European environment and energy extravaganza! - November 14, 2008
This week has seen a flurry of European Environmental action, whether you noticed it or not.
On Wednesday, the European Environment Agency published a report titled “Maximising the environmental benefits of Europe’s bioenergy potential”. It is a lengthy tome, some of which has been read by reporters at the European Voice. Their story tells of a warning the report makes about using biofuels for transport fuel. Maybe they read it in a lot greater depth than me, but the report doesn’t appear to be more than mildly cautious, saying that in general: biofuels = good news.
Thursday was the day the European Commission offered up its second Strategic Energy Review package (Press release). This set of proposals will feed into the Strategic Energy Technology Plan to “promote clean energy technology, new measures to improve the energy consumption of consumer goods and proposals for new compulsory targets on renewable energy and greenhouse gas emissions.” This is due in 2009.
Amusingly, press reports about the package all say that different things are “key” to the future of energy in Europe. Greenbang says it’s offshore wind farms; World Nuclear News is sure it’s nuclear, but over at EurActiv, we’re told that fossil fuel imports will be central to the strategy. Confused? You will be.
Image: SEAWIFS views the global carbon cycle, NASA
