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Opportunity Green

@opportunitygreen.org
4K followers 209 following 595 posts

Opportunity Green is tackling climate change with law, policy and economics to achieve equity, justice, and accountability. www.opportunitygreen.org

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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 01/10/2026
🌱📺 Introducing ‘Climate Heroes’ – our new series featuring people who inspire us in the climate space. We’re kicking things off with Paul Dickinson, talking climate, AI and optimism. Watch the first episode below 👇 – and stay tuned for more Climate Heroes! #ClimateSky #ClimateHeroes
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Climate Heroes #1: Paul Dickinson on climate, AI and optimism
CDP co-founder Paul Dickinson discusses AI’s energy impact, climate optimism, and why solutions are within reach. Watch the first Climate Heroes interview.
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 30/09/2026
Together with @dryade-ngo.bsky.social, @fossielvrijnl.bsky.social and @protectourwinters.at, and supported by @claw-climatelaw.bsky.social, we are carefully reviewing the judgment and considering our next steps, including whether to appeal. Read our FAQ below to learn more👇
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EU Taxonomy ruling on aviation and shipping
What does the EU Taxonomy court ruling mean for aviation and shipping? Our FAQ explains why the criteria were challenged, what the Court decided and what could happen next.
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 30/09/2026
That risks locking in fossil fuel use for decades, directing green finance towards high-emitting activities and creating risks of greenwashing and stranded assets.
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 30/09/2026
However, the Court did not reject the aviation criteria and other elements of the shipping criteria, meaning fossil-fuelled planes and ships can still be labelled as sustainable investments under the EU Taxonomy.
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 30/09/2026
It also sends a strong signal beyond the shipping sector: gas is not a clean transition fuel. Its climate impacts, including highly damaging methane emissions, cannot simply be ignored.
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 30/09/2026
The ruling finds that the European Commission had failed to set a quantifiable limit for methane slippage from ships. This is particularly significant for fossil LNG-powered vessels, where unburned methane can escape into the atmosphere. The Commission must now address this gap.
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 30/09/2026
⚖️🇪🇺 BREAKING: The EU General Court has ruled on our challenge to the EU Taxonomy’s aviation and shipping criteria. The good news: the Court found part of the shipping criteria unlawful. But our core concern remains unresolved. 👇🧵 #ClimateSky #GreenSky #EUTaxonomy
We welcome the Court’s finding that part of the shipping Taxonomy criteria is unlawful, risking letting LNG-powered ships producing significant quantities of the super-pollutant methane be considered ‘green’ investments. This ruling is a crucial confirmation that the European Commission's discretion is not a blank cheque. 

