Science & Policymaking
Europe’s heat and drought crop losses tripled in 50 years: study
The severity of crop losses driven by heat waves and drought have tripled in the last fifty years in Europe, according to a study that highlights the vulnerability of food systems to climate change.
FedEx unveils $2 billion plan to become carbon neutral by 2040
International delivery company FedEx has announced it will invest $2 billion (€1.66bn) to make its global operations carbon neutral by 2040, a task that will involve cutting the emissions of the company’s 70 aircraft and more than 30,000 vehicles operating in Europe.
‘Win-win or lose-lose’: EU scientists highlight two-faced bioenergy policies
Around 14% of bioenergy used in Europe is of unknown origin, according to an EU report, which highlights the need to improve the tracing of wood burned for electricity production.
Science must finally become the foundation of our marine policies
2021 marks the start of the UN Decade on Ocean Science – a chance to move away from past mistakes where EU decisions were not always made based on the best-available science or even went against scientific advice, writes Antonia Leroy.
UK chemicals industry faces £1 billion bill to build post-Brexit database
The UK is facing a £1 billion bill to replicate the EU’s chemical database after the government opted to leave the bloc's REACH system on 31 December.
New EU chemical evaluation promises quicker, better results
Authorising or banning potentially hazardous substances in the European Union can drag on for years and the current rules allow separate regulators to run their own assessments, sometimes leading to different outcomes. A planned new regime aims to change that.
The essence of essentiality: Get the basics right on ‘Essential Uses’
The European Commission's new chemicals plan intends to ban any substances deemed hazardous and non-essential. Violaine Verougstraete explains why a different approach to this is needed.
Waste shipment rule tweaks aim to streamline recycling
European rules that dictate how waste materials can be transported within, into and out of the EU are due an update. Industrial players insist that a review cannot come quickly enough, as the current laws are an obstacle to green policies like recycling.
‘Net zero’ climate targets? Read the fine print
The worldwide effort to prevent Earth from becoming an unlivable hothouse is in the grips of "net zero" fever.
EU still undecided over ‘essential’ hazardous materials
The European Commission’s new chemicals strategy aims to ditch hazardous and toxic substances in order to protect human health and the environment. But there will be exceptions for applications that are deemed essential. The debate over what that means is still ongoing.
Sinkevicius: Batteries are essential to Green Deal ambitions
The European Union has ambitious plans to corner a significant chunk of the global battery market but how does a new strategy aimed at regulating chemicals management affect those objectives? Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius shared his views.
Greta Thunberg urges MEPs to veto EU farm subsidy bill
The eyes of future generations are on you, Greta Thunberg told MEPs, as pressure mounts on the European Parliament to vote down the EU's massive farm subsidy bill.
Wildlife populations fell 68% since 1970s, new WWF report warns
The way humanity produces food, energy and goods is destroying the habitats of thousands of wildlife species, causing plunging population sizes and contributing to the emergence of diseases such as COVID-19, according to WWF’s Living Planet Report 2020, released on Thursday (10 September).
EU ban on neonicotinoids must be ‘strictly respected’, says Green MEP
After announcing €30 billion in support of an ecological transition last Thursday, the French government presented a controversial bill authorising an exemption from the ban on neonicotinoid insecticides, a class of pesticides suspected to be harmful to bees. German Green MEP Martin Häusling explains to EURACTIV FRANCE why he is challenging the decision.
EU microplastics ban needs to aim smaller, advisers say
A draft EU ban on microplastics would allow industry to use even smaller particles in cosmetics, detergents and paints, which could be more damaging than the tiny pieces of plastic already clogging up the natural world, campaigners and some EU advisers say.
Insurers call for more proactive EU climate change adaptation plans
The European Union's strategy to adapt to the risks of climate change needs to be much more proactive and ambitious in order to reduce the risk of natural disasters such as flooding, insurers said in response to a consultation on the issue.
Young activists call on Merkel to boost commitments on climate change
Key members of the "Fridays for Future" (FFF) movement in Berlin called on German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) on Thursday (20 August) to become more involved in the fight against global warming after what was described as a "friendly" meeting. EURACTIV France reports.
Is nickel sustainable in electrical vehicle batteries?
Electric vehicles are becoming more popular and attractive as prices fall and charging infrastructure becomes more widespread. Dr Mark Mistry explains what factors affect the sustainability of one of the most important ingredients in a car's battery: nickel.
Navigating the road ahead for battery tech
Europe's climate agenda and willingness to tag its virus-recovery efforts to green objectives mean that electric-battery technology is due for a great decade.
Why the European Green Deal needs strong methane regulations
Oil and gas companies throughout the supply chain need to do much more to bring down methane emissions immediately. And they can, writes Maarten Wetselaar.
Finnish MEP: ‘Political fight begins’ over Europe’s old-growth forests
The forests in Europe that can be considered “old growth” – and therefore declared protected areas – depends on the definition, says Petri Sarvamaa. “And that’s where the political fight begins,” he told EURACTIV in an interview.
Human impact on wildlife to blame for spread of viruses, says study
Hunting, farming and the global move of people to cities has led to massive declines in biodiversity and increased the risk of dangerous viruses like COVID-19 spilling over from animals to humans, a major study has concluded. EURACTIV's media partner, The Guardian, reports.
Emergence from emergency: The case for a holistic economic recovery plan
If you think the coronavirus is scary – it’s only the training day for what will happen if we don’t stop the climate crisis: Global warming is far more dangerous, write members of The Club of Rome.