Science & Policymaking
Cost-benefit analysis does not work well for wicked problems like climate change
What is the monetary value of being able to breathe in Beijing or New Delhi without discomfort? Beyond the simple numerical challenges, cost-benefit analysis has an inherent ethical blind spot, writes Kevin Noone.
Climate change made June heatwave ‘at least 5 times more likely’, scientists say
Last week’s record-breaking temperatures in France and other parts of Europe were at least five times more likely to happen – and potentially even 100 times more – because of climate change, according to a rapid analysis by leading climate scientists at the World Weather Attribution group.
France’s newly implemented deposit-return scheme receives strong criticism
A deposit-return scheme not yet launched in France is already being strongly criticised by local authorities and recyclers, who consider it ineffective and regret not having been sufficiently consulted about it. EURACTIV's partner le Journal de l'Environnement reports.
Pope Francis calls for ‘radical energy transition’ to stem global warming
Pope Francis said on Friday (14 June) that carbon pricing is “essential” to stem global warming – his clearest statement yet in support of penalising polluters – and appealed to climate change deniers to listen to science.
Today’s diets are eating away at our future food supplies, but we can change this
Thousands of overlooked yet beneficial crop species are threatened unless we learn to conserve, farm and consume them, writes Juan Lucas Restrepo.
Will the newly elected MEPs tackle one of the most serious threats to our planet?
The importance of nature to human life is often forgotten, even though we depend on it for fresh water, productive agriculture and many more economic activities. Encouragingly, it seems that there is a growing awareness of the importance of conserving biodiversity amongst the general public, writes Janice Weatherley-Singh.
Silence please! Marine mammals are dying
Shipping, oil and gas exploration, military sonar, and underwater construction are all creating an enormous amount of noise that reduce the ability of whales, dolphins, and other marine wildlife to feed, breed, communicate and ultimately, survive, writes Eleonora Panella.
Bas Eickhout: EU carbon market needs alignment with 2050 goal
The next European Commission will have to reopen the Emissions Trading Scheme directive if it is serious about reaching carbon neutrality by 2050, argues Bas Eickhout, warning the next Commission chief will need to find a broader majority in the European Parliament than his predecessor.
Manfred Weber: ‘Environmental issues are one of my areas of expertise’
The lead candidate for the centre-right in this week’s European elections says “Europe must move towards net-zero emissions by 2050,” voicing his belief in innovation and new technologies to drive the decarbonisation agenda if he becomes the next president of the European Commission.
Students’ climate strikes: Right goals but wrong words
The students striking are heroes, but their moral arguments need to be further developed if they want to reach new audiences, writes Darrick Evensen.
Human society under urgent threat from loss of Earth’s natural life
A landmark UN report published yesterday (6 May) reveals 1 million species are at risk of extinction, with agriculture and fishing the primary causes of the deterioration, which also threatens humankind. EURACTIV's media partner, The Guardian, reports.
Jan Zahradil, champion of ‘common sense’ EU environmentalism
The lead candidate for the European Conservatives at next month’s EU elections has made climate policy and other environmental issues one of his key election themes. But can he square up his green agenda with his passion for national sovereignty? EURACTIV tried to find out.
What EU innovation policy can learn from professional cycling
Mission-oriented innovation is potentially significant in tackling big societal challenges such as climate change. When establishing those missions, the EU could take a few lessons from Britain’s most successful cycling team, writes Simon Skillings.
ExxonMobil misled the public. Now they’re trying to mislead the European Parliament
Last month, US oil giant ExxonMobil was invited by the European Parliament to testify publicly about the history of climate change denial. But instead of responding transparently, they tried behind the scenes to discredit the peer-reviewed research conducted by Harvard University researchers, writes Geoffrey Supran.
Watch: Greta Thunberg’s full address to EU politicians in Brussels
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was in Brussels on Thursday (21 February) to take part in one of the climate school strikes that have taken place every week in Belgium since December. EURACTIV.com does not usually publish speeches. But we...
Greta Thunberg: ‘We just want politicians to listen to the scientists’
School kids are on climate strike “because we have done our homework” and listened to science, 16-year-old green activist Greta Thunberg told EU policymakers in Brussels today (21 February). “Just unite behind the science, that is our demand,” she said.
New treaty bans commercial fishing in the Arctic for 16 years
The European Union and nine other countries, including the US and Russia, approved an international agreement on Thursday (14 February) that will prohibit commercial vessels from fishing in the Arctic in order to preserve the region's fragile ecosystem. VideoPromoted content
Explaining risk versus hazard
The terms “risk” and “hazard” are regularly used by scientists, industry and regulators. But what do they mean? And what is the difference between them?
Scientists tell Belgian school kids on climate strike: ‘You’re right!’
A group of more than 3,000 scientists have given their backing to thousands of Belgian school children who took to the streets for the fourth week in a row on Thursday (30 January) to ask for more ambitious climate policies.
Scientists call for radical change of diet to transform global food system
The global food system needs urgent reform, less meat consumption and more legumes, as three billion people worldwide are malnourished and food production is exceeding planetary boundaries, scientists have warned in a new report. InfographicPromoted content
Nickel energizing batteries
While nickel is not always in the name, its presence in many battery technologies is helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions - enabling clean energy solutions to be a central part of our effort to tackle global warming.
With climate change, life in the Gulf could become impossible
In the second half of the century, most of the territory bordering the Gulf, Red Sea and Arabian Sea could experience “wet bulb temperatures” making outdoor activities practically impossible, writes Jonathan Gornall, warning this could create social upheaval on the grandest of scales.
Climate change is a problem of politics, not science
The scientific, economic and social arguments for aggressive action on climate change are powerful. Our political leaders are now at a fork in the road and our children and grandchildren are watching, write Valérie Masson-Delmotte and Jiang Kejun.