David Kay
Legal Director, Opportunity Green
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 09/09/2026
⏰ The EU has a chance to change course. As proposals to extend aviation ETS coverage move through the European Parliament and Council, we’re calling for: 💶 No free allowances for airlines. 🌍 ETS coverage for all flights departing Europe. 💨 A fee for airlines that fail to address contrail impacts.
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How EU free allowances drove airline profits, not progress
European airlines received €10.9bn in free carbon allowances that padded profits rather than driving green investment. Read our report calling for EU ETS reform.
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 09/09/2026
A narrative we’re likely to hear emerge from airlines, as the likelihood of a scope extension grows. The evidence suggests free allowances have contributed to profits and shareholder payouts rather than driving the lower ticket prices and sustainable investment the policy was intended to deliver.
How much do airlines actually pay for their climate damages?
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 09/09/2026
And their operations were associated with an estimated €320bn in accumulated climate costs. The numbers raise a fundamental question: What were free allowances actually achieving? Our analysis challenges an old industry narrative that airlines need free allowances to remain competitive.
The cost of airline climate damages
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 09/09/2026
Yet they spent just €1bn on decarbonisation, including sustainable aviation fuel and ground-equipment electrification. At the same time, these six airline groups generated €21bn in profits.
The six major airline groups, billion by billion
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 09/09/2026
New analysis from Opportunity Green and CE Delft finds that between 2013 and 2025, European airlines received €10.9bn in free allowances. Six of the continent’s largest airline groups – Lufthansa Group, Ryanair, easyJet, IAG, Air France-KLM and Wizz Air – received €6bn of that total.
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 09/09/2026
For more than a decade, airlines have received billions in free carbon allowances under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). The argument: protect competitiveness while giving airlines an incentive to invest in greener operations. But did it actually work?
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 09/09/2026
✈️ €10.9bn in free carbon allowances went to European airlines between 2013 and 2025. How much did they spend on decarbonisation? Just €1bn. So where did the rest go? 🧵
€10.9bn in free allowances, straight to airline profits
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 08/09/2026
The window for action is now. ⏰ The Council wants a position by mid-December, while Parliament's draft report lands this autumn. The coming months will decide whether this measure gets fixed, or hollowed out. We unpack the proposal and what a real fix looks like 👇 🧵 5/5
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Contrails in the EU ETS: a proposal with good intentions but no teeth
The EU’s new contrail policy rewards airlines for forecasting non-CO2 impacts without requiring avoidance. Here is why the proposal falls short and how to fix it.
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 08/09/2026
Introduce an avoidable fee from 2028: airlines pay UNLESS they act. Requirements would tighten over time: ➡️ Forecasting: 2028 ➡️ Proven avoidance on the most warming routes: 2030 ➡️ Fuel-based measures: 2032 🧵 4/5
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 08/09/2026
And nobody pays for the climate impact of the contrails they create – even though the Commission's own memorandum admits they're at least as significant as CO₂. Meaningful action is deferred beyond 2033. Our alternative? 💡 🧵 3/5
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 08/09/2026
Under the proposal, airlines receive free ETS allowances for forecasting contrails and asking flight planners to “consider” them. ➡️ But forecasting isn’t avoidance. An airline can claim the full reward without changing a single flight path. 🧵 2/5
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 08/09/2026
✈️ Contrails may have caused more than HALF of aviation's climate warming to date. In July, the European Commission proposed the EU's first-ever measure to reduce them. Sounds like a breakthrough, right? Look closer. 🔍👇 🧵1/5 #EUETS #Contrails #ClimateSky #GreenSky
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 07/09/2026
💚 Positive Climate Stories from August From falling deforestation in the Amazon and cleaner air helping London children’s lungs grow, to Nepal’s tiger population more than tripling in 17 years, there were plenty of reasons for hope. Read the full article👇 opportunitygreen.org/organisation...
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Positive Climate Stories in August 2026 - Opportunity Green
From falling deforestation in the Amazon to cleaner air helping London children’s lungs grow, discover the top positive climate stories of August 2026.
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 18/08/2026
Data centres should be one of the easiest industries to decarbonise. So why aren’t all new centres powered by renewables? Grid constraints, 24/7 demand and cost/speed are key barriers. Europe needs infrastructure and policy to close the gap. Read our latest insight 👇 #ClimateSky #Datacentres
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The barriers to 100% renewable data centres
With AI data centre demand growing, one would expect a push towards 100% renewable data centres. However, this is not the reality.
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 11/08/2026
💚Positive Climate News from July Between heatwaves and devastating fires, the impacts of climate change were impossible to ignore. But amid the challenges, there were also reasons for hope – from tighter data centre rules to solar generating a quarter of the EU’s electricity, and more.👇 #GoodNews
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Positive Climate Stories in July 2026 - Opportunity Green
From tighter rules on data centres to solar generating a quarter of the EU's electricity, discover the top positive climate stories of July 2026.
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Reposted by Opportunity Green
