Entries by YEE

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Nature Restoration Law: Youth needs your support

Nature Restoration Law: Youth needs your support

YEE and other youth organisations have sent this letter to European Parliament Members, ahead of the plenary vote on the Nature Restoration Law on Tuesday, February 27, 2024

On behalf of European youth, we are reaching out to you as a coalition of youth organizations representing more than 20 million young Europeans with the European environment at heart. On Tuesday the 27th of February, the European Parliament plenary meeting will take place in Strasbourg. We want to underscore the absolute necessity to vote in favor of the provisional agreement on the Nature Restoration Law, for our future, and the future of our and your children.

As young people, we are inheriting a degrading environment and climate which makes us currently see a gloomy future ahead of us. Every day, we witness more species becoming extinct and ecosystems continuing to degrade. It is proof that existing measures so far have been critically insufficient. We are even more worried due to the recent and ongoing watering down of environmental policies and laws at the EU and national level. 

This EU Nature Restoration Law is the only opportunity for us to get the chance to see nature improving across Europe and benefit from a healthy environment and climate. 

Opposing or further weakening the law would mean condemning our future and fully ignoring all the good things that nature brings to our society. It would mean that young people and future generations, the least responsible for the current crises, will have to address environmental emergencies at a great cost and risk. This is extremely unfair from an intergenerational equity perspective.

On Tuesday, you will cast a vote on our future. The outcome will greatly impact generations of Europeans to come, so we need your vote in favor of the Nature Restoration Law. 

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Learn more about the #restorenature campaign

The recent positive vote for the Nature Restoration Law by the European Parliament sends a strong message on the obligation to restore


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The coalition of youth organisations released their statements about the necessity and urgency to adopt the Nature Restoration Law within the European


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Join us and over 200 NGOs and ask your decision-makers to adopt a solid and urgent implementation of the law that can


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More To Explore

26.2.2024 by

Call for Finance Coordinator | Part-time Opportunities

Call for Finance Coordinator

to join our Finance team.



Apply now

20 h/ week

26k CZK/month

Prague, CZ

Onsite

Start 1st April 2024

YEE is seeking a Finance Coordinator

YEE is excited to announce the opening of a part-time Finance Coordinator (20 hours/week) from April 2024 to April 2025 (potential extension) to join our Finance team.

Responsibilities include financial reporting, grant management, budget monitoring, and data management. The selected candidate must have language proficiency in English and Czech. Ideal candidates have experience in budgeting, grant management, nonprofit accounting, and strong communication skills.

Remuneration is 26 000 CZK/month gross salary.

Your responsibilities

  • Prepare accurate and timely financial reports, including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. Present financial information to the Coordination team and the Board, offering insights and recommendations for strategic planning.
  • Monitor grant budgeting and reporting processes to ensure compliance with funder requirements. Work closely with project managers and department managers to align financial activities with project goals and objectives.
  • Monitor budget vs. actual performance for various projects and programs. Identify variances and communicate findings to the Finance Manager
  • Organise and archive financial documents, reports, and supporting documentation for audit and compliance purposes.
  • Assisting in ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, organisational policies, and grant agreements. Supporting internal and external audits by providing requested documentation and explanations as needed.
  • Assisting the financial manager with the travel arrangements such buying tickets, booking accommodations and reimbursements when required.


Apply now

Candidates we are looking for

20.2.2024 by
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Speeding up history in the face of war: How the invasion of Ukraine has shaken up the EU’s energy transition plan

Speeding up history in the face of war: How the invasion of Ukraine has shaken up the EU’s energy transition plan

The war in Ukraine has highlighted the significance of energy policy as a major power issue. It is an opportunity to break toxic dependence in geostrategic and climate terms.

Written by

Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of YEE.

Contents

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In its latest report, the International Energy Agency shows that the geopolitical context since the war in Ukraine has had an unprecedented impact on the energy transition. While a number of changes had already been initiated, such as those concerning renewable energies, the war in Ukraine seems to have accelerated them. In addition, European sanctions have massively reduced Russian gas imports into Europe. Under European sanctions, Russia reduced the flow of its gas pipelines to the EU by around 80%, prompting European states to find alternatives in a short space of time. This episode was an opportunity for many member states to reflect on their energy policy and, above all, the energy transition. 

The war in Ukraine revealed that energy policy is a major power issue. This is illustrated by the expression “war ecology” defined by Pierre Charbonnier. According to him, the war in Ukraine is an opportunity to break a toxic dependence, both in geostrategic terms and in terms of climate policy. Achieving energy sufficiency would kill two birds with one stone, by aligning the imperative of coercing the Russian regime with the imperative of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, “the period 2020-2021 was marked by a radical shift in the balance of competitiveness between renewables and existing fossil fuel and nuclear energy options”. So let’s take a look at how the war in Ukraine has affected the energy transition – has it accelerated or slowed it down?

What responses has the EU put in place? 

