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Themes - 2005-2007 News Alert article archive

THEME

Agriculture

Air pollution

Biodiversity

Biotechnology

Chemicals

Climate change & Energy

Environment and health

Environmental technologies

Forests

Land use

Marine ecosystems

Noise

Risk assessment

Soil

Sustainable consumption and production

Sustainable development and policy assessment

Sustainable mobility

Urban environment

Waste

Water

Archive 2005-2007

Agriculture

Soil Erosion and Crop Productivity (13/12/07)
European researchers have recently assessed the effects of soil erosion on agricultural productivity. They found that soil erosion has little impact on crop productivity. Nevertheless, they highlight that other parameters such as ecological and social impacts should be taken into account when assessing soil erosion impacts.

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Taxes or Quotas: what is more Efficient to mitigate GHG Emissions? (31/10/07)
Italian researchers have recently evaluated the cost-effectiveness of measures to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in the European agro-forestry sector. From a technical viewpoint, the abatement of methane emissions appeared more cost efficient than carbon sequestration or biofuel production. As for policy measures, taxes seem to lead to cheaper solutions than quotas.

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Soil Management: Preserving a Natural Resource with Multiple Functions (25/10/07)
Soil fulfils numerous functions and provides several services for humans. Research has shown that sustainable management of this resource is a necessity for preserving food security and water resources, producing biofuels and disposing of waste. This reinforces the need for sustainable agriculture in order to optimise the use of natural resources.

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Factors influencing Adaptive Capacity of European Farmers to Climate Change (20/09/07)
Dutch researchers have recently analysed farm performance in Europe under different climatic and management conditions in order to improve understanding of the adaptive capacity of farms. Farm characteristics such as farm size, intensity and land use are found to be good indicators of adaptive capacity as they influence climate impacts on crop yields and farmers? income.

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Organic Farming restores Biodiversity (05/07/07)
A Finnish researcher has investigated to what extent organic farming can restore biodiversity losses caused by intensive land uses in the past. The results of his study of 131 fields in Finland show that, even for short periods, organic cropping allows some restoration of weed populations, which are found in some cases at a higher frequency and density than before the intensive use of these lands. Overall, this practice could be useful for sustainable agriculture.

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Transportation of Pesticides from Rural to Urban Areas (16/05/07)
French researchers have recently investigated to what extent pesticides are detected in the atmosphere and their capacity to be transported over long distances. Their experiments show that pesticides can enter the atmosphere and thus be transported over more than 10 km and can thus be found in urban areas. This could, in turn, damage human health.

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The Environmental Risks of GMOs (10/05/07)
By including herbicides and pest-resistant genes in the gene pool of crops, biotechnology can be a powerful method of significantly increasing the production yield of crops. While transgenic crops such as maize and soybean are already authorised in Europe, genetically modified sunflowers are not. Researchers have recently reviewed the existing literature regarding the potential benefits and environmental damages that such transgenic sunflowers could generate. They show that the pollination of wild sunflowers could be the major impact of the release of transgenic plants and that appropriate control should be involved to prevent it.

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How assessing Farm Sustainability could help Decision-Making (10/05/07)
Belgian researchers have recently developed a methodology to measure the sustainable efficiency of small farms in the Flemish dairy sector. The results show that laggards in sustainability efficiency can be identified. The authors suggest that they could be the target of policies to improve sustainability in the farming sector. Overall, this tool could serve as a useful basis in decision-making.

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Investigating Soil Loss due to Crop Harvesting (26/04/07)
Most soil erosion research focuses on soil loss caused by water, wind or tillage. However, significant amounts of soil could be lost from arable land during the harvesting of crops such as potatoes, sugar beet and chicory roots. In a recent study, a Belgian team of scientists investigated the variability of soil loss due to crop harvesting (SLCH) with various parameters such as harvesting techniques, soil and crop characteristics and agro-ecological environment. Although there are no systematic differences in SLCH between crop types, the results suggest that soil moisture content at harvesting time is, besides harvesting technique, a key parameter affecting SLCH.

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Assessing the Benefits of Risk-Reduction Measures (26/04/07)
A team of researchers has recently surveyed Italian urban dwellers to assess how much they are willing to pay to reduce the risk of dying from air pollution associated diseases. They also assessed how respondents monetise the loss of a life within society. In Italy, the survey reveals that the benefits associated with reducing the level of particulate matter in the air by near 60% could represent between 2,600 and 5,500 million Euros per year.

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Mitigating Water Runoff Impacts with Alternative Agricultural Practice (15/03/07)
In vegetable production, it is common practice to cover soils with plastic mulch. With this practice, up to 75% of soils become impervious. This increases the magnitude of water runoff during storms and associated impacts such as erosion or the off-site transport of pesticides. In a recent American study, researchers investigated the benefits of planting rye in the furrows between the beds covered by plastic mulch. Their results show that vegetative furrows dramatically reduce the negative aspects of the conventional management practice.

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The Environmental Balance Sheet of Bioenergy Systems (08/03/07)
In response to the increased need for renewable energies, growing biomass to serve as input into energy generating processes is of significant interest. However, these so called bioenergy systems are believed to deplete soil carbon stocks. An international team of scientists have recently proven that even if carbon loss is observed, it only occurs under specific conditions and is negligible compared to the benefits accrued from mitigating greenhouse gases by avoiding fossil fuel emissions. This confirms the environmental benefits of alternative energy producing systems based on biomass.

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Improving Efficiency of Agri-Environment Schemes through better Design (22/02/07)
British researchers have recently investigated the correlations between abundance of farmland birds and key landscape attributes (hedge heights, trees) which are commonly used in the design of biodiversity conservation plans such as European agri-environment schemes. As these correlations tend to vary on a regional basis, the authors suggest that conservation programmes could protect widespread species more efficiently if they were designed and applied on a regional scale rather than uniformly on a national scale.

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Spatial Fertiliser Management enhances the Efficiency of Policies (15/02/07)
An international team of researchers has investigated the potential benefits of taking spatial considerations into account when designing policies to manage the use of fertilisers containing nitrogen. They have shown that nitrogen management based on the spatial variation of soil characteristics can reduce the use of nitrogen fertilisers by up to 25% without decreasing production yields, in comparison with uniform management. These findings highlight the importance of considering geographic specificities in the design of policies intended to control nitrate concentration in soils and groundwater.

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How Agricultural Practices influence Plant Distribution (08/02/07)
An European team of researchers has recently analysed the effects of agricultural practices on the abundance and diversity of various species of weeds. The results of their investigation on German wheat fields show that there are 1.5 more weed species and 1.1 more insect pollinated plants in organic farming than in conventional farming. These findings highlight the influence of land-use patterns on the structure of fauna and flora communities in cultivated areas.

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Water Savings and Agricultural Sustainability - are they compatible? (01/02/07)
Italian researchers have recently studied the effects of different agricultural and water pricing scenarios on the sustainability of irrigated farming systems. They have shown that there is a trade-off between reducing environmental impacts and maintaining agricultural sustainability. This highlights the difficulty of regulating both environmental and economical sides simultaneously and suggests policies should be coordinated better.

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Organic Farming: Good Practice for Soil Quality Preservation (25/01/07)
Swiss researchers have recently published a 21-year study of the effects of farming on soil quality. Focussing on the level of farmyard manure and chemical use, they have shown that organic farming is the best agricultural practice for sustainable land management, in particular through the enhancement of the microbial activity in the soil leading to increased mineral exchange between plants and soil.

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The 2003 CAP Reform - eliminating Environmentally Harmful Subsidies (18/01/07)
Austrian researchers have recently estimated the environmental consequences of the 2003 Common Agricultural Policy reform. The results suggest that the reform is likely to make production less intensive and reduce the use of potentially harmful agricultural inputs. Major environmental benefits are primarily the consequence of the expected changes in land-uses as well as in management and livestock intensities.

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Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in European Dairy Farming (11/01/07)
Recently, European researchers have analysed the potential of different options for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from dairy production in Europe. The most cost-efficient measures are those that simultaneously reduce emissions of several greenhouse gases from the whole production chain, such as biogas production. The researchers identified considerable possibilities for emissions reduction in the dairy farming industry.

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Current and Former Agricultural Uses influence Natural Land Restoration (11/01/07)
Austrian and Italian scientists have recently investigated the natural reforestation mechanisms in four regions of the Eastern Alps, where agricultural land-use has declined by up to 67% in the past 150 years. They have shown that the previous and current uses of these formerly cultivated lands are major factors influencing natural reforestation. The results of the study could be useful when assessing possible environmental impacts of agricultural policies.

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New insights into the Adaptation of Ecosystems to Toxic Substances (21/12/06)
American scientists have observed that some plants are able to accumulate the toxic element selenium at unusually high levels. They have shown that this accumulation ability, and the associated selenium tolerance, can enable selenium to move up the food chain. The results provide new insights into biological adaptation to toxic substances that may have interesting agricultural and medical applications.

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How to reduce the Impact of Ammonia Pollution? (14/12/06)
British researchers have recently assessed the efficiency of different land use planning methods in protecting sensitive areas and species from atmospheric ammonia pollution. Measures such as the establishment of tree belts around nature reserves are shown to be a complementary approach to technical abatement measures. The authors conclude that considering the potential nitrogen pollution effects should be part of the planning process for new intensive agricultural developments.

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Bioenergy: an Essential Resource in Future Energy Portfolios (14/12/06)
A recent review of bioenergy highlights the role of energy produced from wood, crops and biomass residues in contributing to future reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Results suggest that bioenergy could make significant contributions to world energy consumption in 2050, with an increasing share of bioenergy coming from energy crops. Energy use from biomass could also fill up to 20% of the gap between projected greenhouse gas emissions and those required for a stabilisation of atmospheric CO₂ concentrations at a targeted 550 parts per million, the threshold above which global warming may have serious consequences.

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The Role of Policy in Facilitating Adaptation to Climate Change (09/11/06)
European researchers have recently analysed the vulnerability of agricultural land use and species to climate change. The results suggest that the impacts of climate change in the agricultural sector and the consequent adaptation could have significant effects on the ability of species to adapt to climate change. It is therefore important to assess the vulnerability of both agriculture and species if appropriate policy measures are to be implemented in response to climate change.