Climate Adaptation and Restoration Team @clubadaptation.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Letter: EU carbon pricing rules need to cover all aviation emissions-There is still time for the EU to provide a hint of relief from Europe’s climate-worsened summer of heatwaves, droughts and wildfires, but… www.ft.com/content/4868... James Kershaw @opportunitygreen.org
ft.com
Letter: EU carbon pricing rules need to cover all aviation emissions
From James Kershaw, Scientific Manager, Opportunity Green, London EC4, UK
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 04/08/2026
Here are our 5 simple fixes: 1️⃣ Tell people Sail & Rail exists 2️⃣ Line up train, ferry and bus timetables 3️⃣ Make it easier to book 4️⃣ Be clear on passenger rights 5️⃣ Prioritise foot and cycle passengers 🔗 Read the full blog to find out more: opportunitygreen.org/shipping/ins...
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 04/08/2026
A return Dublin–London flight emits ~108kg CO₂ per passenger, or roughly 5 weeks of electricity for an Irish home. And that's before contrails. The low-carbon option already exists. It just needs to be easier to choose. 🧵5/6
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 04/08/2026
New polling from Opportunity Green via Ireland Thinks shows 2 in 5 people in Ireland would consider Sail & Rail – but 1 in 7 have never heard of it. You can't choose an option you don't know exists. 🧵4/6
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 04/08/2026
Lucy travels to Rosslare – she books by phone, not online, because it hasn't worked for her before: "It's not easy to find information about this way of travelling. Rail and Sail tickets are fantastically good value – but very few people know about them." 🧵3/6
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 04/08/2026
Meghan travels this way regularly between London and Belfast: "On a few occasions, a delay on the train has meant missing my ferry connection, and vice versa. If operators teamed up and connected their timetables, it would be much better." 🧵2/6
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 04/08/2026
London–Dublin is one of Europe's busiest city air routes with 91 flights a day. But a cheaper, greener option already exists – Sail & Rail, from £40/€47. So why doesn't anyone use it? We asked people who do in our latest blog: opportunitygreen.org/shipping/ins... 🧵1/6
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5 simple fixes for Sail & Rail travel across the Irish Sea - Opportunity Green
Five ways that governments and travel operators could help travellers make the switch to rail and sail from London to Dublin.
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 03/08/2026
This is an opportunity to redirect critical investments towards the industries of the future, including high-speed rail, renewable energy and public transport, where France has many national champions BAE can support. Watch this space for updates.  🧵6/6
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 03/08/2026
We are calling on BAE to assess and account for the impacts of both its future and ongoing projects. As a public service provider, BAE has a legal responsibility to support the transition away from fossil fuels. 🧵5/6
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 03/08/2026
BAE has yet to carry out a single impact assessment for the aviation and cruise industries, despite claiming to assess the environmental and social impacts of the projects it supports. 🧵4/6
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 03/08/2026
BAE is France’s ECA, a state-backed company that helps French companies win major international contracts by guaranteeing them against financial and political risks. Yet, while banks and investors face increasing scrutiny, ECAs have largely remained a major climate blind spot. 🧵3/6
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 03/08/2026
Together with @notreaffaireatous.bsky.social, we have sent a legal letter asking Bpifrance Assurance Export (BAE) to assess and account for the climate, environmental and social impacts of the financial support it provides to the aviation and cruise industries. 🧵2/6
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 03/08/2026
⚖️ France’s public money is fuelling some of the travel industry’s biggest emitters completely unchecked. Through its Export Credit Agency (ECA), the French government provides billions in support for the construction of highly polluting aircraft and mega-cruise ships. 🧵👇 #ClimateSky #LawSky
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 20/07/2026
❓What does this mean? The Commission has allowed geopolitical considerations to outweigh climate impact and economic fairness. 📢 We call on the Parliament and the Council to rectify this inequity during the legislative process and extend the ETS to all departing flights. 🧵5/5
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 20/07/2026
💰Some of the world's biggest aviation markets are exempt – like the US and China – leaving the most polluting long-haul flights with no incentive to decarbonise. 🌍 Flights to destinations like North Africa are included, despite representing far less aviation traffic to and from Europe. 🧵4/5
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 20/07/2026
The Commission proposes extending the ETS only to flights departing for destinations within a 5,000 km radius of Frankfurt – and only from 2029. The result? 🤔👇 🧵3/5
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 20/07/2026
The good news: more international flights would finally be brought under the EU ETS, incentivising more of the aviation industry to decarbonise. But the progress comes with a major caveat. 🧵2/5
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 20/07/2026
✈️ After exempting international flights from the ETS for more than a decade, the European Commission released their long-awaited ETS proposal on Friday. So, does this exemption still stand? Partly...🧵👇 #ClimateSky #GreenSky #ETS
EU ETS proposal: a partial solution to a major climate challenge
Despite recognising that aviation could account for 90% of EU transport emissions by 2050, the European Commission has proposed only a partial solution.
The proposal:
✅ Expands the EU ETS to more international flights – a welcome step forward.
❌ Still excludes some of the world’s largest aviation markets, such as the US and China, while covering lower-traffic routes like North Africa.