First of all, there is a desire at the European level to promote the EU’s independence, while also attempting to take account of the climate objectives set out in the European Green Deal.

This is illustrated first and foremost by the introduction of the RePower EU plan. What does this plan consist of? This plan, proposed by the EU a few weeks after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and in line with the demands of the 27 member states, aims to massively reduce Russian gas imports, to do without them altogether by 2027. This strategy is based on four pillars: saving energy, replacing Russian fossil fuels with other hydrocarbons, promoting renewable energies and investing in new infrastructures such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals.

We can therefore see that the EU Commission, while wishing to reduce member states’ dependence on Russia, also aims to achieve the Green Deal’s climate objectives. The strategic objective is linked to the climate objective. Through this plan, it is proposing to increase the EU’s renewable energy target from 40% to a minimum of 42.5% by 2030. To reach this objective, at the end of the year, the EU adopted a regulation aimed at speeding up the procedure for granting construction permits for renewable energy projects. 

Through the RePower EU plan, the EU has also decided to bet on hydrogen, setting a target of 10 million tonnes of domestic production of renewable hydrogen and a similar figure for imports by 2030. The creation of a European Hydrogen Bank is also planned, with the task of investing 3 billion Euros to develop this market on the continent, as announced by Ursula Von Der Leyen during her State of the Union address last September.

Are there any concrete examples of the successful implementation of this plan?

Yes, especially when it comes to the development of renewable energies. After the war, the use of renewable energies rose sharply. Between 2022 and 2023, European renewable energies increased by 57.3 GW. This figure is set to rise further, given that the RED III directive, the result of the RePower EU plan, calls for doubling the share of renewable energies in European energy consumption to 42.5% by 2030. This increase in investment in renewable energies has helped bring prices down. However, their role in heating, and especially in transport, is still limited, although growing.

It’s worth noting that this increase in investment in renewable energies has not been confined to Europe alone, as it is China that has increased its renewable energy production capacity the most (+ 141GW)

What initiatives have been put in place at national levels?

Many member states have also taken steps to reduce their dependence on Russian gas imports. In 2022, for example, Lithuania declared its autonomy from the gas pipeline linking it to Russia, thanks to its LNG terminal and links with its neighbours. Shortly afterwards, Poland was able to put the suspension of Gazprom supplies into perspective, thanks to its LNG terminal and cross-border gas pipelines. Co-financed by the EU, the various cross-border gas pipelines have proved invaluable in times of crisis, embodying the principle of solidarity proclaimed in the Treaty of the European Union.  In coastal areas, LNG terminals, previously under-utilized, have made it possible to diversify supplies, even if technical constraints remain between certain member states. 

States have also sought to find other countries that can provide them with energy. So there has been a revival of confidence in nuclear power throughout the EU. Italy and Germany have also sought to establish or renew bilateral partnerships. However, the diversity of national energy mixes and the differing levels of vulnerability between member states could well lead to a situation where each country is left to its own devices.

Finally, the war in Ukraine was also an opportunity for many states to review their position on nuclear energy, as was the case with Germany. 

Can the EU afford the energy ambitions proposed in its RePower EU plan? 

The plan will cost 210 billion euros, and major investments are needed. That’s why InvestEU, the EU’s flagship investment program, was created. Its original aim was to finance a green and digital revival, but with the crisis in Ukraine, the plan is now part of Europe’s drive for emancipation from Russian oil and gas. At present, the EU’s dependence on Russian fossil fuels costs 100 billion euros a year. To free itself from this, an investment of 210 billion euros is required by 2027. However, the EU has already far exceeded 210 billion euros: the 27 countries have spent a combined total of 314 billion euros, bringing the EU’s bill to almost 450 billion euros.

Will Europe emerge stronger from the energy crisis? 

While the oil shocks saw European states reacting in a scattered fashion (not necessarily contradictorily, incidentally), the gas crisis provoked by Russia has confirmed the timeliness and effectiveness of a European approach. This energy crisis has made European countries realise the strategic importance of energy supply and has been the starting point for in-depth reflection on the importance of ensuring their independence.

More About This Topic

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In this article, we will delve into the exciting world of hydrogen as a potential solution for energy storage, aiming to overcome


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European Energy Sector

Learn about the positive and negative outcomes of the liberalisation process, and how energy communities could play a major role in the


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23.1.2024 by
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Call for volunteers | AWG

Call for volunteers | AWG

The YEE Advocacy Working Group is the perfect opportunity to become an influential young leader.



Apply now

7-10 h/ week

EU/Europe

Remote

Start February

Contents

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Have questions? Get in touch!



YEE’s Advocacy Working Group is looking for 8 motivated, passionate volunteers to join the team!

About YEE Advocacy Working Group

The Advocacy Working Group (AWG) is a leadership program intended to equip volunteers with the necessary skills, knowledge, and mentorship to effectively advocate for environmental concerns during their tenure with YEE, and beyond. Volunteers are being mentored and engaging in peer-to-peer learning; while supporting the Advocacy Team in shaping YEE’s external advocacy positions.

