About: Biodiversity
With a ‘Farm to Fork’ Strategy on the cards, is the EU finally listening to its citizens?
The Farm to Fork strategy will reveal whether the new Commission is ready to overhaul some of the EU’s most unsustainable policies and the vested interests behind them but leaked drafts suggest that it will not be truly systemic and...
Europe’s environment ‘at a tipping point’, EU agency says
Europe faces environmental challenges “of unprecedented scale and urgency,” according to a comprehensive overview of air, land and water ecosystems published on Wednesday (4 December) by the European Environment Agency.
Devastating marks for Europe’s environment policies
The verdict of the EEA’s “State of the Environment Report 2020” is scathing. But if we get it right, the European Green Deal can provide us with a unique opportunity to turn the tide, writes Ester Asin.
COP25 will determine climate’s ‘crucial’ year
This year's COP25, which takes place in Madrid in December, will be the start of a crucial year for the environment. By next March, the EU needs to fine-tune its Green Deal and by the end of 2020, China and India will have to be able to anchor themselves to raise ambitions on a more global level. EURACTIV France reports.
Only 1.5% of France’s waters are truly protected, expert says
To what degree are French waters genuinely protected? In an interview with EURACTIV's partner le Journal de l'Environnement, conducted after the fourth National Marine Protected Areas Congress (23-24 October), Élodie Martinie-Cousty of the France Nature Environnement (FNE) explained the situation.
Electric fishing kills 57% of the seabed’s population, study reveals
The UK's Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science is due to publish a study according to which pulse trawling, also known as electric fishing, kills off more than half of the seabed species, while traditional fishing methods only impact 21%. EURACTIV's partner le Journal de l'Environnement reports.
Agricultural sector should focus on achieving greater yield stability, experts say
Ever since the European Commission presented its proposals for the Common Agricultural Policy for 2021, negotiations have been slow. And there is still no agreement on issues related to the environment or innovation. EURACTIV Germany takes stock of a workshop it organised about these issues on Friday (27 September).
First ‘millennial’ Commissioner to address challenges for Generation Z
Putting the youngest ever Commissioner-designate in charge of managing the most fearful threats for future generations of Europeans, such as environment protection and oceans' conservation, is the biggest gamble Ursula von der Leyen took in composing her team.
International negotiations to protect the high seas advancing at ‘snail’s pace’
The third session of negotiations on the preservation of marine biodiversity in the high seas held under a UN Intergovernmental Conference came to an end in New York on 30 August. However, negotiations only resulted in a framework for a future treaty. EURACTIV's partner le Journal de l'environnement reports.
G7 summit did little to solve global environmental crisis
Environment, biodiversity and the climate were all on the agenda during the three days of the G7 summit held on 24-26 August in Biarritz, France. However, few concrete decisions were taken. EURACTIV's partner Le Journal de l'environnement reports.
Pressure mounting on EU to end ivory trade
Amid growing calls for an outright ban, the European Union has come under increasing pressure to help protect African elephants by ending the trade of ivory within its borders.
Romanian national parks and forest at risk
Romania hosts the largest remains of natural and old growth forests in the whole of the EU. However, they are not on the safe side yet, writes Luc Bas.
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.
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.
Climate progress is key to reinvigorate European project
If the EU is to regain trust and achieve a renewed social contract, the most progressive response to the climate crisis must be at the core of its new mission, writes Martin Porter.
EU clean water laws under attack from industry lobbyists
Industry lobbies are mounting a push to roll back EU clean water regulations, even though less than half of the continent’s rivers, wetlands and lakes are in a healthy state. EURACTIV's media partner, The Guardian, reports.
Today, the EU has used up nature’s budget for the year
Did you think Europe was doing relatively well, environmentally speaking? EU Overshoot Day is your reality check. The EU elections and the response of EU leaders will be crucial to turn the tide, writes Ester Asin.
EU nations are living far beyond the Earth’s means, WWF warns
The European Union's 28 countries consume the Earth's resources much faster than they can be renewed, and none of them has sustainable consumption policies, a report released on Thursday said, as EU leaders meet to discuss priorities for the next five years.
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.
Private sector is part of the solution in bioeconomy, experts say
The private sector has a key role to play in promoting bioeconomy in the agrifood sector, high-level experts have told EURACTIV.com. However, they said the risk of depriving the food production system of organic resources must be weighed up.
The bioeconomy in the post-2020 CAP
Over 18 million people across the EU were employed in the bioeconomy in 2015 – mainly in the agriculture, food and beverage sectors, according to the European Commission's Joint Research Centre.
Groundwater: Nitrate pollution will continue to be an issue across generations
For years, the EU Commission has warned Germany about illegally high levels of nitrate in groundwater. The European Court of Justice even ruled on the issue in June. Now, the German government is working on a new Fertiliser Regulation. However, the groundwater is expected to remain contaminated for many more years. EURACTIV Germany reports.