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The document details EU member state reactions to the proposed extension of the Emission Trading System (ETS) to road transport and buildings (RTB). While many delegations support the measure to meet the -55% emission target by 2030, significant concerns persist regarding socio-economic impacts on vulnerable groups, the sufficiency of the Social Climate Fund (SCF), and the timing of implementation. The briefing also notes discussions on the Effort Sharing Regulation, LULUCF targets, and CO2 standards for vehicles.

In 2021, EU-27 electricity demand nearly returned to 2019 levels, with renewables reaching a record 1068 TWh and accounting for 37% of production. A critical shift occurred in the second half of 2021 when soaring gas prices made fossil gas more expensive than coal, leading new renewable output to predominantly replace gas rather than coal. While wind and solar output hit record highs (547 TWh), overall power sector emissions fell by an average of 2.5% per year since 2019, which is less than half the 6% annual decline required to align with a 1.5C pathway. Nuclear power continued a long-term structural decline, accounting for 26% of production in 2021.

The EU ETS is a 'cap and trade' system covering power, industry, and aviation across the EU and several other European nations. While it has successfully reduced emissions in the power sector, the document argues that free allocation of permits has led to stagnant industrial emissions and significant windfall profits for companies. The guide details the role of the Market Stability Reserve in managing oversupply and discusses the proposed Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism as a potential replacement for carbon leakage protections.

The European Electricity Review 2022 identifies a 'paradigm shift' in the EU power sector where soaring gas prices in 2021 led new renewable energy to replace fossil gas instead of coal. While wind and solar reached record generation of 547 TWh in 2021, overall power sector emissions declined at less than half the rate required to meet 1.5°C targets. The report highlights that coal phase-outs are stalling in some regions, such as Poland, and that the structural decline of nuclear power is further slowing decarbonization by forcing renewables to replace lost nuclear capacity rather than fossil fuels.

Turkey's coal generation declined for the third consecutive year in 2021 due to high import costs, but overall carbon intensity of power has not significantly improved in 30 years. While non-hydro renewables doubled since 2017 and wind and solar reached a record 13.6% share of generation in 2021, a drought-induced decline in hydropower was largely offset by an increase in gas generation, which rose from 23% to 33% year-over-year.

In 2021, Turkey's non-hydro renewable generation overtook hydropower for the first time, with wind and solar reaching a record 44.6 TWh. While coal generation declined for three consecutive years between 2018 and 2021 due to high import costs, gas generation increased to compensate for drought-induced hydropower losses, pushing the fossil fuel share to 65% in 2021. Despite the growth in renewables, the increase in production (+58 TWh since 2011) failed to keep pace with the surge in power demand (+95 TWh), resulting in a carbon intensity of power that has not significantly improved in at least 30 years.

The report finds that most of the 21 analysed European power utilities are failing to align their strategies with IEA Net Zero benchmarks. Only 43% have coal phase-out plans aligned with the 2030 EU/OECD target, and 100% are expected to operate fossil gas plants in EU/OECD countries beyond 2035. While total wind and solar capacity is projected to quadruple by 2030, this falls short of the required six-fold growth, and only 10% of companies are on track to achieve that minimum. The report highlights a lack of transparency regarding fossil gas and warns against speculative 'hydrogen-ready' claims used to justify continued fossil fuel use.

The research analyzes external voting data from parliamentary and presidential elections for migrants from Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, and Romania living in 17 European host countries. It employs the Pedersen index to measure the discrepancy between diaspora and domestic voting results and uses V-dem Party database dimensions to assess ideological differences. The findings generally indicate that diaspora voters are more liberal, less populist, and more economically right-wing than domestic voters, though their voting trends often mirror the dynamics of their countries of origin. The report also notes that the size and influence of these voting blocs are increasing, with the Bulgarian diaspora having the highest relative impact on national election results.

The report analyzes the EU's Taxonomy Delegated Act of February 2nd, 2022, which classifies certain gas and nuclear energy activities as "transitional." Reclaim Finance argues that the criteria for gas-fired plants are too lenient, potentially leading to stranded assets and incompatibility with the 1.5C goal. It further contends that new nuclear reactors are unsuitable as transitional activities due to long construction times and unresolved long-term waste management costs.

