The ‘circular economy' is gaining momentum as a concept in both academic and policy circles, and circular business models have been linked to significant economic benefits. This paper identifies barriers and enablers to adopting circular economy business practices, and presents key messages...

In December 2015, the European Commission published the new Circular Economy Package, containing a host of initiatives to reduce waste and to increase the longevity of products and materials, but it failed to set a headline target for reducing the EU's use of resources. Such a target could help...

As part of the “Clean Energy for All Europeans” package, the European Commission has proposed a Regulation on risk-preparedness in the electricity sector that aims to improve cooperation among member states in preventing, preparing for and managing electricity crises. To reap the benefits of...

This paper analyzes the variety of different external aid initiatives and financing mechanisms of the European Commission addressing climate change and development objectives, such as those stemming from the 2004 EU Action Plan on Climate Change and Development, from the Global Climate Change...

Regional Energy Policy Cooperation has now gained political traction in the EU as a tool to advance the EU's energy objectives. Cooperation and coordination is meant to facilitate the convergence of markets and policies, so while the creation of one EU Internal Energy Market remains the goal,...

The aim of the paper is to identify and evaluate existing and potential EU energy supply risks on the basis of a sector-specific approach. Moving away from common generalizations on security of energy supply as well as from those studies that focus only on one sector, it brings together all...

For some time now, CEPS has participated in a project funded by the European Commission called 'Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies: Supporting European Climate Policy' (ADAM). One research stream within the ADAM project focuses on the implications of mitigation and adaptation strategies for...

Parallel zur damaligen wirtschaftspolitischen Lissabon-Strategie definierte die Europäische Union (EU) 2001 in einer europäischen Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie (im Folgenden: ENS) Ziele für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung, insbesondere in den Bereichen Klimaschutz, Verkehr, Gesundheit,...

The disastrous effects of numerous winter storms on the marine environment in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea during the last decade show that wind waves generated by strong winds actually represent natural hazards and require high quality wave forecast systems as warning tools to avoid losses...