Think Tank

As announced in the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030, on 22 June 2022 the European Commission tabled a proposal for a nature restoration regulation. The proposed regulation would set multiple binding restoration targets and obligations across a broad range of ecosystems, from forests and agricultural land to urban areas, rivers and marine habitats, complementing other existing legal instruments. Altogether, these nature restoration measures should cover at least 20 % of the EU's land and sea areas ...

EU lawmakers signed a regulation on ensuring a level playing field for sustainable air transport, otherwise referred to as the ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation, on 18 October 2023. It was published in the Official Journal on 31 October 2023 and will apply from 1 January 2024. However, Articles 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 will apply from 1 January 2025. The new regulation is a part of a legislative package to make the EU's climate, energy, land use, transport and taxation policies fit for reducing net greenhouse ...

To limit global temperature rise to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, as agreed in the Paris Agreement, all countries must cut their emissions, requiring substantial investment. Developed countries committed collectively to supporting developing countries in their climate mitigation and adaptation measures, with US$100 billion annually by 2020. However, the figure was not reached by 2020, nor is it deemed sufficient to cover the needs of developing countries. Beyond the level of financing ...

Since 2004, the European Union has established mode-specific regulations for passenger rights in air, rail, waterborne, and road transport. Despite progress, challenges persist, affecting the quality of service and creating barriers for seamless travel. These challenges include insufficient passenger information, difficulties in asserting rights, disparity in enforcement, consistency issues from one mode to another, the absence of legal provisions for multimodal travel, and a lack of protection against ...

In March 2023, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and United States (US) President Joe Biden announced their intention to conclude a critical minerals agreement, seeking to foster supply chains in raw materials needed in the production of electric vehicle batteries. The paradigm shift towards clean transport is driving a massive expansion in the market for electric vehicle markets, highlighting the importance of securing the mineral inputs used in their batteries. To that end, the US Congress ...