@lindakalcher.bsky.social
Working on industry, energy, climate and diplomacy at European and international level. #CleanIndustrialDeal - views my own German in Brussels, Executive Director -> www.strategicperspectives.eu
The #EUCO debate on 2040 will be the first major test for Chancellor Merzβs ambitions as EU leader. He was decisive to allow for leaders to provide "guidance". Now it's up to him and Macron to ensure that ministers can adopt the target afterwards.
My piece in @table.media table.media/en/europe/op...
At next weekβs Competitiveness Council, ministers can send a clear signal that competitiveness and climate neutrality go hand in hand if the right tools are in place.
More in the latest blog by @neilmakaroff.bsky.social and @tristan-beucler.bsky.social π
strategicperspectives.eu/competitiven...
This speech is a wake-up call for Europe.
#Trump claims to "love Europe" yet attacks the transition. What he really loves is to sell his oil and gas to Europeans. It's as simple as that.
Our decarbonisation efforts are working against his fossil fuel agenda. #UNGA
www.lemonde.fr/en/internati...
Thursday's Extraordinary Environment Council was significant, but not for its outcome. Neither the #NDC nor the 2040 #climate target got adopted.
It got me thinking of the rough road ahead.
Bottom line: EU still risks going empty handed to #COP30.
www.linkedin.com/posts/linda-...
This statement shouldnβt distract from the task at hand: getting the 2040 target and NDC adopted ahead of COP30.
Von der Leyen, Costa, Merz and Macron need to contain dynamics at #EUCO: leaders can debate political guidance but itβs for ministers to adopt the 2040 target and 2035 goal for the NDC.
It includes a couple of useful elements:
- the 66.25-72.5% range,
- clear quality criteria (1.5C, PA compatible with progression),
- and a commitment to submit 2040 and the NDC by #COP30.
And thus allows the EU to speak with one voice at the UN General Assembly next week.
Here is the statement of intent that EU Environment ministers have adopted as they were not able to agree the 2040 climate target today.
The EU missing the second UN deadline for the NDCs is embarrassing. The statement is a hard-fought consolation prize.
π§΅
data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document...
The EU will not submit its NDC ahead of the deadline next week.
"The statement of intent is a hard-fought consolation prize, but it allows the EU to speak with one voice at the General Assembly next week," commented @lindakalcher.bsky.social.
Full quote π
Ok... at least I jinxed the Council to end. Must be a turning point ;)
18.09.2025 17:13 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
Denmark now seriously risking to double-ruining my evening....
Extraordinary Environment Council still ongoing and Copenhagen ahead against Leverkusen.
Sigh
Macron has joined Poland, Italy and Hungary to stall the discussions on the EU's 2040 target.
"France is now putting itself in a dangerous position and running the risk of not reaching an ambitious agreement," commented our Director @neilmakaroff.bsky.social.
More π
www.politico.eu/article/emma...
The EU is set to miss the second NDC submission deadline next week.
Failure to have 2035 and 2040 targets ready before COP30 could weaken other countries' ambition, as they could use the EU as an excuse for their own inaction, said @lindakalcher.bsky.social.
More π
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
Fossil fuels waste 2/3 of their energy β 380 EJ lost as heat, worth $5T every year.
Electrotech flips the script:
1οΈβ£ 3x more efficient than fossil fuels
2οΈβ£ Taps the sun directly, with 100x more potential
Full slidedeck π http://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/the-electrotech-revolution
His suggestions for solutions how to be faster:
- joint debt for joint products by a group of countries that align
- fragmented investments no longer deliver,
- let's move beyond strategies and outdated plans,
- need to be held accountable for clear deadlines.
What a powerful speech, am impressed.
Inconsistently, he then asks for tech neutrality and adjustment of Co2 standards for #cars. How would that help against China?
At least he points out failures to make EV cheaper, produce batteries and chips, develop charging points. EU market too slow, innovation lacked and EU-made EVs too expensive
I would hope this speech is brought to #EUCO in October to make leaders face this reality cause let's be honest, this is not all down to the Commission to fix.
Leaders are currently not focusing enough on EU's industrial competitiveness, still high energy prices or how to boost innovation.
Refreshing that he doesn't mind talking about "decarbonisation" after the EC casually striped that word out of the "Industrial [Decarbonisation] Accelerator Act".
He voices the need for more pragmatism and flexibility, complementing the cutting of reporting guidelines.
He continues to question the EU-US trade deal and how the $750bn came into. However the conditions, he suggests we need to reorganise how we purchase #gas.
#LNG the EU is importing from US seems to be 60-90% more expensive than in US.
Collective EU purchasing could narrow this gap significantly.
He sets out a concrete list of problems on #energy, grids, infrastructure problems:
- Energy prices still higher in #US, unless this changes, competitiveness still at risk.
- Energy is as fundamental for AI as well,
- be faster on infrastructure, approved projects take 10 years to develop, too slow.
The list of shortcomings continues:
- Too often, excuses are found for our slowness.
- Inertia is presented as respect for rule of law, it's complacency.
He suggest:
- Acting together, not fragmenting efforts,
- Focus resources where they are needed most,
- Deliver results within months, not years.
#Draghi continues to highlight that one year on:
- EU's growth model fading,
- Still no clear path to find investments we need,
- Our dependencies and inaction threaten also our sovereignty.
If he was a school teacher, I wonder if he would make his pupil called EU repeat and redo the last year?
These are strong (stark, sobering) messages we hear:
- EU ability to respond limited by dependencies, even if our economic weight considerable.
- Reliance on US for security is quoted as reason to accept EU-US deal.
- Chinese overcapacity still at risk of flooding Europe.
- EU investment needs rise.
In terms of trade coorperation, she highlights the strong commitment by both Modi and her to finish a FTA this year.
Other priority countries are South Africa, Malaysia and UAE.
This can strengthen economic security at home
Prof #Draghi follows with a series of stark warnings:
- Europeβs dependencies theaten us,
- without growth, difficult to support ageing society or address #climate change.
One year on, it got worse:
- US tougher on trade,
- China became a stronger competitor, trade surplus up 20% in last year.
Curious that now she speaks about *all #fossilfuels again and doesn't limit it to Russian ones like in the SOTEU speech.
Then again, the $750 billion promised to the US keep on ringing in ones ears. How will that reduce imports or the bills of citizens or companies?
- focus on homegrown energy, mainly #renewables,
- EU managed to reduce its fossil fuel bill by β¬60bn last year,
- grids not well integrated yet and interconnections still missing.
....
Main focus by @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu:
- big challenge highlighted is AI,
- improvements in EU budget (#MFF) is on clean tech, R&D and AI to boost innovation,
- addressing internal market hurdles (w/out saying enforcement would help),
- lowering prices through reducing #fossilfuel imports....
And weβre off: one year after the #Draghi report.
Letβs hear what presumably has happened, and more importantly: what the Commission is really planning to boost #competitiveness of European industry in the race to the top on clean tech with #China. Lots of work still to be done.
We are happy to announce that Norbert GoriΓen has joined Strategic Perspectives as a Senior Fellow.
With more than two decades at the heart of German and European climate diplomacy, Norbert brings deep expertise and a unique network to our team.
Join us in welcoming him!
She mentioned the key #climate topics: 2040 target, keeping Green Deal and its targets and adaptation after the horrible fires still affecting Europe.
Then saying she will weaken the CO2 standards for cars lowers her credibility though. It is a gift to Chinese competitors and threatens many jobs.