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Potential Environmental Benefits of Novel Agroforestry Systems (03/11/06)
European researchers have recently examined the potential environmental benefits of integrating trees and arable crops on the same land in different climatic conditions in Europe. The results show that the adoption of agroforestry systems can potentially lead to reduced soil erosion and nitrogen leaching, and increased carbon sequestration and landscape biodiversity.

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Modern Land Terracing Results in Highly Negative Landscape Impacts (26/10/06)
Spanish researchers have recently analysed the environmental and landscape impacts of new terracing systems, which strongly rely on heavy earth moving machinery. The results suggest that this land transformation produces huge material displacements, thus resulting in the loss of the original soil profiles and in a rapid reshaping of the terrain. Modern land terracing methods, usually undertaken with minimal landscape planning, have been encouraged since 2000 by the introduction of the EU Council Regulation policy for restructuring vineyards.

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Does Transgenic Maize affect Soil Bacteria? (05/10/06)
European scientists have recently studied the possible effects of genetically modified plants on soil microbial communities. The results suggest that the presence of transgenic maize influences the abundance and diversity of the soil bacteria and also the way their ecosystems behave. This may have relevant implications due to the highly critical role that soil micro-organisms play in agro-ecosystems.

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Changes in Agricultural Policy Needed to Halt Loss of Farmland Birds (14/09/06)
A recent study provides further evidence that confirms the negative impact of agricultural intensification on European farmland birds. The authors highlight the importance of agri-environmental schemes as the best available mechanism to reduce the decline in farmland biodiversity over large areas. Furthermore, they suggest that substantial changes to the European agricultural policy are needed if the 2010 targets to reduce or halt biodiversity loss are to be met.

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Wild Bees and the Flowers They Pollinate Are Declining in Europe (07/09/06)
European researchers have recently provided, for the first time, evidence of a significant decline in wild bee diversity in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands over the past 25 years. The scientists also observed that the loss of this pollinator?s diversity is consistent with the loss of bee-pollinated plants. As many crops are directly dependant on insects for their pollination, the reported decline in the bee population may have severe implications for farming.

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New Insights about Future Crop Production under Climate Change (26/07/06)
A new study concludes that the substantial increase in future crop productivity under rising carbon dioxide levels, predicted by earlier greenhouse and other enclosed test condition studies, may be much smaller in open-air fields. This positive effect was expected to offset the detrimental effects of rising temperatures and falling soil moisture under climate change. This work now suggests that this is unlikely. Scientists warn that global food supplies could be seriously affected without changes in production strategies.

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New Discovery May Help to Reduce the Use of Nitrogen Fertilizers (20/07/06)
Recently, researchers have made a scientific discovery that could revolutionise world farming and food production. This discovery represents an important step towards transferring legume capacity to produce their own nitrogen to non-legume crops, which could reduce the global need for inorganic fertilizers.

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How to Achieve Efficient Conservation of Traditional Landscape (13/07/06)
A recent German study has addressed current conservation problems in Europe?s agricultural countryside in terms of modern economics. The author concludes that in the long run subsidies would be untenable, and therefore, they should progressively be transformed into remunerations for ecological services including conservation. To this end, it will be necessary to change society?s perception of ecological products and conservation services.

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A New Policy Framework to Ensure Sustainable Biomass Production (06/07/06)
A recent report by the European Environment Agency has assessed how much biomass could technically be available for energy production in Europe without increasing pressures on the environment. It concluded that Europe could produce sufficient biomass to meet its renewable energy target without harming the environment. However, this would require an appropriate policy framework.

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Integrating Environmental Concerns into EU Agricultural Policy (01/06/06)
Environmental efforts pursued through the Common Agriculture Policy need to be better targeted geographically to maximise their effectiveness, according to a new report from the European Environment Agency.

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Cropland Management Changes Affect Climate Change (18/05/06)
The sign and magnitude of possible impacts of past and future crop management practices on climate change have been recently analysed by a group of American scientists. Current trends in crop management such as increased irrigation and crop productivity and less tillage of the land may have a profound effect on climate at the local and global scale.

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New Approach to Solve Agri-environmental Problems in Europe (11/05/06)
A new approach for the development of agri-environmental measures is presented and exemplified by three study areas in Germany. This approach, denoted AEMBAC, takes into account both the ecological and socio-economic sustainability of the local agri-environmental situation. The study shows that it can be an important tool for analysing and solving the agri-environmental problems in Europe.

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Soil Erosion Mechanisms and Threats (27/04/06)
An American scientist has recently reviewed the different drivers and the effects of soil erosion. This literature survey highlights that soil erosion exerts detrimental effects on food production as well as on the natural environment, and calls for the development of effective conservation methods.

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Effects of Farm Size and Organic Farming on Biodiversity (20/04/06)
A team of Swedish researchers has investigated how different field-size depending management practices affect biodiversity, ecosystem structure, and landscape diversity in agricultural ecosystems. More than twice as many bird species and number of habitats were found on the small farms compared to the large farms.

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Organic Farming Practices Reduce Nitrogen Pollution (06/04/06)
A recent study has compared the levels of water pollution due to nitrogen resulting from organic, integrated, and conventional farming practices. The results indicate that organic and integrated fertilisation practices reduce nitrate pollution.

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Future Projections of Land Use in Europe (30/03/06)
A European research team has recently compared several possible climate and socio-economic scenarios for the prediction of the evolution of land use in Europe. Despite great variations according to the scenarios used, this study predicts an increase in the level of European production and a northward march of arable farming in Europe.

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Brighter Side of Genetically Modified Crops? (16/03/06)
The debate about the environmental impacts of genetically modified crops continues to be highly controversial. While growing evidence highlight that introduction of genetically modified crops could have negative impact on the wildlife, a recent literature review suggests that such crops could improve soil management techniques without threatening biodiversity.

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Phosphorus - Scarce Resource and Pollutant (09/03/06)
Australian researchers have shown the usefulness of substance flux analysis as a tool for supporting policy planning for conserving phosphorus reserves and, at the same time, preventing it from being a pollutant.

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Future of Bioenergy Crops in Europe (09/03/06)
European researchers have assessed the potential distribution of bioenergy crops in Europe under present and future climate. All models and scenarios suggest that meeting the demand for bioenergy crop production in southern Europe will be severely impaired by climate change and that efforts must be made to adapt bioenergy crop production to the challenges of climate change.

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Organically Managed Soils are Healthier (23/02/06)
Dutch researchers have compared the effects of organic and conventional management on chemical and biological parameters of agricultural soils. Their results demonstrate that organically managed soils present higher biodiversity, lower levels of nitrates and soluble nitrogen, and higher resilience to environmental disturbances.

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Sustainable Agriculture Increases Crop Yields (02/02/06)
In one of the largest analysis of sustainable agricultural practices in developing countries, scientists found that resource-conserving technologies and practices can improve crops production and also preserve the environment.

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Main Sources of Eutrophication in Europe (19/01/06)
Aquatic ecosystems in Europe suffer from eutrophication caused by excessive input of nutriments, namely nitrogen and phosphorous, from various anthropogenic sources. The most recently updated information shows that agriculture is the leading source of nitrogen pollution and that in some EU countries it is becoming the main source of phosphorous too.

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Better Risk Monitoring of GMP (05/01/06)
Uncertainties related to adverse environmental and health effects of the cultivation of genetically modified plants could be managed on the bases of post-market monitoring programme. A recently developed conceptual framework for the design of such programme could be used as bases for a wide EU consensus on this subject.

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Air pollution

Trends in Air Pollutants Emission and Projections (13/12/07)
According to a recent report by the European Environment Agency, a number of countries in Europe have already succeeded in reducing their emissions of certain pollutants below the level of the pollutant-specific emission ceilings specified in the National Emission Ceilings Directive. In addition, some countries anticipate that they will achieve the necessary reduction before 2010.

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Impacts of Post-2012 Climate Policies on Air Quality (06/12/07)
European researchers have recently analysed the potential air quality co-benefits from different European post-2012 climate policies in Nordic countries. The results suggest that stricter targets and a more ambitious climate change policy will contribute to reduced emissions of air pollutants. On the other hand, expanding the European emissions trading scheme to new sectors might result in a small increase in emissions of air pollutants. A key aspect will be the post-2012 participation of Russia and non-EU Eastern Europe countries in emission trading.

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Mercury and Lead Pollution: still a Critical Issue in Europe (06/12/07)
Human activities release heavy metals into the atmosphere where they are also transported across national boundaries. This results in air, soil and water pollution through the deposition of heavy metals in environments that are located far away from the actual emission sources. Atmospheric deposition of mercury and lead in particular are calculated to be too high, affecting respectively 51.2% and 7.5% of EU-25 ecosystems respectively in 2000.

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Distribution of Atmospheric Particulate Matter in the Urban Environment (29/11/07)
Researchers have monitored the concentrations of particulate matter, a major air pollutant, in two different urban environments. Focusing on polar organic compounds, one of the constituents of particulate matter, their results provide a better understanding of the emission sources and atmospheric processes influencing the concentrations and seasonal composition of particulate matter

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New Insights into the Effects of Heavy Metal Pollution on Forests (29/11/07)
An international team of researchers has investigated the impacts of heavy metal pollution and acid rain on a young forest ecosystem. They have succeeded in recording the different impacts of acid rain and heavy metal pollution on certain tree species. Their results, which are very important for our understanding of the effects of heavy metal pollution on forests, can also help develop better solutions for cleaning heavy metal polluted soil.

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Air Quality over Europe (22/11/07)
A recent report by the European Environment Agency analyses changes in air pollutants in Europe between 1990 and 2004. The results show that, in spite of a major decrease in their precursors, airborne particulate matter and ground-level ozone concentrations have not improved since 1997. This could be due to the meteorological variability and growing long-distance transport of pollutants.

