About: environment

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.

Why Poland plans to build a 1,200 km wall

Poland has decided to build a wall on its eastern border by 2020 to effectively tackle swine fever. The aim of the wall is to prevent wild boars carrying the disease from entering the territory, a decision that is far from convincing experts.

France to implement a new environmental tax?

The Amorce association, an association of local authorities and businesses in the fields of waste, energy and heating networks, revealed the tax measures which will be included in the French national roadmap on circular economy (FREC).

Former COP president becomes UN environment rep

Former president of COP21 Laurent Fabius has been named UN high representative for environmental governance, two years after chairing the Paris Agreement negotiations. EURACTIV France reports.

France’s ecology minister meets angry farmers and promises ‘shared solution’

French farmers have been protesting France's proposed ban on glyphosate, Europe's number one pesticide. Ecology Minister Nicolas Hulot tried to engage in dialogue with them to achieve a "shared solution". EURACTIV's partner Ouest-France reports.

Poland, Commission clash in top court over ancient forest

The European Union executive asked the bloc's top court yesterday (11 September) to fine Poland for violating a ban on logging in an ancient forest, but Warsaw said it was only trying to preserve unique woods.