nuclear

The EU's regional policy Commissioner Elisa Ferreira revealed on Tuesday (14 January) details of the €100 billion Just Transition Mechanism, a key financial component of the European Green Deal that should make the bloc climate neutral by 2050.
Pictured:  European Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen, who says she wants the Green Deal to be the "hallmark" of her tenure

EU 'confident' €100bn green transition fund will come to fruition

A draft €100bn "Just Transition Mechanism" outlined by the European Commission as part of its Green Deal last week will eventually see the light in January, EU officials have said. The amount of "fresh money" under the new fund is, however, expected to be limited.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the strategy at a special session at COP25

Europe's 'man on the moon moment': Green Deal to create world's first climate-neutral continent

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has unveiled 50 sweeping plans to enable the EU to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, claiming that the Green Deal was "more than just a vision, it is a roadmap for action".
The 2050 climate objective will be “the big highlight” of the Green Deal

Circular economy 'number one priority' of European Green Deal and net-zero ambitions

The circular economy, including new waste and recycling laws, will represent "half" of the EU's effort to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and will be erected as "the number one priority" of the upcoming European Green Deal, officials have said.
von der Leyen’s new Commission took office last week. Image: European Commission 

Green Deal branded 'hallmark' of new European Commission

"I want the European Green Deal to become Europe's hallmark," said European Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen, as she tasked her second-in-command with overseeing Europe's goal of achieving climate neutrality by mid-century.