BIST
9106
USD/EUR
1,0791
Amerikan Doları
8,94235
Euro
36,1027
İngiliz Sterlini
42,2051
Japon Yeni
22,198
Rus Rublesi
8,2994
SA Riyali
7,1779
Altın
3,14337
Son Güncelleme: 29.03.2024 11:38
Site İstatiğimiz
Toplam: 50844658

Politics

Better raw material sourcing to reduce GHG emissions

According to a European Environment Agency (EEA) report, focusing on raw material extraction and processing, raw material consumers can use their purchasing power to influence suppliers to become more climate friendly. At European Union (EU) level, policy options such as including sourcing requirements in public procurement and provisions in trade agreements could help the EU cut emissions both within its territory and also contribute to global reductions.

The way we source and process raw materials for our economy matters for the environment, particularly when one looks at emissions of greenhouse gases. In the EU, non-energy and non-agricultural raw materials form a small part of all consumed natural resources. Nevertheless, their extraction and processing alone account for an estimated 18 % of the EU’s total consumption-based greenhouse gas emissions. According to the EEA report ‘Improving the climate impact of raw material sourcing’, better sourcing practices could potentially cut emissions by at least 10 %, and in many cases much more.

The EEA report assesses the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the extraction and processing of key raw materials consumed in Europe. The selected eight raw materials include copper, iron, gold, limestone and gypsum, bauxite and aluminium, timber, chemical and fertiliser minerals, and salt.

Examples of climate-friendly sourcing options include adopting a life cycle approach to allow better accounting and monitoring of climate-related impacts associated with raw material supply chains, promoting resource- and energy-efficient practices, promoting use of renewable energy sources during extraction and processing of raw materials, strengthening market demand for secondary raw materials and using international frameworks for increasing transparency and cooperation along the raw material supply chains.

According to the EEA report, end-users’ requirements for climate-friendly sourcing practices should also primarily focus on the raw material processing stage, which has greater potential for emission reductions than the extraction or trade stages. Encouraging the use of public procurement requirements and provisions in international trade agreements are among the ways to increase the effectiveness of climate-friendly sourcing measures globally, the report notes.

EU stays within air pollutant emission limits

The European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing ‘National Emission reduction Commitments (NEC) Directive reporting status 2021’, published yesterday, provides an annual update assessing European Union (EU) Member States’ progress in cutting air pollutant emissions. The briefing shows that while most Member States met their respective limits in 2019, further efforts are needed to achieve the reduction commitments set for the period 2020-29 and for 2030 and onwards.

Based on the latest national air pollutant inventories, all Member States respected their national emission ceilings for nitrogen oxides (NOX), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) and sulphur dioxide (SO2), while four Member States — Croatia, Czechia, Ireland and Spain — exceeded their limit for ammonia (NH3).

The lockdown measures implemented across Europe to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and the subsequent reduced economic activity in 2020 can be expected to have had an impact on emissions of some pollutants. The impact of the measures on emissions in 2020 will only become clear once national air pollutant inventories for 2020 are reported in mid-2022.

Looking forward, nine Member States have already achieved cuts in emissions set for the period 2020-2029 for all five key pollutants, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5). However, to reach the 2030 commitments, all Member States except Estonia need to reduce their NOX emissions, 22 Member States need to reduce NH3 emissions, and 18 Member States need to reduce NMVOCs emissions.

In terms of emissions of PM2.5, — the main pollutant driving premature death and disease from air pollution — EU emissions fell by 29 % from 2005 to 2019. Nevertheless, significant efforts are needed to achieve reduction commitments set for 2030 and onwards for this pollutant. In particular, three Member States — Czechia, Hungary and Romania — will need to reduce their emissions by more than 50 % and 10 Member States by more than 30 %.