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Adverse Effects of Diesel Exhaust Inhalation on Men with Heart Disease (22/11/07)
European researchers have recently assessed the health effects of exposure to diesel exhaust in men with stable coronary heart disease. Decreased blood flow to the heart and inhibition of the release of an important protein involved in blood clotting were observed, which together can have serious cardiovascular consequences.

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Temporal Trends in the Concentration of Heavy Metals in Mosses in Europe (15/11/07)
Mosses are cheap and convenient bioindicators that show how heavy metals from the atmosphere are deposited on terrestrial ecosystems. In a recent study, a European team of scientists analysed the trends in the deposition of 10 heavy metals across Europe between 1990 and 2000. Overall, the metal concentration in mosses decreased with time for all metals. Metal- and country-specific temporal trends were observed.

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Integrated Effects of Air Pollution and Climate Change on Northern Forests (31/10/07)
Although there are complex chemical and physical interactions between greenhouse gases (GHG) and air pollutants (AP), they are usually considered as separate issues. In a recent study, an international team of scientists reviewed the links between GHG and AP and assessed their interactive effects on northern hemisphere forests. The authors suggest that the combined effects can significantly differ from the sum of the separate effects and call for AP and GHG to be addressed simultaneously in order to maximise research, monitoring and policy efficiency.

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The Area at Risk of Acidification is decreasing in Europe (25/10/07)
European researchers have recently used novel data in order to assess the areas at risk of acidification and eutrophication in Europe and the potential evolution over time. The results suggest that about 95% of ecosystems still at risk of acidification in 2010 could recover by 2030 if acid deposition is reduced in line with present legislation.

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Measuring Ambient Air Quality through Air Pollution Annoyance (18/10/07)
Researchers have recently assessed the level of annoyance caused by air pollution in 25 cities in 12 Western European countries. They suggest that this indicator of perceived ambient air quality could be useful in locating populations with the most urgent needs for environmental changes.

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Mitigating Particulate Matter by Planting Trees in Urban Environments (04/10/07)
Trees in urban environments are effective scavengers of both gaseous and particulate pollutants from the atmosphere. In a recent study, a British team of scientists developed an environmental information system for town planners that takes into account the latest data on the effects of tree planting strategies on airborne aerosol concentrations. When applied to real case studies, their results suggest that in some cases reductions can be sufficient to meet air quality objectives for particulate matter.

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Particulate Matter: Contradiction between Science and EU policy (13/09/07)
In the light of several new findings regarding the health effects of airborne particulate matters (PM), the Environment and Health Committee of the European Respiratory Society has recently published their concerns on the mismatch between the best scientific evidence and EU policy. The authors call for stringent caps on PM concentrations, and more ambitious targets and enforcement of actual and upcoming air quality directives.

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Grass Culture as a Tool for Monitoring Pollution (19/07/07)
German researchers have recently used grass cultures as biological indicators of fluoride pollution in the surroundings of a hydrogen fluoride production factory. They have shown that the level of fluoride in plants increases as the distance to the factory decreases. In addition, the concentration of pollutants in the plants was not found to be correlated with climate conditions. The authors highlight that this active biological monitoring method to measure pollutant concentration could be useful in the framework of several European policies

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New Tool to evaluate Air Pollutant Abatement Policies (07/06/07)
Greek researchers have recently proposed an empirical modelling approach to evaluate the efficiency of air pollutant reduction measures in urban areas, where traffic is the main source of pollution. Their results suggest that to meet air quality standards defined under EU legislation even at the most polluted sites of the Athens area, nitrogen dioxide levels should be reduced by approximately 65% as compared to 1996 levels. At urban residential sites the level of reductions required for standard compliance is much lower. Their model could serve as a tool to determine pollutant abatement ratios as well as to evaluate current management policies in the field of air quality.

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Benefits and Limitations of Thematic Network Projects (24/05/07)
Dutch researchers have recently analysed the experiences of a European Thematic Network on Air Pollution and Health (AIRNET). A major limitation of this type of project is the difficulty of encouraging greater participation from non-scientific parties. Overall, the authors conclude that communication is a key factor and should be considered as the joint responsibility of all the parties involved.

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Linking Air Quality and Climate Change Mitigation Strategies (24/05/07)
Governments are currently developing policies to improve air quality in order to safeguard human health and sensitive ecosystems. In parallel, reducing emissions causing climate change is a key priority. In their last report, the British Air Quality Expert Group emphasized the need to run policies with an integrated perspective due to the complex linkages between air quality strategies and climate change. The expert group calls for the setting up of an efficient air quality strategy framework at European, national and regional levels. Interactions between air quality and climate change need to be taken into account in order to maximize a win-win situation.

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Predicting the Effects of Legislation on SO₂ Emissions from International Shipping (19/04/07)
Emissions of long range pollutants such as sulphur dioxide (SO₂) from international shipping are expected to increase significantly in the coming decades and could be equivalent to up to 75% of land-based emissions by 2010 if effective emission controls are not implemented. A British team of scientists has recently assessed the expected benefits in the UK of tighter legislation on emissions from ships transiting in the North Sea. By 2020, setting a cap of 1% by mass on the sulphur fuel content of marine fuel could reduce total sulphur deposition by 6% and decrease by 1% the percentage area of sensitive habitats affected by pollutant deposition.

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Mutagenic Effects of Urban Air Pollutants (08/03/07)
Italian scientists have recently demonstrated that fine particular matter in the air has mutagenic potencies. This study provides new insights into air pollution regulation, in particular in urban areas, as road traffic is the major source of this pollutant.

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Good Land Management may enhance Soil Depollution (22/02/07)
German researchers have recently studied the effect of land management practices on the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus contents from heathlands. They have shown that sod-cutting allows for a complete removal of nitrogen in soil. Prescribed burning is shown to be the best practice to limit phosphorus removal, which could be useful in areas where plant growth is limited by this chemical. Finally, their results highlight the role of combining several management practices to achieve efficient long-term management.

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Possible Effects of Global Warming on Air Pollution (15/02/07)
Recently, Swedish researchers have investigated how climate changes could affect air pollution in Europe. They found that part of the increase in surface ozone concentration observed over Europe in the last decade could be due to changes in meteorology. They conclude that future air pollution control strategies should take into consideration future climate change and their effect on the concentration of air pollutants.

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How to improve Human Health Protection in Air Quality Policies (08/02/07)
Spanish and Belgian researchers have recently observed that the chemical composition of the atmospheric particulate matter to which populations are exposed can vary widely between different regions of Europe, even at similar concentration levels. Given that the chemical composition of particulate matter may play an important role in the adverse effects of the latter on human health, the results suggest that compliance with current limit values does not result in the same health risk for different populations.

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New insights into the Effects of Traffic-related Air Pollution on Health (01/02/07)
In a recent study, researchers have observed a significant association between exposure to traffic-related air pollution and the incidence of otitis media in children. The findings may have significant implications for public health.

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How can Sustainable Development be achieved in Energy Use? (25/01/07)
European researchers have analysed the possible impacts of introducing additional charges into the price of electricity to reflect the cost of associated environmental and health damage. The results suggest that this would result in substantial changes in the electrical production system in favour of the natural gas combined cycle, nuclear power and renewable energy sources. This measure would also lead to a rapid emission reduction effect for air pollutants and emittants causing global climate change.

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New Insights into Ozone-induced Plant Damage (30/11/06)
European researchers have assessed ozone-induced plant injury in eight European countries. The results suggest that ozone-induced plant damage generally increases from northern to southern Europe, but other environmental factors may strongly influence the impact of ozone pollution on a local scale. Furthermore, the results show that even though the strongest plant damage was observed in rural areas, ozone effects may also reach high levels in central urban areas and street sites.

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Past and Current Trends in Global Anthropogenic Sulphur Emissions (23/11/06)
A recent paper by a British researcher shows a 22% decline in global anthropogenic sulphur emissions during the 1990s. Local air pollution and smog levels will be improved if this trend is maintained. Nevertheless, global warming may be aggravated.

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Urban Air Pollution - a Major Cause of Pollution-related Cancer (09/11/06)
A French scientist has reviewed the current epidemiological evidence linking exposure to pollutants with cancer. The author found that in Europe, outdoor air contaminants and indoor radon exposure seem to be the two most major causes of pollution-related cancer. The author calls for more research, as the number of studies on the health effects of non-occupational exposure to diverse environmental pollutants is still very limited.

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Emissions of some Airborne Pollutants Continue to Fall in EU-15 (03/11/06)
A recent report by the European Environmental Agency presents the European Community air pollution emission data for the years 1990 to 2004. The report shows that in the EU-15, the largest reduction in relative terms was in sulphur oxides (-70%), followed by carbon monoxides (-50%). Nitrogen oxides also dropped by approximately 30%. After years of air legislation, the general trend in Western Europe and Scandinavian countries has been a fall in the emissions of the main airborne pollutants.

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Regulatory Measures for Emission Control of Power Two Wheelers (26/10/06)
According to a recent Commission sponsored study, if no additional regulatory measures are taken, motorcycles and mopeds in Europe will emit more than 7% and 20% of total road transport carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons respectively by the year 2012. In order to control rising unburned hydrocarbon emissions, both evaporative emission control and roadworthiness tests are cost-effective. A further tightening of the emission standards for mopeds will be the most expensive but also the most effective measure.

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New Predictions for the Global Atmospheric Environment by 2030 (05/10/06)
An international group of scientists recently evaluated the likely changes in the global atmospheric environment between 2000 and 2030. The results suggest that current international legislation on air pollutant emissions is not enough to reduce the current associated problems related to increased ozone concentration and ecosystem damage due to elevated nitrogen deposition.

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Worldwide Distribution of Persistent Organic Pollutants (28/09/06)
A new study carried out by a team of scientists from North America and Europe presents the most comprehensive analysis yet of global concentrations of persistent organic pollutants in the air. The most unexpected results are the high concentrations observed for pesticides banned several decades ago. The results also suggest that, in some cases, the emissions into the air of these compounds were due to possible new uses of the banned pesticides, but also highlight the continuing importance of old sources.