What will you get:

This volunteer position offers valuable insights into working for a large European network of youth-led environmental NGOs, as well as in-depth knowledge of relevant organisations and institutions.

It also provides access to a network of young green activists and professionals and helps develop transferable skills such as time management, organization, and communication, which can boost your CV.

About Liasion Officers (LOs)

The Liaison Officer is a volunteer position of one year term (January 2024 – January 2025). All liaison volunteers will report to and be supported by the YEE Advocacy staff and the External Relations Officer. While committed to specific and diverse tasks within their thematic portfolios, the volunteer liaison officers would effectively make a team – the Advocacy Working Group – intended to support each other. The average commitment would be between 7-10 hours a week, including meetings every two weeks.

Some of the work tasks expected include strengthening communication and advocacy with our partner organisations as well as creating projects and campaigns of their own.

About Regional Contact Persons (RCPs)

The role of the RCPs is to connect and develop communities of YEE’s member organisations on the regional level and work together to strengthen the connections of young people through YEE.

They act as the point of contact between YEE and the member organisations in their region, hosting meetings for the representatives of the member organisations, and linking them with any relevant projects and opportunities from YEE. They also work to strengthen YEE’s presence in and knowledge of their region, contributing with invaluable information for our expanding network.

Application deadline:

28th January 2024

Volunteering positions available

The Liaison Officers on Biodiversity will work in a small team composed of 2 Liaison Officers and the Biodiversity Manager. The aim of the portfolio is twofold. On the one hand, we aim at building capacity on pressing biodiversity issues through a series of workshops and the publication of easily accessible knowledge materials, potentially in collaboration with our Member Organisations (MOs). On the other hand, the LOs will follow first hand the biodiversity advocacy initiatives we are pursuing together with other youth NGOs, such as GYBN, GCE and EU Young Rewilders, and NGOs we are members of, such as CAN-E.

One of the most important examples of such collaboration is the #restorenature campaign.

The LOs will also be the contact persons for the CoE Bern Convention, YEE is an observer of.

The main tasks will include:

  • 🟢 Help our members to engage with our work on biodiversity, through liaising and working on our relationship with MOs and partner organisations (e.g. working on our newsletter and organising collaborative events);
  • 🟢 Work on content creation, such as articles and explainers;
  • 🟢 Represent YEE at the Bern Convention processes (either online or onsite, pending fundings);
  • 🟢 Contribute to the YEE’s biodiversity advocacy strategy, such as through participating on behalf of YEE to legal campaigns and external events.
  • 🟢 Follow the opportunities stemming from our membership to IUCN (tbc, pending approval of application).

The primary role of the Liaison Officer on Climate Justice will be to continue and strengthen YEE’s engagement in UNFCCC processes, in which YEE holds observer status, throughout the year. The Liaison Officer will carry out research and gain expertise on selected UNFCCC negotiation items of interest to them (such as Loss & Damage, Finance, Art 6, Action for Climate Empowerment, or others), engage with our MOs and other youth organisations who are active in UNFCCC processes and/or on the topic of climate change (including NEYCA – the Network of European Youth NGOs for Climate Action), and work to build stronger connections with marginalised persons and organisations active in climate advocacy, particularly those based in the so-called Global South. Great part of this collaboration will be undertaken under the project “Global Dialogues for Climate Justice”, YEE is implementing with our partner WAT-GP.

The main tasks will include:

  • 🟢 Engaging with our MOs active on climate issues, NEYCA, YOUNGO, CAN-E, and other key partners to strengthen our participation in UNFCCC processes;
  • 🟢 Leading joint campaigns and drafting joint position papers in the run-up to UNFCCC processes;
  • 🟢 Contributing to the Global Dialogues for Climate Justice project, co-led by YEE and We Are Tomorrow Global Partnership (WAT-GP), which aims at building stronger connections between European and non-European youth with a view to advocating for climate justice at COP29;
  • 🟢 Leading strategic outreach to marginalised youth communities and youth organisations based in so-called Global South countries working on climate-related topics.

The Liaison Officer on Intersectionality will help the AWG keep a critical, intersectional perspective in all of its projects as well as to create events and campaigns that concern environmental synergies with gender, class, racial, disability and sexuality questions. This would also involve reaching out to and collaborating with organisations YEE may not yet be linked to that pioneer youth work in these areas. Moreover, the LO could choose to incorporate increased work with European Neighbourhood countries.

Key Themes and Questions for the Intersectionality Liaison Officer: 

  • How do environmental questions intersect with: 
    • Race and ethnicity
    • Gender and the livelihood of women
    • LGBTQ+, the topic of queer ecology
    • Disability issues, accessibility and ableism
    • Class disparities 
    • Regional disparities and privilege

The main tasks will include:

  • 🟢 Support the project lead of Empowering the Unheard in organising workshops on intersectional justice;
  • 🟢 Produce toolkits and other material to disseminate knowledge on intersectionality & climate change;
  • 🟢 Assist and work on partnership connections and links to further promote YEE efforts;
  • 🟢 Assist in the planning and execution of a social campaign for Empowering the Unheard.

