After a no-decision at the Council of February 11th, Greece’s Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos committed to passing the debate on GMOs to the Environment Council of March 3rd for discussion. Despite the fact that a clear majority of 19 EU member states (France, Italy, Hungary, Greece, Romania, Poland, the Netherlands, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovakia, Slovenia) voted against and only 5 in favour (Spain, the UK, Finland, Estonia, Sweden), while 4 abstained, “[t]he Council could not reach a qualified majority either in favour of or against a Commission proposal to authorise the placing on the market for cultivation of the genetically modified maize 1507, which is resistant to certain insects (butterfly pests)". "The Hellenic presidency commits to hold a debate on GMOs in the Environment Council", said the president of the Council, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece, Mr. Venizelos.  ¶ In accordance with the applicable rules it is now up to the Commission to authorise the maize 1507.”

According to a February 5th press release by the Finnish Environment Ministry, “[i]n recent years the state of the environment has been affected by the ongoing financial crisis. The global recession in effect made it easier to achieve goals such as the Kyoto Protocol’s targeted reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Shrinking economic activity automatically leads to reductions in the use of natural resources and energy, as well as the resulting emissions.

In the streets of many Bulgarian cities, large protests demand the protection of Bulgaria's Strandzha Nature Park. In the web, thousands have signed a petition for the same purpose. Conservation organisations, such as WWF, are determined to save this unique natural treasure. Having joined forces under the coalition "For the Nature", conservationists call on the Bulgarian Parliament and Government to pass urgent legislative changes that will to save the country's largest protected area.

The draft law on strategic investments, proposed by the Croatian Ministry of Economy is aimed at encouraging investments, ensuring economic growth and employment. The proposed Law is in contradiction with the provisions of the Constitution and other laws of the Republic of Croatia, already aligned with the EU acquis communautaire, which is particularly worrying nature conservationists in Croatia.

In a decisive vote, the European Parliament overturned the Commission’s proposal for the EU’s 2030 energy and climate framework. 

With 341 votes in favour (54%), 263 against (42%) and 26 abstentions, the Plenary called for three binding targets: 40% greenhouse gas cuts (compared with 1990 levels), at least 30% energy share from renewables and 40% energy savings.

Severe cuts to the budget of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) will seriously undermine Britain’s ability to effectively respond to crises, such as floods, tree diseases and food contamination, concludes a report produced by the House of Commons.

In the process of tax policy reform, the Government of Portugal has appointed an inter-ministerial expert commission with the mandate of drafting a proposal for green taxation.  The commission, which is composed of ten experts will submit its proposals by the end of June, opening public discussion afterwards. The final document will be ready by September 2014. Its work will be based on the principle of “fiscal neutrality”, and will pursue the reduction of taxation on labour, by transferring the tax burden on activities of high ecological footprint.

In retreat from its initial position and disregarding the European Parliament’s vote for the inclusion of shale gas operations under mandatory EIA rules (CrisisWatch 21), the European Commission will only be proposing a set of ‘soft’ recommendations for this environmentally hazardous hydrocarbon extraction technique.

Lower energy costs for industries in crisis-stricken member states, integration of the internal energy market, energy security and the interconnection of isolated island regions are the priorities of the Greek Presidency, according to Yiannis Maniatis, Greece’s environment and energy Minister. Unless Minister Maniatis surprises Europe by supporting clean energy policy initiatives, hopes are dim that the Greek EU Presidency will show the much needed climate leadership during the political debate on the 2030 climate and energy framework.

Sliding back from its own “Green Paper” of March 2013, the European Commission announced a 2030 climate and energy framework of low climate ambition.

Composed primarily of a 40% decarbonisation target and an EU-wide target of 27% renewable energy share, but no binding requirements on member states, the Commission is now halting an effort that peaked at the 2009 Copenhagen conference on climate change to decarbonise Europe’s economy.