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Do the Nano-sized Particles we Breathe Pose a Risk to our Health? (14/09/06)
American researchers recently investigated the potential health risks of ultrafine particles in rats. The results show that the nano-sized materials inhaled by rats follow a rapid and efficient pathway from the nasal cavity to several regions in the brain. Exposure also caused signs of inflammation and stress. The ultrafine particles used in the study are the same size as nanoparticles, which are controversial due to concern about their safety.

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Pesticide DDT's Polluting Legacy will Last for Many Decades (26/07/06)
According to a recent Canadian study, agricultural soils containing residues of DDT, a banned pesticide, will continue to be a source of atmospheric contamination for more than a generation, much longer than previously believed.

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Dangerously High Ozone Levels in European Summer (13/07/06)
A recent report by the European Environment Agency concludes that the ground ozone levels continue to exceed EU safe levels, thus threatening human health across Europe. Although not as high as in the record year 2003, ozone pollution rose again in summer 2005, specially in southern countries such as Portugal, Greece, and Spain.

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Positive Side-effect of Climate Change Policies on Air Quality (29/06/06)
According to a recent study by the European Environment Agency, tackling climate change in Europe through climate change policies could make a substantial contribution to improving air quality as well. The predicted additional benefits include the improvement of Europe's air quality, a fall in premature deaths associated with air pollution, and the saving of up to 10 EUR billion annually in air pollution control costs by 2030.

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Lifestyle Choices Affect Personal Exposure to Air Pollutants (15/06/06)
Results from an EU research project demonstrate that lifestyle and personal choices, including commuting behaviour, determine the level of exposure to air pollutants in urban areas. The active support of the general public is needed to reduce population exposure as a further improvement to the level of air quality achieved through legislation.

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Improved Assessment of Photochemical Pollution in Urban Areas (08/06/06)
A recent study describes a new method that is likely to help improve assessment of the levels and fate of volatile organic compounds in urban environments. Assessing their overall fate in the urban environment would help to focus resources and legislative efforts on those volatile organic compounds of major concern.

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Ozone-sulphate Interaction Influences Climate Change (01/06/06)
American scientists have explored the interaction between ozone and sulphate and its influence on climate. Results suggest that, by 2030, increased ozone precursors? emissions could lead to large increases in both ozone and sulphate surface air pollution in Asia, thus contributing up to 20% to the sulphate cooling effects on climate for that region relative to the present day.

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Nitrogen Emissions Threaten Biodiversity Hotspots (18/05/06)
A group of scientists has recently analysed the threat of increased atmospheric nitrogen deposition to plant biodiversity at the global scale. Results suggest that biodiversity hotspots around the world are currently receiving, or are predicted to receive, rates of nitrogen deposition equivalent to those that have caused impacts in Europe. The sensitivity of many of these ecosystems to nitrogen impact is unknown and studies are urgently required to determine the risk to plant biodiversity.

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Air Pollution Levels at Traffic Hotspots in European Cities (04/05/06)
A recent report by the European Environmental Agency shows that the air quality limit values are often exceeded in European cities, especially in streets and other urban hotspots. Air quality projections for 2030 suggest that PM10 limit value is not expected to be met even in the most optimistic scenario.

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Life Expectancy Approach to Assess Health Impacts of Air Pollution (27/04/06)
A French scientist has presented a new approach in performing and interpreting epidemiological analyses to assess mortality impacts of air pollution. It uses life expectancy in the place of mortality and gives a deeper insight to quantify chronic effects of air pollutants.

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Exposure to Ozone May Affect Human Reproduction (20/04/06)
Scientists who have examined the relationships between exposure to specific air pollutants and semen quality report significant declines in semen quality associated with exposure to ozone air pollution.

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Cost-effective Strategies to Improve Urban Air Quality (06/04/06)
A British research team has recently evaluated the cost and the efficiency of different actions to improve air quality in London. The results suggest that the most cost-effective strategies involve extensive conversion to alternative fuels.

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Mitigating Ozone Pollution with Methane Emission Control (30/03/06)
A recent research has explored the impact of methane mitigation on the atmospheric levels of ozone, an air pollutant associated with premature mortality. The results show that a 20% reduction of current global methane emissions that could be achieved by 2010 could prevent 30,000 premature mortalities globally in 2030.

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Impact of Urban Structure on Air Quality (23/03/06)
Using three imaginary cities, a Portuguese research team has recently modelled the impact of urban spatial structures on air pollution. The results suggest that a compact structure with mixed land use limits traffic and provides better urban air quality.

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Diesel Exhaust Inhalation Impairs Vascular Functions (02/03/06)
In a new experimental study, European researchers have shown that exposure to increased levels of combustion-derived air pollution for as little as 1 hour can impair vascular functions in humans. These data provide a plausible biological link to explain the association between air pollution and the acute heart attack.

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Reduced Air Pollution Improves Children's Health (16/02/06)
In a recent epidemiology study, Swiss researchers have demonstrated that even small reductions in rather moderate air pollution levels contribute to improved respiratory health in children.

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Long - term Effect of Air Pollution in Europe (12/01/06)
Results from a recent European study show that air pollution assessed in France in the 1970s is associated with increased mortality over 25 years. These results emphasise the need for additional long term studies for the development of effective strategies for reducing the risks related to long - term exposure to air pollution.

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Health Effects of Air Pollution Underestimated? (05/12/05)
Recent study of the relationships between air pollution and mortality at within-city scale demonstrates that the contribution of particulate matter to chronic health problems may be two to three times greater than current estimates which are based on conventional between-cities approach.

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Biodiversity

Public Awareness and Policy Effectiveness: the Case of Alien Species (06/12/07)
Non-controlled invasive alien species are posing a major threat to ecosystem balance. Scientists have recently determined that socio-demographics factors, as well as the kind of species and the method used, are significant criteria to take into account when designing alien species control and eradication policies. Raising awareness and educating the general public should then become a priority in order to enhance the acceptance and success of such policies.

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How can the EU's 2010 Biodiversity Target protect Rare Species? (29/11/07)
A European team of researchers has recently reviewed the existing European indicators defined to assess progress towards the 2010 target for biodiversity conservation. They highlight that rarity aspects are not given enough importance by current indicators, which in turn could endanger the survival of several species, mainly invertebrates occurring in small geographical areas.

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Transgenic Crops May Damage Headwater Stream Ecosystems (22/11/07)
Bt corn is a genetically engineered crop variety which produces a toxin that protects the plant from pests. In a recent study, an American team of scientists found that corn byproducts such as pollen and detritus enter adjacent headwater streams and increase mortality of non target insects. As stream insects are a basic link in river food chains and provide food for amphibians, fish and birds, this could have ecosystem-scale consequences.

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Wind Farms Can Adversely Affect Colonies of Breeding Terns (15/11/07)
This study analysed the impacts of a line of wind turbines on a nearby colony of breeding terns. It shows that the additional mortality due to the turbines is significant for the local population. These findings confirm that building wind farms next to birds? breeding areas with frequent local flights should be avoided.

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Benefits of Wastelands for the Protection of Urban Biodiversity (08/11/07)
Recent research has emphasised the role urban wastelands can play in preserving biodiversity in urban areas. Large connected wasteland seems to be a significant source of floristic diversity and thus disseminates and colonises surrounding neighbourhoods. Scientists suggest that preserving wasteland in urban areas could be necessary to protect urban biodiversity.

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Human Activities significantly decrease the Earth's Biological Productivity (31/10/07)
How much of the biosphere?s productivity can we appropriate before planetary systems begin to break down? Austrian researchers have recently quantified and mapped the impacts of human land use and biomass harvest on the biosphere. The results suggest that humans consume approximately 24% of the organic matter contained in vegetation globally. This amount reduces energy available to other species, having a marked impact on biodiversity, flows of carbon, water and energy. Croplands and pastures now rival forests as the largest ecosystems on the planet, occupying 35 % of the ice-free land surface

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Motives behind the Willingness to pay for Biodiversity Conservation (25/10/07)
A recent Spanish study investigates the relationship between public attitudes and the willingness to pay for biodiversity conservation. The results suggest that the role of affective factors is much more important than the role of ecological-scientific considerations when determining the willingness to allocate funds for conservation.

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The Benefits of European Policies on Bird Conservation (20/09/07)
A European team of scientists has recently investigated the benefits of EU policy instruments on bird conservation by studying bird population trends in Europe following the implementation of the Wild Birds Directive. While their results highlight the measurable benefits of supranational conservation programs, they also suggest that future assessments will require the setting of quantitative objectives and adequate monitoring schemes in order to provide relevant data to assess and improve policy efficiency.

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Effects of Pollutants on the Communication between Organisms (20/09/07)
Dutch researchers have recently reviewed existing scientific evidence of the impact of environmental pollutants on the communication between organisms of the biosphere. They suggest that, rather than endocrine disruption, the wider issue of info-disruption should be a priority.

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A cost-effective Site Selection Model for Biodiversity Conservation (13/09/07)
Finnish researchers have recently developed a model to help decision-makers select sites for biodiversity preservation. They have shown that all biodiversity targets cannot be met simultaneously and that it might not be economically efficient to protect all species. In addition, they show that the budget allocated to conservation has a considerable impact on the optimal biodiversity preservation policy.

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Effects of Fish Extinction on Ecosystems (12/07/07)
Nitrogen and phosphorus are crucial nutrients in aquatic ecosystems as most organisms at the base of the food chain rely on them. Considering that the recycling of nutrients is directly influenced by fishes, an American team of scientists has recently investigated the impacts of fish extinction on nutrients recycling processes. Their results highlight the complexity of predicting the consequences of extinctions from species-rich animal communities. Nevertheless, the importance of exploited fish species in nutrient recycling suggests that overfishing could have particularly detrimental effects on ecosystem functioning.

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Fishing Gear Losses: Impacts and Management Responses (07/06/07)
'Ghost fishing' occurs when fishing gear such as nets or traps is lost or discarded and continues to catch species of fish and crustaceans unintentionally. In a recent study, a British team of scientists investigated the impact of ghost fishing in net fisheries in the EU and assessed the costs and benefits of common management responses to address this issue. Their results suggest that gear retrieval programmes may prove less profitable than other management responses unless the actual costs of ghost fishing are very high. Preventive measures are thus likely to be preferable.

