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international news

EU UNVEILS NEW JAPAN VOWS TO BECOME

ENERGY EFFICIENCY
STRATEGY TO RETROFIT CARBON NEUTRAL BY 2050
35M BUILDINGS

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION has
unveiled a new energy efficiency
strategy that could see 35 million
buildings renovated and up to
160,000 green jobs created.
The strategy, named ‘Renovation
Wave’ will prioritise the
decarbonisation of heating and
cooling, tackling energy poverty,
upgrading the worst-performing JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER
buildings and renovating public YOSHIHIDE SUGA
buildings such as schools, hospitals
and administrative buildings, JAPAN HAS ANNOUNCED plans that will bring about economic growth.
according to Energy Live News. to become carbon-neutral by 2050, We need to change our mindset.”
The plan is to offer a set of reports Reuters. According to Japan’s Ministry of
policy measures, funding tools and Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga Environment, the country’s total
technical assistance instruments addressed the national parliament, greenhouse gas emissions in the fiscal
that could accelerate the renovation confirming that the country is aiming to year 2018 were 1,244 million tonnes of
of buildings and the improvement of cut 100 per cent of its greenhouse gas carbon dioxide equivalents, a 3.6 per cent
their energy performance. emissions by 2050. decrease compared to those in 2017.
The European Commission He said: “Global warming measures One month earlier, Chinese President
will also examine how its funding are no longer obstacles to economic Xi Jinping announced the country’s
mechanisms could support national growth. We need to change our pledge to become carbon neutral by 2060.
energy efficiency and savings schemes thinking to the view that taking In the last few years, Japan has
targeting lower-income populations. assertive measures against climate been accused of being the world’s fifth
change will lead to changes in largest emitter in the world and for not
industrial structure and the economy taking aggressive climate action.

US STEPS UP SANCTIONS PRESSURE ON NORD are prepared to use the full range
of sanctions authorities to halt
STREAM 2 GAS PIPELINE CONTRACTORS construction of these pipelines,” the
State Department said.
The guidance says the US will
THE US STATE DEPARTMENT has vessels laying pipe at least 100 feet below not impose sanctions on those who
widened the scope of sanctions against sea level for Nord Stream 2, TurkStream violate the law’s “if those persons
the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline pipeline or any successor project. immediately engage in, and complete
and warned companies involved in According to S&P Global Platts, within 30 days, a good-faith wind
the final installation that they face it added that companies providing down of such activities upon the
sanctions if they do not wind down “facilities for upgrades or installation issuance of this clarification.”
their activities. of equipment for those vessels,” or The action comes after Germany’s
The new guidance expands on the funding for such work also faced Foreign Minister gave a new boost to
State Department’s interpretation of potential sanctions. the Nord Stream 2 project, saying in
Congress’ Protecting Europe’s Energy “The Department of State and October that he “assumes” the project
Security Act of 2019, which targets the Department of the Treasury will be completed.
A little over 150km of Nord Stream
2 remains to be laid in Danish and
German waters, but with the political
debate becoming ever more frenzied,
NORD STREAM 2
it remains unclear how and when the
pipeline will be completed.
Russia and the US continue to trade
blows over the project, particularly since
the poisoning of Russian opposition
RUSSIA AND THE US CONTINUE TO
TRADE BLOWS OVER THE PROJECT politician Alexei Navalny in August.

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News.indd 6 19/11/2020 16:31