The EU started it In the early 1990s, the European Economic Community—the predecessor of the European Union (EU)—spearheaded an initiative to promote international cooperation in the energy sector, particularly with post-Soviet States in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Out of this process the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) was born in 1994. Going much beyond international cooperation, the treaty allows foreign investors in the energy sector … Continuer de lire Should the European Union fix, leave or kill the Energy Charter Treaty? by Martin Dietrich Brauch

 I Introduction The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, proposed a European Green Deal. She also mentioned it in her speech delivered at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 25) in Madrid on 2 December 2019. The European Green Deal includes a proposal for the first European Climate Law, thereby enshrining the 2050 climate-neutrality target into law. The European Union appears as a ‘model … Continuer de lire The Paris Agreement and Japan by Yumiko Nakanishi

Au cours de l’été 2020, les Parties contractantes du Traité sur la Charte de l’énergie (TCE) ont commencé les négociations pour la modernisation du traité, dans le but de mettre à jour, clarifier, et moderniser un certain nombre de ses dispositions. Comme l’a souligné la Conférence sur la Charte de l’énergie dans sa déclaration de Rome de 2009, le TCE est censé refléter les nouveaux … Continuer de lire Un TCE modernisé, pourrait-il contribuer à la lutte contre le changement climatique? par Elena Cima

Even before Covid-19 wreaked havoc on the global economy, “sustainable finance” was a much-touted topic already. Beyond being a worldwide catchphrase, sustainable finance amounts to be one of the highest ranked objectives in the EU “green” agenda. Generally, by sustainable finance, green finance or ethical investing one broadly refers, in the financial sector, to incorporating environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors in the investment decision-making … Continuer de lire Sustainability in the EU Financial System between Classifications and Disclosures by Bianca Nalbandian