03/12/24 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 3 December, the Energy Charter Conference adopted the modernisation of the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), with the aim of bringing it into line with the climate objectives of the Paris Agreement. This long-awaited adoption follows notifications in recent years from several parties to the treaty that they no longer wish to be part of it. In a package decision (see EUROPE 13441/36), the EU formally adopted the withdrawal of the EU and Euratom from the ECT and approved the modernisation of the Treaty to allow Member States wishing to remain contracting parties to do so in a modernised Treaty. Environmental NGOs regret, however, that it still allows climate action to be blocked and extends investor protection to “false climate solution technologies promoted by the fossil fuel industry”, such as carbon capture and storage and fossil hydrogen. (PLD)