Tag: Pollution

British judges ruled yesterday (1 May) that the British government has breached EU air quality rules and asked the European Court of Justice for guidance on what action needs to be taken, delaying immediate improvements to air pollution.

The European Commission has hailed a UN agreement that will establish the first global treaty to cut mercury pollution. Specific household items will be blacklisted and new controls on power plants and small-scale mines will be introduced, the United Nations said on Saturday (19 January).

Europe's cities are the main engines of economic growth, but personal vehicles continue to generate severe pollution and congestion despite efforts to reverse the trend, the European Commission warned as it launched its annual Mobility Week campaign and a new initiative on clean transport.

Environmentalists are calling on European countries to achieve a minimum 50% reduction in marine waste as part of commitments they must make under EU law.

Hydrogen vehicles are nimble, quiet and easy on the environment, and auto manufacturers are eyeing a commercial launch within a few years despite a lack of infrastructure for refuelling stations.

With seven months to go before the London Olympics, the British government has admitted in court that it violated European Union air quality laws by missing deadlines to address high levels of urban pollution.

The Australian government's decision to set the carbon tax in its new CO2 trading scheme too high may trigger a market shock when the price free-floats in 2015, analysts warned.

After long negotiations, EU environment ministers yesterday (25 June) reached a political agreement to tighten rules on harmful industrial emissions, which are responsible for damage like acid rain. But tensions with environmentalists are expected to resurface when the bill returns to the European Parliament later this year or next.

MEPs yesterday (10 March) confirmed their commitment to EU-wide limits for industrial pollution, but with more flexibility in granting permits.

The European Parliament's environment committee yesterday (22 January) approved the introduction of EU-wide emission limits to a Commission proposal to revise an EU directive regulating industrial pollution.

The European Parliament is heading for a clash with member states after it pushed through new rules on flag-state compliance and the civil liability of shipowners, despite opposition from governments.

After eight years of negotiation, the European Parliament has reached an agreement with member states on legislation that will force national governments to apply criminal sanctions to those causing deliberate or negligent damage to the environment.

While international efforts to clean up shipping made significant progress last week with a compromise on cutting air pollution from ships, a meeting of European transport ministers today (7 April) could see EU ambitions to tackle maritime pollution scaled down.

Ahead of a November plenary vote, MEPs in the Parliament's Environment Committee voted on 9 October in favour of a Commission proposal that gives member states considerable room for manouevre on soil protection.

Prosecutors have requested maximum fines for French oil company Total and imprisonment for the manager and the owner of the Erika tanker, for their role in the sinking of the Erika ship, which caused a major oil spill, devastating the French coast in 1999.

The transport commissioner may propose a European legal framework that would give cities the possibility of introducing congestion charging schemes similar to London's – a move previously forbidden in some member states.

The strategy will cost Europe some €7.1 billion every year, down from the €12 billion initially proposed by Environment Commissioner Dimas. But the health benefits alone will be fivefold, he said.

Member states have agreed to international maritime safety rules to protect EU shores from oil spills. Recognition of sailors' qualifications is also to be made easier to cut down on red tape and favour mobility.

In 2003, over a third of all complaints and ongoing infringement cases concerning non-compliance with EU law were in the environment sector.

The Parliament's environment Committee voted on 21 January 2004 in favour of imposing clear limit values on heavy metals released in ambient air.

Those who quit smoking and leave their car at home can significantly reduce their - and others' - exposure to harmful air pollutants, according to a study published by the Commission on 30 June.

On 2 May, the Commission adopted a proposal for a Framework Decision under the third pillar, which defines the sanctions to be applied in cases of ship-source pollution. The respective draft Directive was adopted earlier this year.

While the Commission has ruled out any possibility of relaxing the EU's state aid rules, it has suggested measures of limited scope to help European airlines to survive the impact of the Iraq war.

In a bid to stop deliberate discharges of oil and chemical residues at sea, the Commission has adopted a draft Directive imposing criminal sanctions for marine pollution by ships.