If you click on a social network / bookmark site you will leave the EUROPA Website and go to a third party site which may have a different privacy policy from us.
Each Thematic Issue takes an in-depth look at a key area of environmental research with policy relevance, providing a guide to the latest research in the field. All subscribers to the weekly News Alert automatically receive Thematic Issues.
Select from drop-down list:
Issue 1 - Biofuels
Feb 2008
Interest in biofuels is growing and
proposed European Commission targets to increase the amount of
biofuels used in transportation to 10 per cent is likely to drive
further research and development in this field. But the move to
increase biofuel production raises concerns about the impact of
biofuel crops on the environment, landscape and food security.
Sustainable consumption and production are two sides of a coin, both are
needed to achieve real progress towards sustainability and both will be
addressed in the forthcoming European Commission Action Plan on
Sustainable Consumption and Production which is expected in May 2008.
With this in mind, this thematic issue discusses a number of strategies that
could be used to reduce consumption and improve the sustainability of
production systems.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies are expected to play a key role in
strategies to avoid dangerous climate change. They enable large reductions in CO2
emissions, even given the almost inevitable continued use of fossil fuels predicted
by energy analysts. Recently, the European Commission has proposed a policy to address
the environmental integrity of carbon capture and geological storage. CCS is especially
important for coal-based developing economies such as China and India.
The new EU Directive on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe and the proposed amendments to the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) will drive changes in EU contributions to harmful pollutants and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. New targets have been set in the Air Quality directive to reduce exposure to fine particles and reduce risks to human health. In January 2008, the European Commission proposed a number of changes to improve and extend the EU's ETS to further reduce GHG emissions. The ETS is the major market-based policy used by the EU to effect climate change strategies.
Deforestation is not new: 2000 years ago most of Europe was covered by forests. Today, forests cover less than half of the continent. While forest area is increasing in many temperate regions, the rate of deforestation is alarmingly high in the tropics, where forests are disappearing faster than anywhere else in the world.
Aggressive non-native species represent a serious threat to biodiversity and are a major cause of extinction globally. In Europe several invasive alien species (IAS) dominate their new environments, threatening native species with extinction. For example, European red squirrel populations are on the brink of extinction in Italy and the UK, following the introduction of the larger American grey squirrel.
The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) urges policy implementation managers to respond to poor ecological, chemical and quantitative status of the water system caused by negative pressures from different drivers. This issue discusses recent experiences with regard to different stages of river basin management strategy, to help us understand how we can safeguard water, an indispensible resource.
Where would we find most of our raw materials if forests did not produce them? What would we eat if insects did not pollinate plants? Could we live without clean water? Ecosystem goods and services arising from biodiversity are critical, but they are also coming under severe threat. In this issue, we provide examples of studies that contribute to improved understanding of the current biodiversity crisis and the value of ecosystem services.
The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC 2007) concluded that even the most stringent mitigation efforts cannot avoid further impacts of climate change in the next few decades. This inevitability of impacts makes investment in adaptation essential. Yet mitigation also remains crucial: to rely on adaptation alone would eventually lead to a level of climate change to which effective adaptation is no longer feasible.
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) affect the broader social, economic and ethical aspects of life. Honest, open public debate, which involves a wide range of people is necessary to build confidence in policy decisions made on behalf of all citizens.
Half the world's population live in cities. By 2050, the total number of urban dwellers is expected to nearly double, rising from 3.3 billion to 6.4 billion. How do we accommodate urbanisation while ensuring good quality of life and health? How do we minimise environmental damage but still develop our cities? This thematic issue provides a window into the research evidence that can help us create healthier urban environments and more sustainable urban policies.
Nanoparticles may be small, but they are at the centre of a huge
debate. Nanotechnology has great potential for industry and
society, but we need more awareness of the potential impact of
manufactured or engineered nanoparticles on human health and
the environment to ensure that its products are safe. Although
nanotechnology is new, it is expanding quickly and research is
needed to understand its associated risks. This thematic issue
outlines some of this research and indicates areas for future
investigation.
As part of the European Commission's strategy to ensure safer use of pesticides, a new legislative framework has recently been adopted that includes a regulation specifying stricter criteria for approval of pesticides and a directive on the sustainable use of pesticides. This special issue intends to examine current research that could influence future policy in this important area.
Healthy soils are vital in a world challenged by climate change. We need to decide how best to use land to provide food for a growing population and how it can be used to
mitigate the effects of manmade emissions. The quality of soil must be maintained or
restored if it is to provide its essential services: cycling nutrients, water and air, supporting
biodiversity and acting as a substantial store for carbon. This thematic issue outlines key
research in these areas.
Sustainable development is perceived as a compromise between environmental, economic and social goals. This allows society to ensure well-being for present and future generations without damaging the environment and jeopardising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This thematic issue outlines recent research which helps us understand the benefits of sustainable living and how it can be achieved through implementing sustainable development strategies.
