11 mayors from region join EU-wide declaration on just transition to post-coal era
A group of 41 mayors from 10 coal regions in 9 European countries including 11 mayors from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, and Romania have signed a declaration supporting a just transition to the post-coal era. The signatory mayors also come from Germany, Slovakia, Poland, and the Czech Republic, while two are from non-EU […]
Solar’s vast potential in coal regions in Europe
Author: Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe Coal is on its way out, which is good news for efforts to avert a climate breakdown. However, local communities in coal regions need help in this energy transition, which is where solar power can step in, according to Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe, in an op-ed […]
Switching from coal, oil to natural gas accelerates climate change – study
Conversion from coal and oil to natural gas increases the greenhouse effect of energy consumption by around 40%, according to a new study released by German think-and-do-tank Energy Watch Group (EWG). The International Energy Agency (IEA) is “repeatedly playing down” the climate impact of natural gas, thus laying the foundation for national governments to continue […]
Top 3 in September: New fossil fuel subsidies planned in EU, Tesla, decarbonization
The world is taking strides to a point of no return on climate breakdown, yet no less than 5 EU member states are planning to introduce new fossil fuel subsidies by 2030. This story was number-one on our English-language Top 3 Most Read list for September. The Top 3 Most Read list for September is […]
Greece seeks to phase out coal by 2028, Ptolemaida V prospects unclear
Greece will adopt a new national energy and climate plan by the end of 2019 that will envisage the shutdown of all coal power plants in Greece by 2028, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said at the UN Climate Action Summit 2019. The plan will also call for expanding the share of renewables to 35% by […]
Just transition report looks into post-coal job prospects in Romania’s Jiu Valley
NGOs Greenpeace and Bankwatch Romania have launched a new report outlining scenarios for the just transition of Romania’s best-known coal region, Jiu Valley, highlighting job growth and economic development without coal is very much possible in the region. The report, Just transition in Hunedoara – Economic diversification in a fair and sustainable manner, outlining scenarios […]
Greece to start shutting down coal power plants
A business plan being drafted by the management of majority state-owned Public Power Corporation (PPC) includes a “sweeping divestment” of its coal power plants in Greece, Ekathimerini writes. The plan to start shutting down PPC’s coal-fired power plants, which is expected to be ready by mid-November, is meant to be factored into the structural changes […]
Plovdiv, Vidin municipalities sign projects to reduce air pollution from heating
Contracts have been signed on projects for Bulgaria’s municipalities of Plovdiv and Vidin to improve air quality by reducing fine particulate matter (PM10) emissions from solid fuel heating. The implementation of the projects to reduce air pollution from heating will contribute to air quality improvement for approximately 345,000 residents of the Plovdiv municipality and 52,000 […]