The Green Brief: EU lessons from Germany’s carbon tax row

As of January 2021, German citizens have been paying an extra seven cents per litre of gasoline.

With the carbon tax debacle, the Greens have learned a harsh lesson.

The results of a survey by the Focus agency commissioned by the Slovak climate initiative show that imports of natural gas are preferred by 30% of Slovaks, while 60% of those surveyed prefer renewable energy-based production.

More than 86% of Slovenian voters overwhelmingly rejected a new waters act in a referendum on Sunday, with a turnout of nearly 46%, the highest for a referendum since 2007.

Austria’s ÖVP-Green coalition is currently “working flat out” on a new eco-tax-reform that will pave the way for taxing CO2, Finance Minister Gernot Blümel told a plenary session in parliament, announcing the government’s plan to introduce a CO2 tax that will take effect in 2022.

Report reveals intense lobbying ahead of Fit for 55 package.

But only 36% support the plan to reduce emissions by 55% by 2030 – the key stat that underpins the Fit for 55 climate legislation overhaul.

While in South Korea, he met with the South Korean Prime Minister and several ministers, while in Singapore, he met with the sustainability and environment minister and others.

“This year is crucial for international action on climate change, biodiversity protection and the circular economy.

German energy association BDEW had recently pointed out that the German ministry of energy had published overly optimistic forecasts of 2030 German electricity demands.

He attributed the miscalculation due to more electric vehicles set to be on German roads in 2030 than expected, from seven to ten million vehicles the experts now expect 14 million electric vehicles.

Join EURACTIV’s energy and environment journalists for a live discussion on the role of forestry and climate change in the EU.

Forest restoration and tree-planting – what impact for climate change mitigation? Join Humberto Delgado Rosa, Director Natural Capital at the European Commission, Jytte Guteland from the European Parliament, Sven Kallen, Founder and Secretary, Life Terra Foundation and more to discuss the impact forest restoration and tree-planting can have on climate change mitigation.

14 JULY: Fit for 55 package.

A press conference on 20 July will also see Slovenian environment minister, Andrej Vizjak, and EU Green Deal chief, Frans Timmermans, discuss the Fit for 55 package.

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