The LOs on Environmental Policy will follow first hand YEE’s external advocacy, at EU and at International level. The portfolio aims at strengthening YEE’s advocacy on UN environmental governance and at empowering young people to understand and have an active role in the EU parliamentary elections 2024.

For the first time, we are recruiting two volunteers, one on EU and one on international affairs: however, their work is complementary and they will work together in a small team.

Environmental Policy – EU Affairs (1 person) 

The main tasks will include:

  • 🟢 Take over and develop YEE’s advocacy work towards (and beyond) the EU Parliamentary Elections 2024, including
    • Strengthen collaborations with the EEB and other key partners
    • Develop YEE’s strategy for the upcoming elections 
    • Coordinate a communication campaign with YEE’s member organisation with 2 main objectives: 
      • Advertise concrete local actions of the EU “What has the EU done for you?”
      • Call upon young people to go and vote on election day
    • Organise meetings and/or workshops with key EU representatives and leaders to ensure youth voice is heard
  • 🟢 Cover EU parliamentary actions after the election (i.e Appointment of the President of the European Commission, selection of the commissioners, future of the EU Green Deal etc.)
  • 🟢 Strengthen collaboration and work with EESC and its youth representative

 

Environmental Policy – International Affairs (1 person)

The main tasks will include:

  • 🟢 Represent YEE in the MGCY;
  • 🟢 Ensure strong commitment and participation to UN environmental meetings (e.g. UNEA);
  • 🟢 Contribute to the organisation of the RCOY Europe 2024, together with other NGOs YEE is already collaborating with;
  • 🟢 Collaborate with the Climate Justice LO to co-represent YEE in the NEYCA on drafting the EU youth NGOs position paper for COP29 and other international fora.

 

We are looking for three volunteers to join us in the mandate of RCP for the South (currently spanning organisations from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Italy, Kosovo, Portugal, Serbia, Spain and Turkey), North (currently spanning organisations from Sweden, Ireland and England) and East (currently spanning organisations in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Czechia, Georgia, Moldova, Poland and Romania) region.

Your tasks will include:

  • 🟢 Collaborating closely with the regional team, the Member Organisations Officer and the Member Organisations Coordinator to plan, enhance and implement our regional strategy;
  • 🟢 Organising and chairing online regional meetings with member organisations of your area four times a year;
  • 🟢 Keeping the Membership Officer informed about the situation in your region on a regular basis;
  • 🟢 Contributing to the written Annual Regional Report about the status of your region;
  • 🟢 Stimulating and supporting member engagement in YEE activities and projects;
  • 🟢 Reaching out to and enhancing collaboration with youth movements in your region.

RCPs specific requirement: live in the region they are applying to become an RCP for (however, nationality doesn’t matter)​

Requirements



  • have strong written and verbal communication skills and a good level of English


  • have basic computer skills (Microsoft Office, Google Drive)


  • be available around 7-10 hours per week


  • be between 18 and 30 years old



  • Be aligned with YEE's core values and mission



  • have a strong interest in advocacy and promoting sustainable policy and green goals


  • be passionate about helping strengthen the voice of youth in European decision-making


  • have a good team spirit and be able to be part of a brand-new team


  • be organised and meet deadlines


  • be willing to extend your leadership and communications skills

9.1.2024 by
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National Energy & Climate Plans | Webinar

It's NECPs time!

Mobilising youth in the NECPs processes


Register

It's NECPs time!

Mobilising youth in the NECPs processes


Register

Practical information

  • When

    Friday 12th January 2024 at 16h CET

  • Where

    Online

  • How

    Register your interest

This event is part of the Legal Seeds 3 project

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Are you interested in a campaign to mobilise youth in the NECPs processes?

 
Join us on Friday 12th January from 16.00 to 17.00 CET for a session in which the YEE Environmental Law team will present the new initiative to launch a campaign to mobilise youth to demand more consideration of young people’s engagement in the NECPs processes.

During the session, attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the campaign and how they can get involved. The YEE Environmental Law team will provide an overview of the NECPs processes and explain how young people can participate in them.

About NECPs

NECPs, or National Energy and Climate Plans, are an important part of the EU’s efforts to combat climate change. They set out each member state’s targets and policies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing renewable energy, and improving energy efficiency.

Learn more about NECPs in our handbook.

Have questions? Get in touch!



Other upcoming events

9.1.2024 by
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National Energy and Climate Plans | A handbook for youth participation

National Energy and Climate Plans | A handbook for youth participation

This handbook works as an explainer to the EU regulated National Energy and Climate Plans, and as a guide to how to participate in the process as a young citizen.