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Perception of Invasive Plant Species in the Mediterranean (31/05/07)
An international team of researchers has recently conducted a survey of relevant stakeholders on three Mediterranean islands in order to determine the current perception of the issues relating to invasive plant species in these regions. The results reveal that this perception should be enhanced and that support should be provided for better environmental management of invasive species in these regions.

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Assessing the Efficiency of a Biodiversity Hot Spot Protection Scheme (24/05/07)
New forestry practices have been developed during the past decade in order to enhance biodiversity. In Finland, Forest Act Legislation has attempted to identify a set of key habitats to protect biodiversity. In a recent study, a Finnish scientist investigated the efficiency of the so called Forest Act Habitat (FAH) scheme. 78% of threatened populations were found in habitat types covered in the Act, and 28% occurred in sites fulfilling the FAH criteria. However, only 4% of the targeted species were located in sites actually defined as FAH by forest authorities. The author concludes that FAHs have the potential to protect biodiversity in boreal forests but need to be better implemented in order to achieve their targets.

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A Step-by-Step Methodology to reduce Biodiversity Losses (29/03/07)
As part of an EU-funded research project, a German researcher has recently proposed a step-by-step method to design effective policies for coping with biodiversity losses. By identifying the sources of anthropogenic pressures on biodiversity, this method provides new insights on how to design efficient environmental policies in the field of biodiversity.

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Impacts of Climate Warming on Plant Reproduction (15/03/07)
Researchers have recently investigated the consequences of a warmer climate on the plant community. The results show that the timing of periodic events such as flowering is affected by warmer temperatures. As a consequence, new competitive relationships between plant species could arise, which in turn may diminish their reproductive capacity.

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Improving the Prioritisation of Conservation Actions (01/03/07)
Researchers have recently investigated to what extent biodiversity hotspots are efficient bases for conservation actions. They have shown that if the aim is to maximise the number of species on Earth, conservation actions should preferably be based on hotspots of threatened species or restricted-range species rather than on species-richness hotspots. They also suggest that basing conservation exclusively on hotspots is a limited strategy.

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How the Scale of Human Population Density affects Biodiversity (25/01/07)
In a recent paper, a European researcher has studied the link between human population density and species richness. By compiling the results of several studies, he has shown that the correlation between human population presence and biodiversity is scaledependent. This highlights the need to conserve green areas in regions where urbanisation is increasing in order to design sustainable cities.

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Birds: good Indicators of the Effects of Climate Change (18/01/07)
German researchers have recently examined whether climate change had an impact on European bird communities between the mid 70s and the 90s. Results show that observed changes in the proportion of migrant and resident birds inside communities can be explained up to 69% by models of climate change impacts on biodiversity.

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New Method to assess the Effectiveness of Conservation Actions (11/01/07)
American scientists have recently proposed a new method for assessing the effectiveness of land conservation projects in protecting threatened and rare species. This new approach takes into account the contribution of reserves to the persistence of species in different regions. This innovative tool for assessing conservation initiatives could be useful in improving the allocation of resources in protected areas.

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Species Evolution will not prevent Extinctions caused by Global Warming (14/12/06)
A recent review of plant and animal species highlights their dramatic responses to climate change. Global warming is seen to be responsible for habitat and food resources moving or declining, leading to species migration and extinction. The results of the study suggest that evolution will not counterbalance the consequences of future global warming on species extinction.

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How can Ecosystems be managed successfully? (30/11/06)
A recent American study has analysed and identified principles that are important for successful integrative and collaborative ecosystem management. The results suggest that it is possible to balance social, economic, and ecological benefits in environmental protection and resource management projects.

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Fish-farm Parasites have Severe Impacts on Wild Fish Populations (23/11/06)
A new Canadian study provides new insights about the possible impacts of aquaculture on wildlife. The research concludes that sea lice from salmon farms can have severe impacts on wild salmon. The results show that up to 95% of young wild salmon died in the studied area due to farm-origin lice infection. This effect may not be limited to salmon but may extend to other species farmed around the world.

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Likely Decline of Europe Biodiversity between Now and 2030 (16/11/06)
Dutch researchers have analysed a set of indicators that describe different aspects of biodiversity in the EU-25 countries in order to assess whether the EU commitment to halting biodiversity loss by 2010 can be reached. The results suggest that biodiversity is projected to decrease between now and 2030 in most countries for all the scenarios under study.

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The Decline of Small Fish Species Disrupts Rivers (12/10/06)
Scientists have recently concluded that removing just one fish species from a freshwater ecosystem can have major effects on the ecosystem's health. This finding contradicts the generally-held belief that the greater abundance and diversity of other species could compensate for the loss. Therefore, over-fishing small species may seriously and irreversibly disrupt how rivers function and the services, such as clean water, they provide.

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Searching for Sustainable Strategies for Alien Plant Control (28/09/06)
European researchers have investigated sustainable strategies to control the spread and prevent future invasion of giant hogweed, a weed seen as an important threat to biodiversity in Europe. None of the identified natural enemies that feed on this weed have been found to be promising candidates for a European biological control programme. On the other hand, the results provide a better insight into this plant's natural enemies and defence mechanisms that may help to develop a more sustainable management strategy in the future.

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Conclusive Proof that Spring is Arriving Earlier across Europe (21/09/06)
A group of European scientists have recently presented conclusive evidence that climate change is affecting the seasons. They found that spring is starting earlier across Europe than it did 30 years ago, a trend that closely matches national warming levels measured across the continent.

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Rising Sea Levels Threaten Pacific Ocean Mangroves (14/09/06)
According to a recent study by the UN Environmental Programme, urgent action is required to protect Pacific Ocean mangroves from the impacts of rising sea levels, linked to global warming. The results of the report indicate that, by the end of the century, some of the islands in the region could lose half of their mangroves.

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Increased Human Population: Major Driver of Fish Decline in Lakes (26/07/06)
A recent Austrian study has examined current and historical fish communities in natural lakes and analysed the relationship between the observed decline in fish, and human impact. The results showed that freshwater fish communities have experienced significant changes during the past 150 years. Increased human population was found to be the main driver of the changes in the composition and decline of fish species, as it leads to increased human pressure from recreational activities and commercial utilisation.

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Climate Change May Threaten Amphibians and Reptiles in Europe (20/07/06)
A recent study by European researchers has concluded that the impact of rising temperatures on amphibian and reptile species in Europe may be less damaging than previously predicted. Nevertheless, the ability of these animals to cope with increasing temperatures might depend on the availability of water and on their capacity to adapt by colonising new habitats that will become available with climate change. Due to the increased aridity and stress on water resources, the most worrisome decline is expected in southwest Europe.

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Ecological Restoration Requires New Approaches upon Global Warming (13/07/06)
A recent study has examined the possible implications of global climate change for ecological restoration. The authors conclude that traditional restoration methods may not always be applicable in the future. New approaches that take into account the implications of a changing environment are therefore required.

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Is Europe Progressing Towards the 2010 Biodiversity Targets? (06/07/06)
According to a recent report by the European Environment Agency, the condition of European forests and wetlands is improving along with the water quality in many rivers and lakes in recent decades. Nevertheless, habitat and species decline and ecosystem degradation continues. Further efforts are required to safeguard Europe?s biodiversity, and to achieve EU conservation targets for 2010.

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Biodiversity Holds the Key to Sustainable Biofuel Production (22/06/06)
According to a recent study by American scientists, ecosystems containing a greater number of plant species, produce more biomass. This result suggests that biodiversity holds the key to producing a sustainable supply of biomass for biofuel. Furthermore, ecosystems with a higher biodiversity are more stable and are therefore able to recover more easily from climate extremes, pests and disease over long periods of time.

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Long-term Decline in Numbers of Migrant Birds Breeding in Europe(22/06/06)
European researchers have recently found a long-term and severe population decline of long-distance migrant birds breeding in Europe. The major drivers of this trend are not known, but the results of the study indicate that more conservation measures outside Europe may be required to conserve migratory species.

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Ongoing Decline of Earth's Biodiversity (15/06/06)
The latest 2006 IUCN Red list of Threatened Species, released in May 2006 by The World Conservation Union (IUCN), reveals an ongoing decline of the Earth?s biodiversity. The number of known threatened species has reached 16,119 according to the latest assessment of the global status of plants and animals. Species such as the polar bear, hippopotamus, and desert gazelles; together with ocean sharks, freshwater fish and Mediterranean flowers have recently joined the list of endangered species.

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Antarctic Birds Affected by Climate Change (01/06/06)
Antarctic seabirds may be breeding later in response to climate change, according to a new study. Results indicated that some bird species are arriving at their colonies an average of nine days later and laying eggs on average two days later than they did in the 1950s. These results suggest that Antarctic seabirds are already responding to environmental changes.

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Global Warming Threatens Planet's Biodiversity (11/05/06)
A recent study has assessed the magnitude of the threat of the global warming to terrestrial biodiversity at the global scale using vegetation models. The results suggest that, by the end of this century, the extinction rates of terrestrial plant and animal species caused by global warming, in some cases could equal or even exceed those due to deforestation in some tropical hotspots.

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Deep-Sea Fishes on the Way to Extinction (04/05/06)
Recent research survey data have shown that five species of deep sea fish have declined substantially over the past few decades due to unsustainable fishing practices. This finding suggests that conservation measures, such as the establishment of deep-sea protected areas are urgently needed in order to prevent the collapse of deep-sea fishes and fisheries.

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Biodiversity Conservation Threatened by Land Market Dynamics (04/05/06)
According to a new study, it is important to consider the impact of real estate market dynamics when considering land purchase in conservation programmes for biodiversity protection. Without good data and an understanding of the laws of supply and demand, the purchase of land for conservation could sometimes even do more harm than good for biodiversity.