Changes in the energy sector will be crucial for meeting the 2020-29 and 2030 reduction commitments for PM2.5, with a focus on reducing the use of biomass and coal in residential heating needed in certain Member States. Ammonia (NH3) — mainly emitted from the agriculture sector, in particular livestock management and the use of fertilisers — also contributes to the formation of PM2.5 in the atmosphere, with further action needed to reduce emissions of NH3 from the sector. Road transport is the principal source of NOX emissions.

Reporting under UNECE Air Convention

Along with the EEA briefing on the NEC Directive, the EEA has also published the report European Union emission inventory report 1990-2019, which looks at air pollutant emissions reported under the UNECE Air Convention. The report shows considerable reductions in the 1990-2019 emissions of five key pollutants: carbon monoxide (CO), NH3, NOX, NMVOCs, and sulphur oxides (SOX). SOX emissions have fallen by 92 % since 1990, as a result of switching from high to low sulphur fuels, the use of emission abatement technologies and increased energy efficiency in industry and in commercial and institutional buildings and households.

EU stays within air pollutant emission limits

The European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing ‘National Emission reduction Commitments (NEC) Directive reporting status 2021’, published yesterday, provides an annual update assessing European Union (EU) Member States’ progress in cutting air pollutant emissions. The briefing shows that while most Member States met their respective limits in 2019, further efforts are needed to achieve the reduction commitments set for the period 2020-29 and for 2030 and onwards.

Based on the latest national air pollutant inventories, all Member States respected their national emission ceilings for nitrogen oxides (NOX), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) and sulphur dioxide (SO2), while four Member States — Croatia, Czechia, Ireland and Spain — exceeded their limit for ammonia (NH3).

The lockdown measures implemented across Europe to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and the subsequent reduced economic activity in 2020 can be expected to have had an impact on emissions of some pollutants. The impact of the measures on emissions in 2020 will only become clear once national air pollutant inventories for 2020 are reported in mid-2022.

Looking forward, nine Member States have already achieved cuts in emissions set for the period 2020-2029 for all five key pollutants, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5). However, to reach the 2030 commitments, all Member States except Estonia need to reduce their NOX emissions, 22 Member States need to reduce NH3 emissions, and 18 Member States need to reduce NMVOCs emissions.

In terms of emissions of PM2.5, — the main pollutant driving premature death and disease from air pollution — EU emissions fell by 29 % from 2005 to 2019. Nevertheless, significant efforts are needed to achieve reduction commitments set for 2030 and onwards for this pollutant. In particular, three Member States — Czechia, Hungary and Romania — will need to reduce their emissions by more than 50 % and 10 Member States by more than 30 %.

Changes in the energy sector will be crucial for meeting the 2020-29 and 2030 reduction commitments for PM2.5, with a focus on reducing the use of biomass and coal in residential heating needed in certain Member States. Ammonia (NH3) — mainly emitted from the agriculture sector, in particular livestock management and the use of fertilisers — also contributes to the formation of PM2.5 in the atmosphere, with further action needed to reduce emissions of NH3 from the sector. Road transport is the principal source of NOX emissions.

Reporting under UNECE Air Convention

Along with the EEA briefing on the NEC Directive, the EEA has also published the report European Union emission inventory report 1990-2019, which looks at air pollutant emissions reported under the UNECE Air Convention. The report shows considerable reductions in the 1990-2019 emissions of five key pollutants: carbon monoxide (CO), NH3, NOX, NMVOCs, and sulphur oxides (SOX). SOX emissions have fallen by 92 % since 1990, as a result of switching from high to low sulphur fuels, the use of emission abatement technologies and increased energy efficiency in industry and in commercial and institutional buildings and households.

EU stays within air pollutant emission limits

The European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing ‘National Emission reduction Commitments (NEC) Directive reporting status 2021’, published yesterday, provides an annual update assessing European Union (EU) Member States’ progress in cutting air pollutant emissions. The briefing shows that while most Member States met their respective limits in 2019, further efforts are needed to achieve the reduction commitments set for the period 2020-29 and for 2030 and onwards.