Each EU Member State is required to submit a National Energy and Climate Plan (NECPs), reflecting how various energy and climate targets will be achieved. According to EU regulations, these plans need to be open to public participation and consultation, yet the majority of Member States have failed to provide opportunities for the public to participate in the process.

These handbooks aim to shed light on the ways in which public participation can be improved, and how you as a young person can take part in the process!

This toolkit covers:

  • Explaining NECPs

    National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPS) are plans that each Member State of the European Union needs to prepare. An NECP should reflect how energy and climate targets will be achieved. But what does this mean in practice? What kind of information do NECPs contain?

  • Exploring the role of public participation

    According to EU regulations, all NECPs should be open to public participation and consultation. What is so crucial? And are all Member States fulfilling this requirement?

  • What we as young people can do

    Including the perspective of young people is important for well-functioning NECPs, but participation is not always easy. How can you as a young person take part in drafting NECPs? How can you make your voice heard?





Download

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Youth Participation in the NECPs

The Legal Seeds project has been conducting interviews with young people from 4 different EU member states, in order to report on the status of youth participation in the NECP-process. We have compiled country-specific reports on youth involvement for Cyprus, Italy, Bulgaria (coming soon) and Greece (coming soon). These reports outline both the importance and legal requirements of public- and youth participation, while describing the current status of youth involvement in the NECP-process. These reports also highlight the shortcoming of the national processes, while also including suggestions on improvements to national governments.

Youth Participation in the Bulgarian updated NECP draft

In Bulgaria, youth participation is often seen as a “good to have” addition to the already minimal requirements for participation put in place. However, youth empowerment is growing and is demanding more and more accountability, transparency and engagement from public institutions.





English

Youth Participation in the Cypriot updated NECP draft

The report raises awareness about Governance Regulation shortcomings in Cyprus, focusing on updating NECPs in 2022/2023. Public participation is not there solely for the sake of participating - it is there to increase the acceptability of divisive policies and unite the Cypriot public.





English





Ελληνικά

Youth Participation in the Greek updated NECP draft

Young individuals in Greece perceive significant neglect in the National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs). The overall process of engaging in NECPs has been disappointing, failing to meet the state's obligations under the Governance Regulation.





English





Ελληνικά

Youth Participation in the Italian updated NECP draft

The report highlights issues with implementing the Governance Regulation in Italy, focusing on updating National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs), namely the lack of public participation in Italian climate and environmental policymaking , higlighting the bigger focus on administrative procedures rather than human rights.





English





Italiano

19.12.2023 by
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COP28 recap ​| Webinar

COP28 recap

Join our live webinar on COP28 recap with youth delegates, from Youth and Environment Europe (YEE) Generation Climate Europe (GCE) and European Youth Energy Network (EYEN), who were present at #COP28 in Dubai!

COP28 recap​

Join our live webinar on COP28 recap with youth delegates, from Youth and Environment Europe (YEE) Generation Climate Europe (GCE) and European Youth Energy Network (EYEN), who were present at #COP28 in Dubai!​

Practical information

  • When

    Friday 21st December 2023 at 15h CET

  • Where

    Online

  • How

    Register your interest

This event is part of the AmPower project

Share This Event







Join our live webinar on COP28 recap with youth delegates, from Youth and Environment Europe (YEE) Generation Climate Europe (GCE) and European Youth Energy Network – EYEN, who were present at #COP28 in Dubai!

Did you miss the event?

Watch the recording or read the written summary!

Have questions? Get in touch!



Other upcoming events

18.12.2023 by
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Health first: The IED cannot deprive pollution victims of their rights

Health first: The IED cannot deprive pollution victims of their rights

In 2023, toxic pollution has become the norm in Europe, with industrial complexes illegally polluting and causing harm to people's health. The Industrial Emissions Directive (IED), which governs emissions from various industries, is being updated by EU decision-makers. However, the draft law appears to be inadequate in protecting people from pollution.

Written by

Bellinda Bartolucci, ClientEarth

Alexandros Kassapis, Youth and Environment Europe

Contents

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It’s 2023 and exposure to toxic pollution is the norm in Europe.

Across the bloc, people are living in the shadow of industrial complexes that are still polluting illegally, eroding their health, and claiming lives.

This is a rights issue. An estimated 10% or more of Europe’s cancer burden is suspected to relate to pollution exposure, while EU premature deaths related to excessive levels of air pollution chart in the hundreds of thousands each year –
including minors, whose small bodies register big and lasting pollution impacts.

It’s hardly the futuristic picture we’d hoped for.

EU decision-makers are on the cusp of finalising the update of the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED). It governs the emissions of over 50,000 installations, including steelworks, chemicals and plastics facilities, coal plants and factory farms all over Europe – and it needs to be the most powerful tool to protect people that it can possibly be.