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Conservation Measures Needed for European Butterflies(27/04/06)
A new research has identified Prime Butterfly Areas (PBA) in Europe where conservation efforts should be focused. The obtained information shows that many species are declining rapidly, even within protected areas, in response to the degradation of the breeding habitats. Conservation measures are needed urgently.

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Ecosystem Shift in the Northern Bering Sea Driven by Climate Change (20/04/06)
A new research has assessed changes in ecosystems in the Northern Bering Sea in response to climate change. Results support the evidence of a reorganization of the marine ecosystems driven by climate changes in the Arctic region. These changes might have irreversible effects on Arctic marine mammal and seabirds populations, and commercial and subsistence fisheries.

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Integrating Artificial Ecosystems in Biodiversity Management Policies (20/04/06)
A French research team has recently compared freshwater fish species communities in reservoirs, lakes, and rivers in order to assess whether natural systems could be used as references for artificial ones. Results revealed that reservoirs are not systematically comparable to natural ecosystems. However, the authors underline that reservoirs should be considered in biodiversity management policies at the hydrographic basin scale.

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Latent Extinction Risk for Conservation Planning (30/03/06)
A recent study has identified 20 new hotspots for biodiversity protection using the concept of ?latent extinction risk?. Incorporating latent extinction risk patterns into conservation planning could help to anticipate biodiversity losses before they begin, by implementing preventive measures.

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European Plant Diversity is Threatened by Climate Change (16/03/06)
An international research team has investigated into the survival of various European plant species under four hypothetical climate change scenarios for the period 2051-2080. Their results suggest a large risk of species extinction even under the most optimistic scenario.

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Climate-Linked Epidemic Hypothesis Confirmed? (16/03/06)
New scientific research finds that the extinction of amphibians associated with epidemic diseases is tied to global warming. The authors suggest that temperatures in many highland regions are shifting towards the optimum growth conditions for amphibian pathogens, thus encouraging disease outbreaks.

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Importance of Mangrove Plants for Global Carbon Cycle (09/03/06)
An analysis of the impact of mangrove plants on marine carbon inventories suggests that the mangroves account for more than 10% of the terrestrially derived dissolved organic carbon transported to the ocean, while they cover only 0.1% of the continents? surface. The worldwide rapid decline of mangroves could have potential consequences on the atmospheric composition and the climate.

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Biodiversity Trends in Europe (16/02/06)
Scientists have developed a new biodiversity trend indicator that could provide a useful tool for tracking progress in achieving the EU biodiversity goals. The trial analysis of the indicator suggests that species populations have declined in nearly all habitats of the Pan-European region between 1970 and 2000.

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Freshwater Biodiversity Threatened by Climate Change (26/01/06)
A recent research project has addressed the losses in freshwater biodiversity under plausible climate change and water consumption scenarios. About half of the investigated rivers worldwide would experience reduced water availability due to both global warming and withdrawal of water for human needs. By 2070, in these drying rivers, loss in local fish species would range from less than 4% to more than 22% with a maximum of 75% loss in the most affected rivers.

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Biodiversity Preservation under Changing Climate (12/01/06)
European researchers have demonstrated that long-distance dispersal across fragmented habitats will likely be crucial for species adaptation to climate change. This finding has important implications for conservation targets of landscape planning under predicted changes in climate.

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How to Reverse Fish Decline in Rivers ? (05/01/06)
Scientists identified three main causes of the ongoing decline in fish catches in Switzerland: fisheries management relying upon stocking practices, poor fish health related to parasitic diseases, and habitat situation (presence of multiple man-made barriers and degradation of water quality). The measures to be taken to reverse the situation should be focused not on a single factor but on all three of the identified priority issues.

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Biodiversity at the Bases of Ecosystem Services (05/12/05)
New international scientific report highlights that maintenance of the diversity of species with different functional characteristics insure a more stable supply of ecosystem services that underpin human well-being and render ecosystems more resistant to natural and human-induced environmental perturbations.

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Risky Species Response to Climate Change (24/11/05)
New study suggests that some species are responding to climate change in ways which could threaten their survival in the future. It seems that the velocity of climate change, together with pressure on habitat, make it difficult for species to optimally adapt to the new human-driven environmental conditions.

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Stable catch: warning for future fishery collapse? (24/11/05)
Analysis of the dynamics of world fisheries suggests that a stable level of catch over several years masks the risk of sudden collapse. This puts in question the common assumption that considers the stability of catch as a goal for fisheries sustainability.

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Biotechnology

Industrial Biotechnology and Green Chemistry from a Life Cycle Perspective (11/10/07)
Over the last decade, the chemical industry has been subject to increasing pressure to reduce its environmental footprint. In a recent study, a Swedish team of scientists highlights the current trend towards the bio-based production of chemicals and the potential of biotechnology to provide green chemistry solutions to the industry. Based on three case studies, the authors stress the need for evaluation of the environmental impact of green chemistry from a life cycle perspective and identify raw material production as the step with greatest potential for improvement.

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New Method to remove Arsenic from Soils (08/03/07)
Indian researchers have recently shown that siderophores are efficient washing agents that can remove arsenic from contaminated soils. These small organic compounds secreted by micro-organisms are able to remove up to 92.8% of arsenic in contaminated soils after 5 washings. These findings could be useful for removing this toxic chemical from soils in industrial areas where it may be discharged.

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A Step towards more Sustainable Phosphorus Fertilisation Techniques (01/03/07)
Rock phosphate is a fertiliser that needs to be solubilised in order to enhance phosphorus availability to plants. This is traditionally achieved by chemical processing. In this context, Spanish researchers have recently investigated the use of micro-organisms growing on agro-industrial waste as a surrogate for chemicals. With solubilisation yields of up to 59.7%, their experiments confirm that the environmentally-mild fertilisation technique of microbial solubilisation of rock phosphate could be coupled with waste reuse. This win-win approach could also have a potential application for degraded soils.

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Fungi may be Able to Degrade Tough Plastic (20/07/06)
A recent American study shows for the first time that any organism, in particular fungi, can degrade phenolic resins, widely used in plastic formulations. The finding is an important first step towards the biodegradation and recycling of these compounds, which are known for their durability and resistance to attack by termites and fungi. Nevertheless, more research is necessary to better understand the mechanisms and controlling factors before it can be widely applied and commercially available.

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Future Applications of Micro-organisms for Cyanide Decontamination (29/06/06)
British scientists have recently assessed the current and future use of micro-organisms in a technique known as bioremediation that renders cyanide contamination harmless in water and soil. According to the authors, microbial treatment represents a potentially less expensive and more environmentally friendly alternative to conventional mitigation solutions, but its application needs to be further optimised in order to be competitive and feasible.

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Natural Remediation of Soils Polluted with Wood Treatment Chemicals (18/05/06)
A recent study explored the applicability of natural remediation using plants in soils polluted with Pentachlorophenol. The results suggest that some plants, in particular poplar and willow, are able to tolerate this pollutant?s presence in soil and enhance its degradation. Therefore, they can be used for the remediation of large volumes of low-level contaminated soil. However, careful management is needed to ensure soil and plant health.

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Challenges to Achieve a Coherent GMO Legislation (11/05/06)
A team of European scientists evaluated the coherence of existing analytical methods for the quantitative and qualitative detection of genetically modified products in the context of the current European legislation. The study provides new insights to the prediction of genetically modified material quantities and proposes new terminology.

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Using Biotechnology Against Global Warming (23/02/06)
In recent research, scientists have discovered a mutant enzyme that could enable plants to use and convert carbon dioxide more quickly, effectively removing more greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.

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Proved Risk of GM Peas (26/01/06)
A decade-long project on pest-resistant peas was abandoned after an immune response study demonstrated that mice fed with such peas suffered adverse reactions and lung inflammation. The work strongly supports the need for case specific examination of genetically modified plants and the importance of science in decision making related to the cultivation of GM crops.

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Chemicals

Sources of Exposure to Lead in Children (31/10/07)
French researchers have recently demonstrated that the main cause of exposure to lead in children is food consumption. Lead exposure may have significant health impacts even at low levels and hence this study helps to identify sources of lead exposure in children.

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Acid Rain severely impacts Coastal Water (18/10/07)
According to recent research, the impact of anthropogenic nitrogen and sulphur deposition on ocean acidification is minor on a global scale. Nevertheless, the impacts are more substantial in coastal water, which is more vulnerable, and therefore more affected due to pollution, overfishing and climate change.

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Long Term Impacts of Oil Spills on Bird Populations (27/09/07)
A Spanish team of scientists has recently investigated the presence of health disorders in seagull populations exposed to the Prestige oil spill that occurred in 2002. Biological tests and the study of physiological parameters suggest the presence of non-lethal damage to the health of gulls breeding in oiled colonies. This damage appears to be caused by persistent pollutants 17 months after the incident. These findings emphasize the need to quantify the circulating level of persistent chemicals in order to assess long term impacts associated with large oil spills.

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Co-benefits of the Montreal Protocol (06/09/07)
According to research led by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, the Montreal Protocol has helped both to reduce global warming and to protect the ozone layer. The study concludes that additional climate benefits of significance in comparison to the Kyoto Protocol reduction target could be achieved by new actions under the Montreal Protocol.

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Persistent Organic Pollutants in the Mediterranean Sea (05/07/07)
Spanish researches have recently assessed the contamination of the Mediterranean Sea by certain Persistent Organic Pollutants using sediment concentrations as environmental indicators. The results show a decreasing temporal trend in concentrations and that chemical contamination mainly originates from land-based sources. Hot spots are usually located along the northern coast-line. The authors also highlight important gaps of knowledge and the need for more monitoring programmes to be set up in many riparian countries.

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Synthetic Hormones released in Waters could lead to Fish Extinctions (28/06/07)
Canadian and American scientists have recently performed a 7-year whole-lake experiment to assess the consequences of municipal wastewater releases on aquatic ecosystems. They have shown that the synthetic estrogen contained in these effluents from the use of the birth control pill caused the immediate feminisation of male fish, and then a collapse of the population only 1 year after the low-level and chronic exposure of the fish to these hormones began.