Mercury is widely considered to be among the highest priority environmental pollutants of concern on the global scale. Although occupational exposure to inorganic mercury is a continuous problem, possible effects on broader sections of the population resulting from widespread dispersal of mercury in the environment has become a major concern in recent years. This thematic issue reports on research which explores the impacts of mercury emissions and contaminants, and how they may be traced, controlled and reduced.
Both the cause of environmental problems and possibilities for addressing them depend on human perceptions, attitudes and behaviour, which are linked to values, preferences and beliefs about the world. Communication is key to analysing the relation between all of these aspects. This thematic issue reports on research which provides insights into how we can communicate environmental issues effectively.
A significant number of health problems can be attributed to environmental factors, which range from chemicals and food, to housing quality and noise. High quality research is needed to underpin policies designed to influence these environmental factors. This issue reports on some of the latest research which points the way to robust health and environment policies and helps evaluate their impact.
The increasing man-made impacts and effects of climate change are making our coastlines more vulnerable to coastal risks including erosion and flooding. These impacts are far-reaching and are already changing the lives and livelihoods of coastal communities. In addition, they could further threaten valuable ecosystems and damage industries, such as fishing, tourism and shipping. This thematic issue reports on recent research to help guide successful coastal management.
Research into ecosystem services has flourished considerably since the publication of UNEP's Millennium Ecosystem Assessment in 2005, notably the ongoing Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) project, which is making a compelling case for promoting conservation by estimating the economic benefits of ecosystems to human welfare and the economic cost to society of ecosystem decline. This thematic issue provides a snapshot of the latest research in the most recent chapter of ecosystem services' story. It aims to help guide future conservation and sustainable development policies.
Outside the laboratory, living organisms are never subject to single stressors at set doses. In the real world, they face an intricate array of physical, chemical and biological environmental stressors that vary in space and time. The problem of assessing these complex risks for human health and the environment is a great challenge for scientists and regulators alike. For example, even if Maximum Permissible Concentrations (MPCs) for individual contaminants are not exceeded in water, in combination they can still be potentially hazardous to wildlife. This thematic issue reports on scientific research which can help us overcome some of the challenges associated with assessing the combination effects of chemicals.
Policy measures to protect biodiversity must be scientifically sound in order to deal with the complexity of nature and the human pressures on nature. This thematic issue reports on research which can help policy makers understand biodiversity in water and different ways in which human activity can be managed to ensure both wildlife and humans benefit from healthy aquatic and marine ecosystems.
Forests can play a critical role in the mitigation of climate change, but at the same time, climate change is threatening the health and condition of forests. Therefore their protection and adaptation is essential. The EU has adopted a green paper on 'Forest protection and information in the EU: preparing forests for climate change'. This special thematic issue provides current information on the dynamics and relationships between forests and climate change and insight into the role of forest management and ecosystem services in protecting EU forests.
Continued reductions in air pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are essential, as they pose serious threats to both people's health and the environment across the world. Air quality and climate policies can provide mutual benefits and there can also be trade-offs. This thematic issue reports on research which helps us understand the relationship between air pollution and climate change and how the two policy areas can be integrated to produce the greatest results.
The current economic and environmental crisis tells us that the time is ripe for governments around the world to implement a new kind of economy, which is resilient, sustainable, operates within the limits of our planet's resources and creates a fairer society. This thematic issue covers research which can help policy makers develop this Global Green Economy.
Humanity is demanding ever greater economic productivity at a time when natural resources, the input that feeds this productivity, are dwindling. To reduce pressure on key assets, such as water, minerals, fuel and land, we must use less of them, and we need to increase the efficiency and productivity of resources that we do use, to achieve more output per input. Put simply, we must do more with less. This thematic issue reports on research which helps guide the way to a more resource efficient society.
International trade policy is undergoing some remarkable and swift transformations. Environmental considerations were once considered simple 'add ons', on the periphery of trade policy. But now it can be seen that the environment is gradually migrating to the heart of trade policy, as part of an integrated, cross-cutting package. This special issue of Science for Environment Policy reflects on the changing picture of trade and environment and points to its future development.
Product carbon footprinting (PCF) is an increasingly popular method of reporting sustainability impacts. There are a growing number of methodologies and labels addressing carbon footprints in Europe and worldwide, and PCFs are seen both as a way to better communicate and inform consumers and as a tool to reduce the global footprint related to production and consumption activities. The articles in this thematic issue of Science for Environment Policy explore the calculation and understanding of PCF, in order to guide effective policy.
Noise pollution is among the most common complaints regarding environmental issues in Europe, especially in densely populated and residential areas near major roads, railways and airports. But noise - unwanted sound - is more than a mere annoyance, even at levels below ear damaging volumes. The EU's Environmental Noise Directive (END) has initiated action plans in Member States to reduce environmental noise exposure and its effects. This Thematic Issue reports on recent research to help guide effective noise action plans throughout Europe.
Digg
Delicious
Stumbleupon
Reddit
Mixx
LinkedIn
Email