Based on the latest national air pollutant inventories, all Member States respected their national emission ceilings for nitrogen oxides (NOX), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) and sulphur dioxide (SO2), while four Member States — Croatia, Czechia, Ireland and Spain — exceeded their limit for ammonia (NH3).

The lockdown measures implemented across Europe to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and the subsequent reduced economic activity in 2020 can be expected to have had an impact on emissions of some pollutants. The impact of the measures on emissions in 2020 will only become clear once national air pollutant inventories for 2020 are reported in mid-2022.

Looking forward, nine Member States have already achieved cuts in emissions set for the period 2020-2029 for all five key pollutants, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5). However, to reach the 2030 commitments, all Member States except Estonia need to reduce their NOX emissions, 22 Member States need to reduce NH3 emissions, and 18 Member States need to reduce NMVOCs emissions.

In terms of emissions of PM2.5, — the main pollutant driving premature death and disease from air pollution — EU emissions fell by 29 % from 2005 to 2019. Nevertheless, significant efforts are needed to achieve reduction commitments set for 2030 and onwards for this pollutant. In particular, three Member States — Czechia, Hungary and Romania — will need to reduce their emissions by more than 50 % and 10 Member States by more than 30 %.

Changes in the energy sector will be crucial for meeting the 2020-29 and 2030 reduction commitments for PM2.5, with a focus on reducing the use of biomass and coal in residential heating needed in certain Member States. Ammonia (NH3) — mainly emitted from the agriculture sector, in particular livestock management and the use of fertilisers — also contributes to the formation of PM2.5 in the atmosphere, with further action needed to reduce emissions of NH3 from the sector. Road transport is the principal source of NOX emissions.

Reporting under UNECE Air Convention

Along with the EEA briefing on the NEC Directive, the EEA has also published the report European Union emission inventory report 1990-2019, which looks at air pollutant emissions reported under the UNECE Air Convention. The report shows considerable reductions in the 1990-2019 emissions of five key pollutants: carbon monoxide (CO), NH3, NOX, NMVOCs, and sulphur oxides (SOX). SOX emissions have fallen by 92 % since 1990, as a result of switching from high to low sulphur fuels, the use of emission abatement technologies and increased energy efficiency in industry and in commercial and institutional buildings and households.

FEAD welcomes “Fit for 55” Package

In line with the EU Green Deal’s objectives, the waste management sector renews its commitment on climate and circular economy objectives, by stepping up its decisive contribution to a climate neutral economy.

FEAD notes that:

  • the increased effort to reduce emissions for the whole waste management sector will continue to be made under the Effort Sharing Regulation, which is a more appropriate tool for our sector compared to the EU ETS.
  • as investments to allow the industry to transition (i.e. through the uptake of low-carbon technologies) are needed, project-financing under the increased resources of the Innovation Fund is welcomed, and should be readily available to finance projects all along the waste value chain, including, inter alia, the potential implementation of CCS/CCU for waste-to-energy installations.
  • biomass derived from waste and related products play an important role in providing sustainable solutions to our economies, by allowing to use the energy potential from biodegradable residues. For this reason, we believe that the taxation of biomass-derived fuels under the proposal for revision of the Energy Taxation Directive should fully reflect their carbon neutrality, to acknowledge they key role they play in transitioning and not penalise their development.

In this regard, FEAD President, Peter Kurth stressed that: “The waste management sector plays a pivotal role in achieving the EU’s climate goals. For this reason, the set of proposals under the “fit for 55 package” is a major and ambitious step forward. To ensure the peculiarity of the waste management sector in Europe is fully recognised, the transition in waste management should be critically supported by public funding all along the waste management chain.

FEAD renews its commitment as an active partner in the upcoming discussions in the different legislative processes.

FEAD welcomes “Fit for 55” Package

In line with the EU Green Deal’s objectives, the waste management sector renews its commitment on climate and circular economy objectives, by stepping up its decisive contribution to a climate neutral economy.

