Euractiv Partner Content

Biomass is Europe’s largest source of renewable energy, currently accounting for almost 60% of our renewable energy mix and 11.5% of the EU’s final energy consumption. Sustainably sourced primary or woody biomass accounts for almost half of all biomass consumed in the EU, making it an essential feedstock for Europe’s energy security.

The European Parliament and European Commission have proposed to increase Europe’s renewable energy targets to 45% by 2030, meaning that the EU must approximately double its renewable energy output in less than 10 years. RePowerEU also seeks to move away from Russian-sourced energy, with an immediate focus on Europe building out domestic, renewable supply.

The revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) therefore comes at a critical time for the energy sector, with supply chains impacted by the fall-out of the war in Ukraine, and with consumers across Europe suffering from the economic implications of a contracting supply.

Just one week before RED III goes to a Plenary vote in Parliament, this Hybrid Conference, hosted by the World Bioenergy Association, supported by Bioenergy Europe and with EURACTIV as Media Partner, looked at the text of RED III, and the amendments proposed by the European Parliament. The event heard views from the forestry, policymaking, academic and analyst communities on the potential impacts RED III could have on the EU biomass- and hence renewable energy markets.

Schneider Electric, in partnership with EURACTIV, invites you to a panel discussion on how REPowerEU can further empower consumers, so that they could play a key role in transforming Europe energy system in the next seven years. The combination of energy efficiency, demand-side flexibility and electrification can radically transform Europe’s energy system from a bottom-up perspective. The Fit for 55 package has identified ways to accelerate energy efficiency and electrification of critical segments of the EU economy such as building, industry and transport. Solar panels, heat pumps and EV charging stations on one hand; energy efficiency targets, minimum energy performance standards, reform of the Emission Trading Schemes and renewable energy targets on the other hand. These are examples of technologies and policies which are being discussed at European Union level at this moment.

We have invited a few key decision-makers from the EU institutions, key policy analysts and Schneider Electric’s Europe CEO, Philippe Delorme, to discuss these policy proposals and to address some burning questions: Are the newly proposed objectives in RePowerEU too much or not enough? How can we create a systemic change that will create value while ensuring Europe’ sustainability and resilience? What are the loopholes in the European Commission proposal? Can we make it in such short timeframe? And above all, how could the EU develop a new policy framework that will put consumers in the driving seat of Europe’s energy transition journey ?

The event was held in hybrid format and lasted 1h15.

ORGANISED BY: Schneider Electric

MEDIA PARTNER: EURACTIV

Following the agreement by EU leaders to ban shipments of Russian oil, our next event on EU energy sanctions on Russia will look at Europe’s ability to meet both its deadlines for ending dependence on Russian fossil fuels, as well as its targets for emissions and renewables. The event will focus on the unprecedented opening that this moment offers to catalyse Europe’s transition to greater energy efficiency and the build-out of renewable technologies, but also the challenges to the green agenda posed by the unforeseen and abrupt decoupling from Russian energy sources.

The panel addressed the following main questions: What solutions does the green transition offer and what are the risks as member states rush to secure alternative sources of fuel? How can a fuel imports embargo go along with enhanced efforts to accelerate Europe’s energy transition and how to avoid the dangers of falling back onto outdated and unsustainable technologies and lock-in effects of new projects and infrastructures? What EU level measures will be needed to help the most exposed member-states to make the transition, and how to incentivise companies and households to shift their consumption patterns?

This is the second event in the series “Fueling the War”, which brings together experts from fields as diverse as energy, climate and social justice, and leading thinkers and civil society from Ukraine, the EU and Russia to examine the complexities of the energy crisis. You can watch the recording of the first discussion, “Fueling the War: Why Energy Sanctions Matter and How to Make Them Effective” on Open Society Foundations’ website.

Buildings everywhere need to decarbonise

In its bid to be climate-neutral by 2050, the EU is revising the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) to be more ambitious towards renovating the EU’s building stock, almost 75% of which is energy inefficient. The recent REPowerEU plan adds further emphasis on the need to cut our energy demand in light of the global energy market disruption. One of priorities of the EPBD proposal is to modernise buildings and their heating, cooling, and ventilation systems. The challenge is to design smart policies to ensure the 130 million people living in rural areas across Europe are not excluded from the green transition.

Liquid gases are a key part of the energy policy puzzle

Electrifying heating and cooling in buildings is possible for a large portion of the population, but it is not the silver bullet in the decarbonisation of buildings. Off-grid, vulnerable communities risk being excluded from viable heating solutions as the current proposal favours technologies that might be unsuitable, unaffordable or both.

Relisten to this virtual conference organised by Liquid Gas Europe in media partnership with EURACTIV to find out what can be done to improve the existing regulatory framework to help support the decarbonisation of the built environment that includes rural communities. Discussed questions included:
• What could be improved in the current EPBD proposal to better support decarbonisation of the built environment for all?
• What are the sustainable energy solutions that are better suited to rural communities?

ORGANISED BY: Liquid Gas Europe

MEDIA PARTNER: EURACTIV

The upcoming revision of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD) offers an opportunity for sustainable packaging solutions to advance the EU’s climate neutrality and circular economy objectives.

The panel discussion gave the opportunity to stakeholders from all spectrums to explore what the new rules should focus on in order to achieve the objectives of the European Green DeaI. It is essential to rely on evidence-based solutions at a time when the European Union is working to make its economy truly circular. This is why Ramboll presented its latest study which challenges the common perception that reusable tableware found in European quick-service restaurants for in-store consumption has lower environmental impacts than current paper-based packaging.

