International News

Archives - 2006

Russia and the EU agree to join efforts to promote energy efficiency
Moscow, 8 Dec. 2006 - At the second meeting of the Permanent Partnership Council (PPC) on Energy, the EU and Russia agreed to work together to enhance energy efficiency, recognising the huge mutual challenge and potential for energy savings that they quantify annually at around 400 million tonnes of oil equivalent each by the year 2020.

The EU and the countries of the Black Sea and Caspian Sea agree on a common energy strategy
Brussels, 30 Nov. 2006 - The Energy Ministerial Conference of the "Baku Initiative" was held today in Astana, Kazakhstan. The Ministerial Conference agreed on a new Energy Road Map which sets out a long-term plan for enhanced energy cooperation between all partners.
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Emissions trading: Commission decides on first set of national allocation plans for the 2008-2012 trading period
Brussels, 29 Nov. 2006 - The European Commission has confirmed its strong commitment to ensuring that the EU and Member States achieve their greenhouse gas emission targets under Kyoto Protocol. In deciding on the first 10 national plans for allocating CO2 emission allowances to energy intensive industrial plants for the 200_2012 trading period under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), the Commission reduced the allowances by almost 7% below the emissions proposed by the national allocation plans and 7% below the 2005 emissions.
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EU Energy Acors meet to discuss an external energy security policy
Brussels, 20 & 21 Nov. 2006 - The European Commission brought together in Brussels main influential players in the energy sector to discuss EU esternal energy policy and how to assure a high level of supply secority.
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Wal-Mart Approves of LED Lights but Remains Unsure About Wind Power
BENTONVILLE (Ark. USA), 13 Nov. 2006 - After one year of operating two "experimental stores" in Colorado and Texas, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is sold on at least one energy technology: LED lights. The company has already concluded that the solid-state lights, which use light-emitting diodes (LEDs), "use less electricity, contribute less heat, and have a longer lifespan" than traditional lights.
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Geothermal Power Continues to Grow Rapidly in 2006 in the United States
Washington DC, 9 Nov. 2006 - Roughly 58 new geothermal energy projects are now under development in the United States, according to a new survey from the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA).
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The French Parliament adopted a new law on Energy
Paris, 8 Nov. 2006 - The National Assembly on Nov. 7th then the Senate on Nov. 8th adopted the law on energy.
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Nicolas HULOT (a famous French environmentalist and former TV show host) talks to the future candidate for the French presidency election and calls for an ecological pact
Paris, 7 Nov. 2006 - According to CSA poll, Nicolas HULOT would get 7% if he ran to the Presidency election. He now calls for an ecological pact between all candidates and among all French citizens. Ten objectives and five proposals are identified. The two first proposals are to designate a vice-prime minister dedicated to Sustainable Development and to set up carbon tax that would increase until carbon emissions are divided by four.
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IEA World Energy Outlook 2006 Maps Out a Cleaner, Cleverer and More Competitive Energy Future
London, 7 Nov. 2006 - "World political leaders have decided to act with resolution and urgency to change the energy future. The World Energy Outlook 2006 shows how to make that happen”, said Claude Mandil, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) at the launch of the latest edition of the Outlook – the annual flagship publication of the IEA.
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The EU Council and the European Parliament reached an agreement on Aid for Trade and the Development Cooperation Instrument
Luxembourg, 16-17 October 2006 - At this session of the General Affairs External Relations Council– The Council agreed that the EU should move ahead with pledges made last year to make 2 000 million EURO available annually by 2010 for “Aid for Trade”. The Council also confirmed its political agreement on the content of one of the EU's most important tools for funding its development cooperation activities: the Development Cooperation Instrument. It comes with a budget of almost 17 000 million EURO for the period 2007-2013. These funds (previously decided) are in addition to the 22 700 million EURO already agreed for the specific group of ACP countries last June - bringing the total of EU funds (excluding Member States' national budgets) to almost EURO 40 000 million.
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