Ecology

The annual COP (Conference of the Parties) is the highest decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the primary multilateral forum for international climate policy. Here, the 198 signatory states negotiate agreements and assess progress in addressing the climate crisis. We provide an overview of past conferences and the current COP.

The victory of Donald Trump in the 2024 US elections will undoubtedly have consequences in transatlantic relations, from foreign and security policy to green transition and competitiveness. We asked 3 questions on the consequences of Trump 2.0 for Europe to German Green MEP Sergey Lagodinsky, who is a member of the EP Delegation for relations with the United States.

Azerbaijan has strengthened its energy ties with the EU since 2022, ramping up gas deliveries and articulating ambitions to export renewable energy and green hydrogen to Europe in the future. However, the EU’s shrinking gas demand and Azerbaijan’s lack of a genuine decarbonization strategy cast uncertainty on the long-term prospects of this partnership.

Cross-continental energy networks are the backbone of Europe’s energy transition. With the accelerated roll-out of solar panels and wind turbines, policymakers and grid operators now feel the back pain from limited energy infrastructure capacities. How can the EU rehab our existing electricity grids and gas pipelines? Two new publications from the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union provide guidance.

Alongside other European powers, the UK is helping to supercharge Saudi Arabia’s attempt to hijack the global sustainability agenda.

As we approach the US presidential election, it's clear that its implications will extend far beyond American borders, resonating profoundly within Europe. This election represents a critical juncture for Europe’s political and economic landscape, especially concerning the future of Ukraine and the broader European security order.

To win hearts and minds, and to prevent green backlash, net-zero policies must translate into lower bills and better services for ‘ordinary’ households. An inclusive demand flexibility strategy is vital to this. 

Hungary's ambitious plan to reindustrialise hinges on bringing in hundreds of thousands of migrant workers. However, this strategy faces a significant hurdle: a society already grappling with deep-seated distrust, both among its citizens and towards the influx of foreign labour.

Tough decisions lie ahead for the UK government as it tries to decarbonise electricity generation by 2030. Several key decisions have been made but much remains unknown, particularly on reform of the electricity market and the detail of collaboration with the EU. Ros Taylor reports.

Explore the untold environmental and health risks of Hungary's rapidly growing battery industry. Our 2024 Climate Disinformation Fellow Péter Vigh uncovers government data that reveals the widespread presence of hazardous waste, raising serious concerns about the sustainability of an industry vital to the green transition. With battery production set to shape Hungary’s future, why are the dangers being kept in the dark?