But on the contrary – the draft law looks set to blow over in the wind. From strong beginnings, we’re left with a nearly empty shell as far as people’s rights are concerned.

So what do our lawmakers need to do?

On your doorstep – what does industrial pollution
look like in Europe?

Pollution exposure is not just about isolated incidents – the reality is more insidious. From ‘forever chemicals’ to heavy metals, there are dramatic cases of chronic industrial pollution across Europe. Their impacts are startling reminders that industrial operations can cause severe illness and kill, in 21st century Europe.

There are ample examples of European workers and local residents – particularly children – being impacted by industrial pollution. A 5-year-old has died in Taranto, Italy, from a brain tumour – metal and dust particles from the local steel plant (Italy’s largest) were found in his brain. The local waters can’t be used to raise mussels because of iron dust levels.

Those living near antiquated coal plants in Bulgaria and Poland complain of stinging eyes and report respiratory ill-health. Towns near coal complexes in Bulgaria have been blanketed with air pollution for years – coal regions in the country chart the EU’s highest levels of sulphur dioxide pollution. But the government gave one of the local plants ongoing permission to pollute far above EU limits. 

The above cases were from facilities operating within the law. So it goes without saying that, at least in cases of illegal pollution, anyone suffering from its impacts should be able to go to court and stand a chance of receiving compensation for the damage – no? 

They pollute, you pay – why we need a real route to justice

If a facility is polluting beyond the limits allowed by the law, people suffering from health issues due to this illegal pollution must be able to access the courts for compensation. But the legal set-up right now makes it very difficult for anyone to hold Member States or industries to account. 

The European Commission has acknowledged this injustice and the new IED was supposed to fix this. The law included a new compensation right for victims of illegal pollution. But throughout the process, the real substance of this right has been systematically dismantled over the course of the negotiations – by now, it risks becoming an in-name-only gesture, which contains no actual avenue for people to access their rights.

With the current wording, negotiators have given the chop to the possibility of NGOs standing for sick people in class actions – vital given that in extreme cases, claimants have passed away before they could complete their actions. The law also relieves authorities of all legal responsibility for failing to enforce laws and therefore enabling health damages. 

People across Europe have been pushing for their rights to be reflected in the law. But pressure has been too strong and conflicting information has emerged throughout the process to derail positive lawmaking. This has got in the way of what this law is for: keeping people safe.

Youth and Environment Europe (YEE) have written to EU representatives to urge them to “prioritise health over illegal pollution” and adopt a real, functional compensation right. Along with a host of legal and consumer organisations, we highlighted that an inadequate law would fail people’s fundamental rights – the European Court of Human Rights has confirmed that harmful industrial pollution can give rise to individual compensation.

A turning point for victims of illegal industrial pollution – will lawmakers deliver?

An effective compensation right already exists in competition, data protection, anti-discrimination and consumer laws. It works for all parties involved and it ups compliance from the outset. Why should health be protected less? Contrary to industry claims, none of these types of rules have ever led to excessive litigation. In the case of the IED, only illegal polluters are exposed to the risk of litigation. Companies adhering to the rules have no reason to worry – and will actually benefit from a level playing field across the EU.

There is no justification for failing to apply it in the IED for victims of illegal pollution. This is a no-brainer.

An IED based on justice goes far beyond environmental action –  it is about helping victims on the ground. This is a major opportunity to bring back justice and finally offer protection for citizens across Europe. Missing it would be a statement by EU lawmakers that lawbreakers have officially taken precedence over people’s rights. 

Brussels should take a deep breath and consider this before they give the IED their final seal of approval.

More To Explore

28.11.2023 by
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The EneRail | Podcast​

The EneRail | Podcast

How is our generation responding to the challenges posed by the energy crisis and the imperative for a green transition?

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Project

Funded by​

The Enerail podcast takes us on a captivating virtual journey across the European Union, examining the energy and climate crisis from different perspectives. In a world where the term “we” can be complex and multifaceted, this immersive podcast introduces us to a diverse range of individuals living through this crisis.

Activists, researchers, and institutional youth representatives are just a few of the voices we encounter along the way. As we delve into the heart of this pressing issue, one burning question guides our exploration: How is our generation responding to the challenges posed by the energy crisis and the imperative for a green transition? This thought-provoking podcast provides a comprehensive and nuanced outlook on the realities, insights, and actions that are shaping our present and future.

Discover all episodes:

Listen on Spotify

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Project

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23.11.2023 by
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Green Hydrogen=Green Flag

Green Hydrogen=Green Flag

Overcoming the limits of batteries with hydrogen energy storage

In this article, we will delve into the exciting world of hydrogen as a potential solution for energy storage, aiming to overcome the current limitations of Lithium Ion Batteries (LIB).

