About: environment

Five reasons to be optimistic about the environment

Let's face it, when it comes to the environment, there isn't much to rejoice about. So to spare you a long summer of eco-anxiety, we looked for some glimmers of hope. Here are five reasons to be optimistic.

OECD calls on members to speed up reforms, focus on innovation

In its annual growth report, the OECD painted a gloomy picture: rising inequalities, slowing growth and strong headwinds for the global market economy, notably because of trade wars. EURACTIV Germany summarised the OECD's recommendations for Europe.

Germany wants UN Security Council more involved in mitigating climate crisis

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas launched a call for action on Tuesday (4 June) that aims to develop real solutions that would mitigate the security risks of climate change. EURACTIV Germany reports.

French low-carbon label plants seeds of agricultural and forestry transition

A new label aims to encourage the emergence of projects that reduce and sequester greenhouse gas emissions. EURACTIV’s partner le Journal de l’Environnement reports.

French professional League and WWF join forces to boost sustainability in football

The French professional football governing body and the environmental NGO WWF signed a partnership in April to reduce the ecological footprint of football clubs.

European voters more concerned by living costs, less by migration

A new study reveals that migration is not the primary concern of European voters who are more concerned with national issues such as corruption, unemployment or costs of living. EURACTIV France reports.

French investigation shines light on Amazon mass destruction of goods

The global e-commerce giant Amazon has been hit with claims that it has destroyed up to three million unsold products from French warehouses over the past year. The news comes a week after Amazon became the world's most valuable public company in terms of market value.

The EU finally provides legal framework for organic and recycled fertilisers

The Commission, Council and Parliament have agreed to facilitate the use of organic fertilisers, for which there has been no regulatory framework so far. Fertilisers will also have to contain less heavy metal in the future.

France continues fight against ‘gold plating’ of EU laws

French senators have removed around 20 over-transpositions of EU directives, which are considered to harm businesses’ competitiveness. This was part of a “tidying-up” mission which is sometimes at odds with the public interest. EURACTIV France reports.

60% of living species declined due to human activity, warns WWF

The ways in which humans feed, fuel and finance modern societies is pushing the planet’s natural systems to the brink, threatening the very foundation on which the world economy is based, according to the WWF’s Living Planet Report 2018, published on Tuesday (30 October).

Governments lack policies to support food sector in low carbon transition – report

Unlike the energy sector, agriculture does not benefit from public policies geared towards a low carbon transition, which means farming is still a significant contributor to climate change due to meat over-consumption, a new report published on 16 October revealed.

Ecologist parties are a hit in Europe

In Belgium, Luxembourg and Bavaria, the Greens have been the big winners at the weekend’s elections by attracting new voters. EURACTIV France’s media partner Ouest-France reports.

Wetlands disappearing three times faster than forests

The planet lost a third of its wetlands between 1970 and 2015. Moreover, this decline has been accelerating since the beginning of the century due to urbanisation, agriculture and climate change. This was the Ramsar Convention’s warning in a report published on 27 September. EURACTIV France’s media partner, the Journal de l’environnement, reports.

Spirulina, the ‘miracle’ algae being established in the Nantes region

Spirulina, an ancient algae with many nutritional qualities is still not widely grown in Europe, which is, however, a major consumer of this “super food”. In the Nantes region, a market gardening group has ventured into greenhouse farming with the support of European funds. EURACTIV France reports.

Paris angers ecologists with new environment minister

With the appointment of François de Rugy as minister of ecological transition, the French government has not moved an inch from its course despite a plunge in President Macron’s popularity and calls for changes from environmental experts. EURACTIV France reports.

French Environment Minister Hulot quits government, denouncing weight of lobbies

France's Minister of Ecological Transition, Nicolas Hulot, resigned from office, he announced on Tuesday morning (28 August) on French public radio France Inter. EURACTIV.fr reports. 

New pesticide may harm bees as much as those to be replaced

A new class of pesticides positioned to replace neonicotinoids may be just as harmful to crop-pollinating bees, researchers cautioned Wednesday (15 August).

France to set penalties on non-recycled plastic

France plans to introduce a penalty system next year that would increase the costs of consumer goods with packaging made of non-recycled plastic.

France’s contradictory climate ambitions

While French President Emmanuel Macron fights the corner of climate diplomacy, actions carried out by the French government led by Edouard Philippe mainly defend industrial interests. EURACTIV.fr reports.

A ”facelift” to the EIB: the EU financial arm needs forward-looking reforms

The European Investment Bank (EIB) celebrates this year its 60th anniversary. But the 1958-founded EU body and bank should now look forward and commit to becoming a more sustainable, accountable and transparent institution, writes Xavier Sol.

Paris meeting offers opportunity for leadership on high-seas agreement

The high seas make up nearly two-thirds of the world’s ocean, but less than 1 percent is currently protected. All this could change this September, when governments come together at the United Nations for an intergovernmental conference to negotiate a new treaty that would create a mechanism for protecting these ocean areas, writes Liz Karan.

Ecolabels have lost all credibility, report claims

Lack of transparency, oversights, confusion… A report by the Dutch Foundation Changing Markets, published on 3 May, reveals the inefficiency of environmental labels, particularly for seafood, textiles and palm oil. EURACTIV's partner Le Journal de l'environnement reports.

WWF France calls gold mine project ‘ecological disaster and economic mirage’

The French government will open a public debate on 3 April on the Montagne d’Or, a largely controversial gold mine project in French Guyana. But WWF France demands that the project be abandoned and calls for a move toward an ecologically and socially sustainable development in the overseas department.