Environmental Investigation Agency

Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) feedback on European Climate Law – Achieving Climate Neutrality by 2050 Across the world, ecosystems and communities are experiencing unprecedented pressure from climate breakdown. The challenges future generations will face are compounded each day we continue to emit unwanted greenhouse gases.

The proposed exclusion of second-hand or used products from the EUDR scope must be clarified and defined to avoid EUDR circumvention. While it is reasonable to exempt products already placed on the market, the delegated act lacks clear definitions and proof requirements for identifying such products.

The EU F-Gas Regulation is a landmark piece of European Union (EU) climate legislation for reducing emissions of fluorinated gases (F-gases) such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), European Environmental Bureau (EEB), ECOS, CAN-Europe, Climate Advisers Network, 2 Celsius, ECODES, Deutsche Umwelthilfe, Legambiente and ZERO) welcome the Commission…

The F-Gas Regulation is a landmark piece of European Union (EU) climate legislation aimed at reducing fluorinated gases such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). In the years since its adoption, however, it has become clear that it requires significant improvements to improve compliance and enforcement and safeguard our climate system, including by: -- accelerating the HFC phase-down…

Introduction. The toxicity elicited on fauna and flora by microplastics ranges from feeding disruption to reproductive performance, physical ingestion, disturbances in energy metabolism, and physiological changes. Microplastics have also been identified as vectors for disease, invasive species, and antibiotic resistance, representing a risk to global food security and a direct threat to planetary boundaries.

The Rethink Plastic alliance welcomes the proposal made by the European Commission to revise Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006 on Shipments of Waste of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2006, also referred to as the Waste Shipment Regulation (WSR).

The upcoming revision of the Waste Shipment Regulation comes at a critical moment and on the heels of significant changes to the EU and international policy landscape on the circular economy and plastic waste. As the Commission is well aware, cross-border trade in plastic waste is notoriously opaque, characterised by a lack of transparency, traceability and accountability across the value chain with many…

The Environmental Investigation Agency welcomes the decision of the European Commission to introduce a Regulation on methane emissions in the energy sector but would however like to highlight that critical improvements are needed to ensure that this Regulation is fit for purpose and delivers on the EU’s international climate commitments.

The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) welcomes the Commission's commitment to propose a legislative act in 2021 to reduce methane emissions and provides the following feedback on the inception impact assessment. It is unclear that the Commission is relying on the appropriate legal base, namely Article 194 TFEU.

The use of international carbon credits towards the EUs 2040 climate target would undermine ambition, risk environmental integrity and delay the urgent, structural transformations required to meet the Paris Agreements 1.5°C target, all while increasing the overall cost of decarbonisation. Achieving climate neutrality by 2040 without the use of credits is feasible and necessary (CAN, 2024).

The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) welcomes the proposed common energy label for similar products and the introduction of requirements for comfort fans. However, we are concerned that the impact assessment takes an environmental backstep by omitting policy measures aimed at promoting uptake of low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants.

Environmental Investigation Agency’s contribution to the Public consultation on the Roadmap "Minimising the risk of deforestation and forest degradation associated with products placed on the EU market" EIA welcomes the Roadmap proposed by the Commission and the planned impact assessment of regulatory measures to minimise the risk that products produced with deforestation and degradation are placed on the EU market.

EIA welcomes the EU initiative to step up action against deforestation and forest degradation as outlined in its roadmap. Yet, EIA is concerned the roadmap states this will be a “non-legislative initiative” and alarmed at the absence of any explicit mention of binding regulatory measures such as a due diligence regulation.

It is our view that the current draft Implementing Act contains vague and unclear terminology, leaving room for interpretation which in turn could have negative consequences. For instance, this includes the definition of how bottles can be collected for recycling, terms with regards to quality control (“like skilled personnel”), there being no clear statement on quality aspect and no explicit phrasing clearly…

The attached document provides the Environmental Investigation Agency's full feedback on the Roadmap for the EUTR/FLEGT Regulation Fitness Check. This is a summary of the points made in the feedback document. The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) takes the position that the European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR) and FLEGT Regulation provide a framework that is fit for purpose and contributes to the…

Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) Response to Ozone Regulation Inception Impact Assessment EIA welcomes the Inception Impact Assessment and the intent expressed to improve the Ozone Regulation in several ways. We agree that a high level of ambition and strict implementation rules is essential to avoid any backsliding and with the four policy options of 1. Higher level of emission reductions; 2.