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Contents

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drawbacks of renewables
problems with lithium batteries
hydrogen as an alternative to batteries
5
different uses for hydrogen and lithium batteries
benefits of using hydrogen for energy storage

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The importance of effective storage systems in the transition to renewable energy

A future powered by renewables needs effective storage systems. Unlike fossil fuels, wind and sunlight, two low-carbon energy sources at the centre of the energy transition, have some great limitations: they are intermittent and cannot be stored to be converted into energy later on. A turbine spins only where and when the wind blows, and a solar panel works only under daylight. Learning to work around those limitations can help us abandon fossil fuels faster, which is crucial, given the short time we have left to meet the Paris carbon emission reduction targets. Storage systems can help us overcome these limitations, by offering alternative ways to even out energy supply to the grid and by allowing the electrification of sectors that are not connected to the grid altogether.

In this article, I want to look at one of those systems: hydrogen. More specifically, I want to explore how we can store energy using this material, and see in what ways it can help us overcome some of the limitations of the more commonly used Lithium Ion Batteries (LIB). To do so, I will provide you with an accessible explanation of how hydrogen energy storage works. I will also show that LIBs have three main downsides that hydrogen storage can help mitigate: high impact of raw materials, low gravimetric energy density and limited long-term and high-capacity storage capabilities.

My goal here is not to advocate for the complete abandoning of LIBs, rather, I want to show how in some cases having an alternative can help us achieve the decarbonization of our economy faster.

How can electricity be stored in hydrogen?

Let’s start with the basics. How do you generate electricity with hydrogen? It’s pretty simple. Hydrogen atoms flow through a “fuel cell”, which splits their electrons from their protons and nucleus. The electrons then leave the fuel cell and run through a circuit, powering whatever device they are connected to. The end of the circuit is connected back to the fuel cell, where the electron re-joins the proton and nucleus from which it was split. The hydrogen cell is thus re-formed and, reacting with oxygen in the air, it transforms into water vapour. Of course, this is an oversimplification, for a more accurate, but still very accessible, explanation of the process, I redirect you to this video from Alex Dainis, PhD. Just to be clear, this is not a nuclear reaction, as we are not splitting the nucleus itself.

The next question is where do we get hydrogen from? Due to its highly reactive nature, hydrogen is often bonded to other materials. Thus, we need to extract it from other molecules before we can convert it into energy. There are different ways you can do this. The key things to keep in mind are two. Firstly, these processes take a lot of energy. Secondly, the energy source you use determines the name we give to the final product, together with its carbon footprint. Some examples of carbon-intensive production methods are steam methane reforming and gasification. The output of these processes will be called grey or blue hydrogen (in the second case, a carbon capture mechanism is used to limit emissions).

Another method to produce hydrogen is electrolysis. With the same fuel cell we mentioned before, you can split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, through a process that is exactly symmetrical to what we have described two paragraphs above. To do this, you need electricity. If that is produced from renewable sources you have green hydrogen, which is low carbon.

Now, the round-trip efficiency of green hydrogen is less than one, meaning that the energy you get from it is less than the one you used to produce it. This means that, whenever possible, it is more efficient to use a renewable energy source directly, without hydrogen as an intermediary. Whenever that is not possible, however, one can produce hydrogen as a way to store and transport energy. First, clean electricity is used to perform electrolysis. Then the resulting hydrogen is reconverted back into water when and where electricity is needed. Through this process, hydrogen can be used as a stock of electricity that can be displaced in space and time to better match our energy demands.

Obstacles to decarbonizing the economy using batteries

As you know, batteries can also be used to store and transport energy. Some of their limitations, however, pose important obstacles to our ability to fully decarbonize our economy. Hydrogen can help us overcome those obstacles.

High impact of raw materials

Firstly, the raw materials required to manufacture LIBs pose environmental, social and geopolitical challenges that become more and more pressing as the scale of production of this technology increases. Lithium and cobalt are two materials used in LIBs. Lithium mining, on the one hand, has a water footprint of more than 2000 liters per kilogram extracted. The practice has also been linked with “declining vegetation, hotter daytime temperatures and increasing drought conditions in national reserve areas”. Cobalt mines, on the other hand, are notoriously infamous for the terrible working conditions of their workers. At the same time, both materials are to be found in only a couple of regions throughout the world. This creates perverse incentives to adopt hoarding strategies, which artificially push up the price of these resources. Such a high level of concentration also decreases the resilience of the supply chain to unforeseeable external shocks, decreasing the long-term reliability of the industry as a whole.

Hydrogen, like lithium, can be used to store energy, however, unlike lithium, it is not a rare material and can be extracted with carbon-neutral technologies. Consequently, replacing some of the current and future demand for batteries with hydrogen-based solutions can reduce our consumption of these materials, and with that the challenges that they come with. This can also diversify the energy storage supply chain, increasing its ability to withstand exogenous shocks. Hydrogen systems also do not use cobalt.