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Environmental Risk Factors for Parkinson's Disease (21/06/07)
A recent study by European researchers shows important evidence that exposure to pesticides increases the risk of Parkinson?s disease. The results of this study highlight the importance of addressing the actual use phase of the pesticides? life-cycle in order to minimize human exposure and reduce the impacts on the environment.

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Sea mussels as Marine Pollution Sensors in the Mediterranean Sea (21/06/07)
In a recent study, a Spanish team of scientists conducted a bio-monitoring survey on sea mussels along North West Mediterranean shores. By assessing the mussels' health by means of various biochemical tests, their results prove that there are significant correlations between environmental pollution and damage to mussels? health. This confirms that mussels may provide relevant data for assessing the biological impacts of environmental pollution in the Mediterranean Sea and that they may serve as reliable early warning signals.

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Economical Impacts of REACh for New Member States (14/06/07)
European researchers have recently investigated the potential impact of REACh on the public and private sector in new Member States. They have shown that the implementation of the "Acquis Communautaire" is a good starting point for REACh in these countries. From the viewpoint of the European chemical sector, profits could fall by up to 60% for single firms whereas, for the sector as a whole, such a negative impact is not demonstrated.

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Mercury Accumulation and Persistence in River Ecosystems (24/05/07)
Slovenian researchers have recently investigated the mercury content in aquatic organisms in a river located next to a former mine. They have shown that the accumulation of toxic mercury increases with the position in the food chain of the studied organisms. This study also highlights the great persistence of mercury in the aquatic environment, as the mining activities ceased more than 10 years ago. The findings of this study enhance our understanding of mercury cycles in river ecosystems.

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Pollutants in the Environment: Mobility and Fate (03/05/07)
European researchers have recently investigated the fate of persistent organic pollutants in five European river basins. They found that the deposition rate of atmospheric organic pollutants varies by a factor of 12 from one site to another. Moreover, in spite of the ban on some pesticides 5 years ago, some of the pollutants they contain are still found in soils at significant levels. Overall, this study provides new information on the mobility of pollutants within the environment, which could be useful for sustainable river basin management.

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Evaluating Mid to Long-Term Impacts of Chemicals on Marine Communities (22/03/07)
It is well known that some chemicals may induce reproductive disorders in marine organisms. In a recent study, a European team of scientists investigated the effects of different levels of sexual abnormality that could be induced by contaminants on the population dynamics of a marine shrimp. Depending on the sex ratios and abnormalities, they have proved that some communities could be extinct within 2 to 10 years. This confirms the urgent need for a better understanding of the mid to long-term effects of chemicals when released into the marine environment, in order to set up an efficient legislative framework.

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How to protect Waterbirds from Lead Shot Poisoning? (22/03/07)
Spanish researchers have recently quantified the density of lead shot in several wetlands in Andalusia as well as the quantities of ingested shots in nine bird species in order to assess to what extent shots from hunting are found in birds. The results show that the quantity of lead shots found in birds declined when local hunting restrictions were enforced. However, the authors suggest that to be more efficient, hunting restrictions should be implemented on a broader geographic scale, in order to protect migratory species better. In addition, measures to protect humans from secondary lead ingestion from these poisoned birds should also be considered.

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Forest Fires worsen Mercury Contamination in Fish (01/03/07)
Canadian researchers have recently investigated the correlation between forest fires and abnormally high toxic mercury concentration in fish from lakes of partially burnt catchments. They have shown that forest fires are responsible for a 5-fold increase in mercury accumulation in some fish species, which could cause serious health problems for consumers. These results provide new insights into the possible consequences of forest fires on the persistence of toxic substances in aquatic systems.

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Sewage Water Treatment Plants and Fish Reproduction (15/02/07)
Belgian researchers have recently analysed to what extent active substances released by sewage treatment plants located on polluted rivers impair the reproductive functions of fish. Their investigation on a Belgian river shows that treatment plants do not systematically impact fish tissues and endocrinal characteristics. However, the results are dependent on the site's characteristics and the findings suggest taking into account the specificity of each site before generalising the negative impacts of such installations.

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Risk to Health and the Environment of the Current Use of Lead (16/11/06)
A recent study has analysed the risks of the present uses of lead over time. The results show that the overall emission pattern will be stable in the coming decades. Nevertheless, more attention has to be paid to flows of lead during different waste treatment options. Furthermore, regarding exposure to lead emissions, there is a need for further information and testing of children.

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Mercury Contained in Fish may Contribute to Premature Birth (03/11/06)
According to a recent American study, eating too much fish during pregnancy could be linked to high mercury levels in mothers, which in turn could put women at a higher risk of giving birth prematurely. Nevertheless, more research is needed in order to further test the reported association.

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Alternative Strategies for Future Control of Antifouling Biocides (12/10/06)
A British study has reviewed historical and current developments, occurrence and regulation of antifouling paint biocides and analysed future trends. Some of the most popular biocides have been shown to damage non-targeted organisms while data for the risk assessment of others is still lacking. The legislative measures introduced to regulate the use of booster biocides vary across Europe. New strategies have to be found in order to reduce the possible negative effects of these compounds on marine ecosystems.

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New Measures Proposed to Reduce Release of POPs (14/09/06)
A recent report has identified, assessed, and prioritised measures to reduce the unintentional release of Persistent Organic Pollutants into the environment. It points to domestic combustion and road transport as the top candidates for action. Even though existing legislation already offers "a range of efficient instruments" to tackle POP releases, the authors have identified and assessed potential measures to fill existing gaps.

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Pesticide DDT?s Polluting Legacy will Last for Many Decades (26/07/06)
According to a recent Canadian study, agricultural soils containing residues of DDT, a banned pesticide, will continue to be a source of atmospheric contamination for more than a generation, much longer than previously believed.

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Do Herbicides Present in Sludge Impact the Soil Ecosystem? (29/06/06)
A new French study has reported for the first time the fate of herbicides in soil-plant-water systems when contaminated sewage sludge is applied to agricultural soils. The study concludes that these compounds are persistent, partly mobile and, therefore, could be transferred to surrounding ecosystems and living organisms. Given their potential toxic effects on the soil ecosystem, their concentration in sewage sludge for soil application should be assessed for possible regulation.

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Do Flame Retardants Pose a Risk to Health and the Environment? (22/06/06)
Recent studies regarding the fate and potential risk to human health and the environment of different brominated flame retardant compounds have produced diverging results. While one of the studies has confirmed the safety of one type of compound, another provides new insights that could have profound implications for public health and for the current and future regulation of another type of flame retardants.

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Sewage Effluent Phosphorus - a Major Risk to River Eutrophication (24/05/06)
British scientists have examined sources of phosphorus in relation to eutrophication risk in lowland rivers. The results suggest that inputs from sewage/industrial effluents rather than agricultural sources of phosphorus may well provide the most significant risk for river eutrophication, even in rural areas with high agricultural phosphorus inputs.

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A New Approach for Risk-based Characterisation of Polluted Soils (24/05/06)
A recent study has analysed and interpreted the lead concentrations in urban upper soil in an industrialised city of England in terms of risk to human health. The authors mapped the probability of exceeding risk-based assessment criteria to analyse and interpret the collected surface soil lead concentrations. The study demonstrates that this approach has a valuable role to play in both land-use planning and environmental protection.

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Toxicity Assessment of Aircraft De-Icer (11/05/06)
American scientists investigated the toxicity of the de-icing and anti-icing chemicals used to remove ice and snow from aircrafts' surfaces. The results suggest that the environmental risk of the various aircraft anti-icing and de-icing components may be more difficult to assess than previously estimated. Different unknown additives were identified, some of which could represent a serious threat for the local environment.

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European Male Fertility Affected by POP (16/03/06)
European scientists have investigated the possible negative effects of persistent organic pollutants on male fertility. The results demonstrate that exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls has a negative impact on human sperm integrity in European male populations.

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Pharmaceuticals in the Environment (09/03/06)
A recent literature-review suggests that pharmaceuticals are omnipresent in Italian aquatic environments in concentrations close to those that may induce adverse ecotoxicological effects. Scientists suggest that processes of waste water treatment could be specifically adjusted to improve the efficiency of drug abatement in order to mitigate the potential environmental hazards.

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Evidence of Toxic Effects of Nanoparticles in Plants (02/03/06)
In a recent experimental study, American scientists have shown that a nanoparticle, commonly used in industry, could have damaging effects on plant life by interfering with plant growth.

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New Evidence on Harmful Effects of POPs (16/02/06)
High consumption of fatty fish from Baltic Sea is the major source of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Sweden. A recent assessment of the links between blood levels of POPs and the prevalence of diabetes in Swedish fisherman and their wives provide epidemiological support that POP exposure may increase risk of diabetes in such high exposed cohorts.

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Phthalates May Affect Baby Boys (26/01/06)
The results of a recent European study suggest that exposure to phthalates through lactation can trigger the reduction of reproductive hormones in baby boys. This finding supports the hypothesis that the human reproductive organs may be vulnerable to these ubiquitous environmental chemicals.

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Towards EU List of Priority Hazardous Pesticide Mixtures (15/12/05)
European researchers have recently developed a procedure aiming at defining a list of the most hazardous pesticide mixtures that are likely to occur in European surface waters. Such a list could be very useful for the evaluation of the current control measures that are mostly based on assessments of chemical risks focused on single pure toxicants.

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Safe Levels of Major Toxins Unknown (05/12/05)
An overview of the epidemiologic data shows that there is no clearly safe level of exposure to four of the most common environmental toxins - lead, radon, tobacco smoke and byproducts of drinking-water disinfection.

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Climate Change & Energy

Towards an Information Society: what Impacts on the Environment? (15/11/07)
Researchers from the United Kingdom have recently observed that scientific assessments of the environmental impacts of Information and Communications Technologies do not converge. They suggest building more predictive models to cope with these discrepancies.