The document analyzes the EU's trajectory toward a coal phase-out by 2030. While overall planned coal generation in the EU is expected to drop by 83% from 2015 to 2030, a small group of countries—Poland, Czechia, and Bulgaria—will remain the primary polluters, accounting for over 95% of the EU's planned coal electricity generation in 2030. The report highlights the disparity between these 'laggards' and the rest of the EU-27, noting that while most countries are aligning with 1.5C goals, Poland, Czechia, and Bulgaria have set phase-out dates far beyond 2030.

ClientEarth argues for the full alignment of EU air quality standards with the 2021 World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines through legally binding limit values. The document proposes strengthening the legislative framework by introducing an independent Scientific Advisory Board on Healthy Air, enhancing the requirements for air quality plans, and expanding monitoring to include Black Carbon and Ultrafine Particles. It further calls for explicit access to justice provisions, harmonised compensation for health damages, and the introduction of administrative penalties for public authorities that fail to comply with air quality standards.

The CEEAG guidelines, effective from January 2022, streamline public financial support for decarbonisation, renewables, and nature restoration while introducing new categories for clean mobility and coal phase-out. While they promote technology-neutral competitive tenders, the document highlights concerns regarding continued support for fossil gas, the lack of a clear definition for 'low-carbon hydrogen', and the limited ambition of energy efficiency commitments for energy-intensive users.

The briefing highlights a growing trade in natural gas liquids (NGLs), specifically ethane and propane, from US fracking basins to European petrochemical plants. It contends that because several European countries have banned fracking, the reliance on US imports creates a loophole where emissions are outsourced. The author urges the European Commission to ensure the EU Methane Regulation covers the entire supply chain and includes petrochemical feedstocks to avoid undermining emissions reductions and health policies.

The document examines the growth of the transatlantic trade in natural gas liquids (NGLs), specifically ethane and propane, from the US to Europe. It contends that this trade allows European plastics producers to bypass domestic fracking bans and climate regulations, effectively offshoring the high greenhouse gas emissions associated with extraction and transport. The author calls for the EU to expand its Methane Regulation, Emissions Trading System (ETS), and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to cover the full petrochemical supply chain and imports.

The document analyzes the projected decline of coal-fired power in the EU by 2030, noting that while most member states are rapidly transitioning, Poland, Czechia, and Bulgaria will account for over 95% of the EU's planned coal electricity production by that year. It emphasizes that Germany's commitment to exit coal by 2030 isolates these three countries, whose combined coal reduction (42% from 2015 to 2030) lags significantly behind the 99% reduction seen in the other 27 EU nations.

The report finds that while the EU is rapidly reducing coal use, with planned generation falling by 83% between 2015 and 2030, three countries—Poland, the Czech Republic, and Bulgaria—will account for over 95% of the EU's remaining coal electricity by 2030. Germany's decision to exit coal by 2030 has accelerated this trend, leaving these three 'laggards' with significantly slower phase-out rates compared to the rest of the EU.

The EU is rapidly phasing out coal, with planned electricity generation from coal expected to fall by 83% between 2015 and 2030. However, Poland, Czechia, and Bulgaria are transitioning much more slowly, and are projected to be responsible for over 95% of the EU's planned coal-generated electricity in 2030.

The report finds that while the EU is rapidly reducing coal power, with planned production falling by 83% between 2015 and 2030, three countries—Poland, the Czech Republic, and Bulgaria—will account for over 95% of the EU's planned coal electricity generation by 2030. Germany's commitment to exit coal by 2030 has further isolated these three nations, which are phasing out coal significantly slower than the rest of the EU-27.

The document outlines ClientEarth's perspective on four key climate priorities: phasing out coal, reducing urban air pollution through Clean Air Zones, mobilising climate finance for developing nations, and implementing a more ambitious legal framework to combat global deforestation.

The Three Seas Initiative (3SI) is criticized for prioritizing fossil gas infrastructure over renewable energy, which risks locking in emissions beyond 2050 and violating the EU's Climate Law. As of July 2021, fossil gas projects outnumber renewables in the 3SI database by more than two to one. Many of these gas projects are described as 'zombie projects'—outdated relics that have failed to attract financing or remain unutilized, such as the BRUA and Eastring pipelines. The document highlights that EU gas consumption must decline sharply to meet a 55% emissions reduction by 2030. While the 3SI Investment Fund (3SIIF) recently made its first energy investment in solar developer Enery Development, the briefing argues that significant political and financial shifts, including from the US, are needed to catalyze the region's renewable energy potential and align with the 'Fit for 55' package.