Of course, this is only a part of the solution, the issues I have highlighted above need to be addressed independently of the fact that we introduce hydrogen in the equation. Nonetheless, this technology can help us reduce the scale of the problem. With this, it should also be noted that, while hydrogen is not a rare material, iridium and platinum (two materials often used in fuel cells) are. These materials come with their own environmental problems, which further proves that technical diversification is only part of the solution. The social and environmental patterns of exploitation behind mining need to be addressed, regardless. That, however, is a broader conversation that pertains to our economy as a whole.

Low gravimetric energy density 

Secondly, the low energy density of LIB makes them unsuitable as an alternative to fossil fuels in some applications. The aviation industry is an example of this issue. The table below shows the energy density of different materials, i.e., the amount of Megajoules stored in one kilogram of material ( = gravimetric density) and the amount of Megajoules in one litre of material ( = volumetric density).

Material Gravimetric energy density* Volumetric energy density Energy efficiency
Jet A1 (kerosene)
43.3 MJ/Kg
34.7 MJ/L
25% (conventional aircraft engines, kerosene)
Hydrogen
142 MJ/Kg
8 MJ/L (when in liquid state)
18%-46% (round trip)
LIBs
0.5 MJ/Kg
80-90% (round trip)

* Source: transportgeography.org

As you can see, compared to Jet A-1 (a common aviation fuel), a LIB providing the same amount of energy as an airplane’s fuel tank would be 86 times as heavy. Emily Pickrell, Energy Scholar at the University of Houston estimates that “if a jumbo jet were to use today’s batteries, 1.2 million pounds of batteries would be required just to generate the power of the jet engine it would be replacing. This weight would effectively need an additional eight jet planes just to carry that weight!”.

Consequently, replacing jet fuel with an equivalently powerful battery would make the plane too heavy to fly. Hydrogen, on the other hand, is more energy-dense than both LIBs and Jet A-1. Thus, it can provide the same amount of energy at a much lower weight.

Hydrogen’s energy density makes it a much better match for the electrification of the aviation industry than batteries. There are, however, some limitations to the potential of this gas. If we look at its volumetric energy density, a hydrogen tank would take 4 times as much space as a Jet A-1 providing equivalent energy. And this is assuming we are able to keep the gas in its liquid form at -252.8°C. Together with this, to this day the round-trip efficiency of hydrogen systems is still much lower than that of batteries. Finally, hydrogen aircraft are still in the early stages of development, meaning that we still need to wait for the large-scale commercial adoption of these vehicles.

Limited long-term and high-capacity storage capabilities

Finally, LIBs are less efficient at storing higher quantities of energy for longer periods of time than hydrogen systems. In some applications, we need this longer-term storage capacity. One case is that of intermittent energy storage.

As I said before, renewables’ energy supply cannot be adjusted to the specific demands of consumers and producers at any given moment. To address this, storage devices allow us to stock up energy in moments of excess supply, in order to release it back into the grid in periods of excess demand. Intermittency, however, is a multidimensional phenomenon that has a short-run and long-run component: fluctuations in supply can be intraday or seasonal. Looking at solar energy makes it easier to understand both. As the sun shines only during the daytime, at night panels will not produce any electricity. That is intra-day intermittency. At the same time, during summer days are longer, and, in many climates, less cloudy. Thus, output will be higher during June, July and August than it will during winter (as shown by the table below). This is what we call seasonality.

LIBs are more effective at smoothing intraday fluctuations. Battery storage facilities are cheaper to install, but more expensive to scale up, making them more suited for smaller capacity applications. Their higher round trip efficiency (look at the table above) also means that less energy is wasted in the process. Due to their higher rate of self-discharge, however, they cannot store electricity for prolonged periods of time, making them useless when it comes to seasonal intermittency. At the same time, hydrogen is better suited to supply that higher capacity, long term storage facility needed to smooth out seasonal fluctuations. On the one hand, hydrogen deposits show increasing returns to scale. They can be more costly than batteries to set up, but doubling capacity less than doubles the cost. This makes the technology better suited for higher capacity stockage. On the other, hydrogen has a lower rate of self-discharge, meaning that it can store energy for longer. These two characteristics make this technology a useful tool to smooth out seasonality, even when we account for its lower round trip efficiency (being able to store something is better than being able to store nothing).

To conclude, we can see that hydrogen can help overcome three important limitations of LIBs: high impact of raw materials, low gravimetric energy density and limited long-term and high-capacity storage capabilities. Nonetheless, the analysis also shows that hydrogen technology is still in its earlier stages of development. Consequently, important challenges need to be overcome before this technology can be deployed at scale. If used together, batteries and hydrogen will have a central role in facilitating the energy transition.

I would like to thank Tuur Knevels, who provided some crucial support in the drafting of this article. He is a passionate young engineer who has been active in the hydrogen and automotive industry for the past 3 years and is currently completing his degree in Aerospace Engineering whilst working as a freelance fuel cell systems engineer. We met back in July during the in-person training we organised as part of the AmPower Project. Of course, any potential incoherence in this analysis is solely attributable to me.

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16.11.2023 by