How German business interests have shaped EU climate agenda

Climate organisations Oxfam, Friends of the Earth and Notre Affaire à Tous are suing the Eurozone's biggest bank BNP Paribas over oil and gas financing.

The EU Commission assessed northern Germany needs only two liquified natural gas terminals to replace Russian supply, memos show, but the Berlin government is eyeing 12 potential sites — vastly exceeding assessed needs.

MEPs called on the European Central Bank to explain how its monetary policies are affecting society, employment and climate policy.

European finance ministers sought to unblock talks over reforming the EU's debt and deficit rules.

The EU Commission published detailed rules defining hydrogen and when it can be counted as green, but experts slam reporting requirements on renewables as too weak, opening the door for increased fossil fuel burning.

"The main risk to this forecast is based on the geopolitical tensions, and the evolution of the war," EU commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said, adding that "this gives to the economy, investors, companies a high degree of uncertainty".

Europe is responding to US green subsidies by unleashing green subsidies of its own. But the focus on industry and great power rivalry has overshadowed what the EU Commission itself has repeatedly said is central to the green transformation: people.

MEPs agreed on a compromise text for the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive #EPBD, but divisions within parties blocked a more ambitious text, with some fearing cost overruns and protests.

EU leaders are set to discuss how to respond to the €343bn worth of US subsidies under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), amid worries of i impact on businesses.

The gas-boiler industry is pushing for hydrogen to be allowed to heat homes — but as well as being riskier for explosions and exacerbating asthma, experts dub domestic hydrogen 'a dangerous distraction'.

The EU must realise the need for a trade agreement with Mercosur. The timing has never been better. The recent election of the president of Brazil, Lula da Silva, marks a fresh start to move forward on the Mercosur Agreement.

The European Central Bank raised interest rates by another 0.5 percent to a 14-year high, and expects to hike rates by another half percent in March. But what does that mean for the green transition?

The European Union has proposed a plan to counteract the US green subsidy bonanza — but experts warn that without EU debt wealthy Germany and France will out-subsidise the rest.

The ministers worry that a resolution adopted by the European Parliament could give political momentum to demands to revise the protected status of wolves.