FEAD notes that:

  • the increased effort to reduce emissions for the whole waste management sector will continue to be made under the Effort Sharing Regulation, which is a more appropriate tool for our sector compared to the EU ETS.
  • as investments to allow the industry to transition (i.e. through the uptake of low-carbon technologies) are needed, project-financing under the increased resources of the Innovation Fund is welcomed, and should be readily available to finance projects all along the waste value chain, including, inter alia, the potential implementation of CCS/CCU for waste-to-energy installations.
  • biomass derived from waste and related products play an important role in providing sustainable solutions to our economies, by allowing to use the energy potential from biodegradable residues. For this reason, we believe that the taxation of biomass-derived fuels under the proposal for revision of the Energy Taxation Directive should fully reflect their carbon neutrality, to acknowledge they key role they play in transitioning and not penalise their development.

In this regard, FEAD President, Peter Kurth stressed that: “The waste management sector plays a pivotal role in achieving the EU’s climate goals. For this reason, the set of proposals under the “fit for 55 package” is a major and ambitious step forward. To ensure the peculiarity of the waste management sector in Europe is fully recognised, the transition in waste management should be critically supported by public funding all along the waste management chain.

FEAD renews its commitment as an active partner in the upcoming discussions in the different legislative processes.

FEAD welcomes “Fit for 55” Package

In line with the EU Green Deal’s objectives, the waste management sector renews its commitment on climate and circular economy objectives, by stepping up its decisive contribution to a climate neutral economy.

FEAD notes that:

  • the increased effort to reduce emissions for the whole waste management sector will continue to be made under the Effort Sharing Regulation, which is a more appropriate tool for our sector compared to the EU ETS.
  • as investments to allow the industry to transition (i.e. through the uptake of low-carbon technologies) are needed, project-financing under the increased resources of the Innovation Fund is welcomed, and should be readily available to finance projects all along the waste value chain, including, inter alia, the potential implementation of CCS/CCU for waste-to-energy installations.
  • biomass derived from waste and related products play an important role in providing sustainable solutions to our economies, by allowing to use the energy potential from biodegradable residues. For this reason, we believe that the taxation of biomass-derived fuels under the proposal for revision of the Energy Taxation Directive should fully reflect their carbon neutrality, to acknowledge they key role they play in transitioning and not penalise their development.

In this regard, FEAD President, Peter Kurth stressed that: “The waste management sector plays a pivotal role in achieving the EU’s climate goals. For this reason, the set of proposals under the “fit for 55 package” is a major and ambitious step forward. To ensure the peculiarity of the waste management sector in Europe is fully recognised, the transition in waste management should be critically supported by public funding all along the waste management chain.

FEAD renews its commitment as an active partner in the upcoming discussions in the different legislative processes.

FEAD welcomes “Fit for 55” Package

In line with the EU Green Deal’s objectives, the waste management sector renews its commitment on climate and circular economy objectives, by stepping up its decisive contribution to a climate neutral economy.

FEAD notes that:

  • the increased effort to reduce emissions for the whole waste management sector will continue to be made under the Effort Sharing Regulation, which is a more appropriate tool for our sector compared to the EU ETS.
  • as investments to allow the industry to transition (i.e. through the uptake of low-carbon technologies) are needed, project-financing under the increased resources of the Innovation Fund is welcomed, and should be readily available to finance projects all along the waste value chain, including, inter alia, the potential implementation of CCS/CCU for waste-to-energy installations.
  • biomass derived from waste and related products play an important role in providing sustainable solutions to our economies, by allowing to use the energy potential from biodegradable residues. For this reason, we believe that the taxation of biomass-derived fuels under the proposal for revision of the Energy Taxation Directive should fully reflect their carbon neutrality, to acknowledge they key role they play in transitioning and not penalise their development.