By prioritising geopolitical considerations over climate impact and economic fairness, the Commission is falling short of the ambition needed.
📢 The Parliament and Council must strengthen the proposal and extend the ETS to all departing flights.
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Reposted by Opportunity Green
Stay Grounded @staygroundednet.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Want to legally challenge airport expansion? ⚖️ Our new toolkit with @opportunitygreen.org maps potential routes in the EU on air quality, biodiversity, climate, and noise - plus examples and resources. Another tool for the fight for #RedLinesForAirports 🙌 ➡️ stay-grounded.org/project/tool...
Toolkit: Legal avenues to challenge airport expansionWhat is included?

▶ How measures like caps or other reductions in airport capacity can be introduced under current EU legislation to inform campaigns for such caps.

▶ Potential legal avenues to challenge new airports andairport expansions.

▶ Provides several case studies from the UK to the Netherlands or Belgium.

This toolkit focuses on EU law. drawing out the most promising routes and avenues for legal campaigns and challenges under the framework.
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 07/07/2026
💚 Positive Climate Stories news from June From a landmark court ruling on TotalEnergies' indirect emissions to Scotland halving its greenhouse gas emissions since 1990, read the full article below. 👇 opportunitygreen.org/organisation...
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Positive Climate Stories in June 2026 - Opportunity Green
From Scotland halving emissions to a major court ruling on corporate accountability, read the top positive climate stories and insights from June 2026.
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 02/07/2026
📄 Our new briefing sets out the mounting legal exposure for states and manufacturers alike, and why inaction is becoming an increasingly costly position to defend. Read it here: opportunitygreen.org/climate-law/... 🧵5/5
opportunitygreen.org
Loaded: the legal risks of air pollution from Heavy-Duty Vehicles
Heavy-duty vehicles produce a disproportionate share of air pollution despite making up only 3% of vehicles. This briefing explores the growing legal, financial and regulatory risks facing governments...
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 02/07/2026
⚖️ The legal landscape is shifting decisively. Courts are increasingly willing to hold governments and manufacturers to account – from landmark rulings at the ECtHR and ICJ, to a wave of domestic litigation across Europe. 🧵4/5
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 02/07/2026
🧒 Trucks sold by just 4 major manufacturers between 2014–2023 are projected to cause 307,000 premature deaths and 217,000 new childhood asthma cases over their lifetime – at a cost of $1.4tn. 🧵3/5
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 02/07/2026
🚚 Trucks make up only ~3% of vehicles on the road, yet cause roughly a third of road transport CO₂ emissions and the vast majority of on-road NOx emissions. 🧵2/5
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 02/07/2026
🚛 Diesel trucks are a legal and financial time bomb hiding in plain sight. They make up just 3% of vehicles on the road, yet cause a death toll that rivals some of the world's worst environmental disasters. Here's why it matters 🧵👇 #ClimateSky #GreenSky
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 18/06/2026
Subsidies keep propping up high-emission production, while rising biofuel demand pressures land and food security. Our briefing sets out recommendations for a just, 1.5°C-aligned transition, including safeguards against harmful biofuels and scaled-up, redirected climate finance. Read 👇 🧵4/4
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Sustainable agriculture and equitable food systems transformation
How can we transform global agriculture to meet 1.5°C climate goals? Explore key policy recommendations for sustainable food systems and finance.
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 18/06/2026
Even if fossil fuels vanished overnight, emissions from today's food system alone could still push us past 1.5°C. Yet only a fraction of climate finance reaches agriculture, far short of the $430–500bn needed annually for a sustainable transition. 🧵3/4
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Opportunity Green @opportunitygreen.org · 18/06/2026
Agriculture, forestry and land use caused 13–21% of global emissions (2010–2019). Food systems overall = ~1/3 of all global emissions in 2015. Agriculture also drives ~40% of global methane, mostly from livestock, plus most fertiliser-driven nitrous oxide (a gas ~270x more potent than CO₂). 🧵2/4
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