This event was organised by the European Paper Packaging Alliance (EPPA). EPPA represents food and foodservice packaging companies from across Europe. Their priority is to provide paper-based low carbon and health-safe products with a low environmental impact and improved recycling solutions to the European population. EPPA supports science-based EU policies that foster sustainable and efficient use of resources and recognises the major role that packaging, as essential infrastructure, can play in that common objective.

ORGANISED BY: European Paper Packaging Alliance (EPPA)

MEDIA PARTNER: EURACTIV

This event examined how RePowerEU plans could be implemented in ways that ensure a ‘win-win’ for both climate and biodiversity. It examined the role of science and data to achieve this and draw on some existing examples to explore how best practice in renewable energy siting could be strengthened and scaled up in Europe to help make RePowerEU a success. It also looked at how Europe could harness the global interest and momentum behind RePowerEU to develop and help roll out best practice on renewable energy siting around the world, as part of its climate and biodiversity leadership for implementing both the Paris Agreement and the new Global Biodiversity Framework which global leaders are aiming for at COP15 later this year.

ORGANISED BY: The Nature Conservancy

MEDIA PARTNER: EURACTIV

In this podcast created by Medicines for Europe, the presenter informally discusses a key topic related to off-patent medicines with two or more experts, focusing on generics, biosimilar and value added medicines.

The second episode of Conversations on EU Pharma will focus on equitable access to medicines for patients and how the path to timely access to treatment can be challenging.  

With a focus on Central and Eastern Europe and the consequences of the pandemic on healthcare systems, our host and honourable speakers exchange their views on thoughtful policy reforms to ensure equitable access to medicines for all patients across Europe.  

In this episode, our guests are Radu Costin Gănescu, President of COPAC (National Coalition of Organisations for Patients with Chronic Conditions of Romania) and Treasurer of the EPF Board (European Patients’ Forum) and Vera Pataki, Head of International Market Access, Egis and Chair of the CEE Network at Medicines for Europe.  

Our host is Adrian van den Hoven, Director General at Medicines for Europe.  

To learn more, consult our report “Removing access barriers in Central and Eastern Europe: How can we ensure equitable access to medicines for all European patients”?  

Thank you for listening to us.  

Please note that the episode was recorded before the Russia-Ukraine War, which is also impacting many Central and Eastern European countries.  

Digestive cancers are the leading cause of cancer-related death in Europe. Yet, strong evidence suggests that they are at least partly preventable. To that end, evidence-based primary prevention policies and screening offer the best chance of a contribution to beat digestive cancers and save lives.

In light of this, and the roll-out of the Europe's Beating Cancer Plan, the discussion cast light on the current challenges and policy opportunities in cancer prevention.  Participants of the discussion addressed:

- The current state of digestive cancers in Europe and the rationale for primary and secondary prevention
- Opportunities for digestive cancers prevention in Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan
- Existing challenges: knowledge gaps and unmet patient needs

The event is an annual meeting of the MEP Digestive Health Group(MEP DHG). The MEP DHG is a cross-party platform of Members of the European Parliament from different EU Member States, acting as the voice for digestive health in the European Parliament and prompting European action to reduce the burden of digestive diseases.

For the European Green Deal to succeed, the EU must foster sustainable economic systems and societal wellbeing across the planet. Positive system change is essential to avoid climate and environmental disaster, and the best chance of making it happen is through serious implementation of the European Green Deal (EGD) and the Sustainable Development Goals. But the EU cannot achieve sustainability on just one continent, given the web of interdependencies in the globalised economy. Decarbonisation and dematerialisation of wealthy economies will have profound effects in other regions, requiring Europe to reimagine most of its trade relationships and create more equal partnerships.

Current debates on EGD implementation hardly consider its global implications. A new report, International System Change Compass: The Global Implications of Achieving the European Green Deal, takes up that task. It unpacks the global interdependencies affected by EGD implementation; points to the collaborative efforts needed to foster sustainable economic systems, mitigate negative cross-border spill-overs, and maximize societal wellbeing; suggests how the EU could channel the investments that will be needed to help many countries on their paths to sustainability; and considers how the EU can maintain productive industry at home whilst enabling a just transition globally. At the heart of the report is the realisation that the success of the European transition is inseparably linked to the global transition.

The report sets out how a narrow focus on emissions reductions through incremental efficiency gains will lead to disaster. Such minor changes within the current economic system won’t solve the resource crisis; they won’t solve the biodiversity crisis; and they won’t address fundamental injustices across the world and within societies. Only a holistic approach toward system change that addresses the impact of Europe’s resource usage and overall consumption footprint can achieve the inclusive transition needed to save our planet and provide a fair future for us all.

At this launch event, the Open Society European Policy Institute, The Club of Rome and SYSTEMIQ presented the core findings and implications of their new report. An expert panel  then reacted to the report and discussed its consequences for European policy. 

This Stars4Media event concluded the implementation of Stars4Media Second Edition and launched Stars4Media NEWS.

The aim of the event was to raise awareness and gather nascent ideas about Stars4Media NEWS. This leveraged the existing Stars4Media community of media innovators, plus attracted other interested media leaders. It served a space for discussion, networking and brainstorming on the business transformation of news media.