In this regard, FEAD President, Peter Kurth stressed that: “The waste management sector plays a pivotal role in achieving the EU’s climate goals. For this reason, the set of proposals under the “fit for 55 package” is a major and ambitious step forward. To ensure the peculiarity of the waste management sector in Europe is fully recognised, the transition in waste management should be critically supported by public funding all along the waste management chain.

FEAD renews its commitment as an active partner in the upcoming discussions in the different legislative processes.

Ambitious Climate Agenda is key to Circular Economy

The substitution of extracted raw materials with Raw Materials from Recycling (RMR) saves massive amounts of GHG and energy, on top of being intrinsically resource efficient, and thus has a key role to play in supporting energy intensive industries to decarbonise and become more circular.

Using recycled steel, copper, or aluminium scrap saves respectively 58%, 65%, and 92% of CO2 when compared with extracted raw materials[1]. To exemplify the magnitude of these savings, in 2018, the use of 93.8 million tonnes of recycled scrap in steelmaking enabled the saving of 157 million tonnes of CO2. This is equivalent to the emissions released by the automobile traffic in France, Great Britain and Belgium all together.

For Ms. Cinzia Vezzosi, President of EuRIC, “Climate policy and the circular economy goes hand-in-hand. Recyclers expect from the implementation of the Fit for 55 Package a high-level of ambition linked to the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to support investments in climate neutral and circular industrial value chains. With only 12% of raw materials used by Europe’s industry coming from recycling[2], strong incentives such as mandatory recycled content or a better framed EU ETS are urgently needed to increase the demand for circular materials usage and send strong signals to the market”, she stressed.

Last but not least, it is equally essential to ensure that the right framework is in place to accelerate the transition towards a circular and climate-neutral economy, while protecting the competitiveness of Europe’s energy intensive industries. In that respect, reciprocity is important to meet the EU’s circular and climate objectives. “European recyclers call for the CBAM to adequately price the carbon footprint of imported semi-finished metal products, but also to level the playing field for raw materials (be them mined or recycled), which are sourced from non-European countries often under environmentally and socially poor conditions”, she added.

EuRIC looks forward to work with the European Parliament and the Council to support an ambitious implementation of the Fit for 55 Package.

Ambitious Climate Agenda is key to Circular Economy

The substitution of extracted raw materials with Raw Materials from Recycling (RMR) saves massive amounts of GHG and energy, on top of being intrinsically resource efficient, and thus has a key role to play in supporting energy intensive industries to decarbonise and become more circular.

Using recycled steel, copper, or aluminium scrap saves respectively 58%, 65%, and 92% of CO2 when compared with extracted raw materials[1]. To exemplify the magnitude of these savings, in 2018, the use of 93.8 million tonnes of recycled scrap in steelmaking enabled the saving of 157 million tonnes of CO2. This is equivalent to the emissions released by the automobile traffic in France, Great Britain and Belgium all together.

For Ms. Cinzia Vezzosi, President of EuRIC, “Climate policy and the circular economy goes hand-in-hand. Recyclers expect from the implementation of the Fit for 55 Package a high-level of ambition linked to the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to support investments in climate neutral and circular industrial value chains. With only 12% of raw materials used by Europe’s industry coming from recycling[2], strong incentives such as mandatory recycled content or a better framed EU ETS are urgently needed to increase the demand for circular materials usage and send strong signals to the market”, she stressed.

Last but not least, it is equally essential to ensure that the right framework is in place to accelerate the transition towards a circular and climate-neutral economy, while protecting the competitiveness of Europe’s energy intensive industries. In that respect, reciprocity is important to meet the EU’s circular and climate objectives. “European recyclers call for the CBAM to adequately price the carbon footprint of imported semi-finished metal products, but also to level the playing field for raw materials (be them mined or recycled), which are sourced from non-European countries often under environmentally and socially poor conditions”, she added.

EuRIC looks forward to work with the European Parliament and the Council to support an ambitious implementation of the Fit for 55 Package.