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How will Changes in Climate and Water Demand impact Rivers? (15/11/07)
American researchers have analysed the possible future of dammed and free-flowing rivers given the expected changes in climate and human population. The results suggest that the area in need of management action to mitigate the impacts of climate change and increasing water demand will be much greater for river basins impacted by dams than for those with free-flowing rivers. The authors conclude that the cumulative savings of implementing proactive forms of restoration could be enormous.

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Impacts of the European Carbon Emissions Trade Directive on Industry (08/11/07)
A Finnish researcher recently investigated the economic impacts of the European emission trading scheme on energy intensive manufacturing industries. The results show that the total cost impacts remain below 2% of the production value for most industries in the Kyoto period. Nevertheless, this figure may rise considerably in the post-Kyoto phase assuming a more stringent emission reduction target.

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A Sustainable World Energy Perspective (18/10/07)
A European team of scientists has recently developed a scenario of future energy demand and supply by 2050 that complies with a maximum global average temperature increase of 2°C by 2050. Their results suggest that by that time, renewable energies could provide half the world energy needs. Developing countries could stabilise their CO₂ emissions without jeopardising economic growth while OECD countries will be able to reduce their emissions by up to 80%.

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Research to Develop New Policies for Carbon Sequestration Technology (04/10/07)
In a recent study, American scientists analysed the research areas that can support the development of regulatory and legal frameworks to ensure the safe implementation of carbon capture and sequestration. A better understanding of the magnitude and mechanisms of potential leakage as well as the development of monitoring, mitigation and remediation methods are essential for the large scale deployment of this technology.

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Major Changes in Investment Patterns needed to face Climate Change (04/10/07)
According to a recent report by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, addressing climate change in the next 25 years will require significant changes in the patterns of investments and financial flows.

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EU Structural Funds for Promoting a Sustainable Energy Sector (27/09/07)
Lithuanian researchers have investigated the role of public financial support, primarily under EU Cohesion policy, i.e. the EU Structural Funds, in overcoming market failures and barriers to the use of renewable energy sources and the improvement of energy efficiency. They have shown that public funding could be helpful in new Member States, provided the draft operational 2007-2013 programmes submitted for approval are improved.

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Climate Change Mitigation - Trade-offs between Land Uses (13/09/07)
Recent research has demonstrated that using biofuels for transport is not the best use of land if climate change is to be mitigated. Compared to the production of biofuels from crops, reforestation saves much more carbon. Scientists suggest that to mitigate the impacts of CO₂ emissions it may be better to focus on increasing the efficiency of fossil fuel use, conserving existing forests and restoring natural forests rather than switching to biofuels in the transport sector.

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More frequent heat waves in Europe by 2100 (06/09/07)
In Western Europe, the length of heat waves has doubled and the frequency of hot days has almost tripled since 1880, according to a recent study by an international team of scientists. Furthermore, the study, which uses more accurate data sets than previous studies, shows that earlier assessments of daily summer temperatures might have underestimated changes in heat wave events by about 30%.

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Opportunities and barriers for Beneficial Nanotechnologies (06/09/07)
United Kingdom consultants, Oakdene Hollins, have recently analysed the opportunities and potential obstacles to adoption of a number of environmentally beneficial nanotechnologies. The authors conclude that public procurement and policy could be used to promote environmentally beneficial nanotechnologies, which are estimated to be able to reduce up to 20% of greenhouse gases emitted by the United Kingdom by 2050.

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How Climate Change impacts Employment (26/07/07)
A recent study commissioned by the European Commission reveals that climate change will have unprecedented consequences on employment in various sectors of Europe?s economy. However, global warming will also create business opportunities in sectors such as transport and construction. Overall, the authors call for more coherence between climate and employment policies.

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Wind energy - Status and Trends (26/07/07)
Installed wind energy has been increasing rapidly worldwide over the last 5 years and now accounts for up to 3% of electricity consumption in Europe. In a recent study, a British researcher investigated the status and trends of wind energy. The author outlines that wind energy is an economic, environmentally friendly and mature technology capable of contributing to a balanced power supply. Though most wind energy development and growth has been focused in Europe, this situation is likely to change over the next 5 to 10 years.

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Human Activity Impacts Carbon Cycles in Forests (19/07/07)
According to a recent study by an international team of researchers, human activities are having a major impact on the carbon balance of forests in the Northern hemisphere. In particular, the sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide by these forests is found to be driven mainly by nitrogen input from anthropogenic sources.

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Soil Erosion under Climate Change Scenarios in Central Europe (19/07/07)
A European team of scientists has recently modelled soil losses on traditional and conservation sugar beet cultivation systems in Central Europe under projected precipitation changes induced by climate change. Climatic simulations predicted strong seasonal shifts in precipitation which resulted in a net decline of soil losses in conservation systems by 11% to 24%. These results highlight the importance of seasonal change in climatic parameters and the high potential of adaptive land-use management for climate change response strategies.

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Future Trends of Carbon Uptake from Land-use Change (12/07/07)
European researchers have recently investigated the possible changes in terrestrial carbon storage in Europe under projected climate and land-use changes. They conclude that the carbon uptake capacity of the biosphere is likely to be small compared to projected European fossil fuel emissions. The results might be useful when considering measures to maximise carbon storage in terrestrial ecosystems to meet the Kyoto targets and other climate mitigation policies.

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Climate Change impacts on Human Health (12/07/07)
An American researcher recently reviewed the available scientific evidence of the effect of climate on diseases affecting humans. He notes that the potential for outbreaks of certain diseases will be increased with climate change. Nevertheless, he suggests that, by changing our sensitivity and even adaptive capacity, the impacts of climate mediated diseases could be mitigated.

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Carbon Sequestration in Forests: What Prospects? (05/07/07)
European researchers have recently reviewed the scientific evidence of modifications to carbon storage in forests in response to climate and land-use changes. On one hand, increased temperatures and CO₂ concentrations in the air are likely to increase the growth rate of trees, thereby increasing the quantity of carbon stored. On the other hand, the storage capacity of forests has been shown to be reaching its limits. Overall, these elements should be taken into account in forest management practices, as they have an impact on forest carbon sequestration.

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Buildings and Climate Change: Current Status, Challenges and Opportunities (28/06/07)
Worldwide, 30% to 40% of all primary energy is used in buildings. Patterns of energy consumption are environmentally intensive and are not expected to change in the near future without proper policy interventions and technological improvement. In this context, the United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP) has recently published its conclusions on climate change and buildings. While significant improvement opportunities exist in the building sector, there are major challenges to be met, both in low and high income countries.

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Climate Change and Security Risks (28/06/07)
In a recent report, German researchers have reviewed scientific evidence of the likely consequences of climate change. They highlight that, in addition to the risks for biodiversity, climate change is also predicted to increase security risks between countries. They suggest that the European Union should reinforce its position, especially within the context of the Kyoto Protocol and should support developing countries.

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Energy-Crops: a competitive Resource? (21/06/07)
Irish researchers have recently investigated the financial competitiveness of using energy-crops for electricity and heat production in Ireland. Compared to peat, energy crop co-firing becomes competitive at a CO₂ allowance price of 16? per tonne. Regarding domestic and commercial heating, their results show that investing in wood-boilers is economically profitable, saving up to 720? per year in domestic buildings.

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Does Greening Public Procurement contravene Trade Laws? (14/06/07)
Dutch researchers have investigated to what extent promoting the greening of public procurement complies with international and European trade laws. Their results show that, at European level and in the context of international trade law, legislative requirements do not hinder climate-friendly procurement, as long as public authorities clearly specify the products and services they intend to purchase. Overall, they suggest that green public procurement is a useful tool in the endeavour to mitigate climate change.

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How the EU Emission Trading Scheme impacts Competitiveness (31/05/07)
In the context of the highly debated EU Emission Trading Scheme, English researchers have investigated the economic impacts of this scheme on firms and consumers. They have shown that in addition to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, this scheme enables firms to increase their profits because they pass the costs of the scheme on to the consumer, leading to an increase in product prices.

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Regulating International Aviation and Shipping Emissions (16/05/07)
A recent Dutch report analyses different allocation options for including international aviation and shipping emissions in a post-2012 climate mitigation regime. The authors conclude that including these so-called bunker emissions in national/regional reduction targets is more cost-effective than excluding them, or regulating them via sector-specific policies.

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Ensuring the Sustainability of Bio-Energy Markets (16/05/07)
Despite its promising prospects, the emerging bio-energy market needs to be managed in order to ensure its sustainability. In a recent study, a Dutch team of scientists has analyzed several governance systems and concludes that the best governance system should consist of two pillars: a bio-energy labeling organization and an international agreement on bio-energy. A facilitative government, professional monitoring and progressive certification combined with price premiums are other key elements of this governance system.

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Improving the Implementation of the Emission Trading Directive (10/05/07)
According to a recent report by the European Environment Agency on the implementation of the Emission Trading Directive, competitiveness issues due to the application of the directive are one of the concerns raised by Member States. The report concludes that further alignment of operating procedures of the Emissions Trading Scheme is still possible.

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Mussels and Oysters Threatened by Ocean Acidification (03/05/07)
According to a recent study by French and Dutch researchers, ocean acidification resulting from human emissions of carbon dioxide is seriously threatening edible shellfish such as mussels and oysters. The predicted impacts on the ability of these species to produce their shells as a result of ocean acidification may have important consequences on the biodiversity and functioning of coastal ecosystems and potentially lead to substantial economic losses.

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Carbon Capture and Storage: how is it perceived in Europe? (26/04/07)
Carbon capture and storage is one of the solutions that can be used to decrease concentrations of CO₂ in the atmosphere. An EU-funded survey of about 500 stakeholders in Europe was recently performed in order to find out the current acceptance and perception of such storage technologies. The results show that about three quarters of the respondents think that carbon capture and storage is definitely or probably necessary to achieve deep reductions in CO₂.

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Do Energy Labels on Buildings meet Expectations? (19/04/07)
Danish and Belgian researchers have recently interviewed homeowners to understand if energy labels on their homes provide them with good incentives to reduce their energy consumption. The survey reveals that in addition to the payback time of renovation, relevant criteria that homeowners take into account in their investment decisions are aesthetic, convenience as well as ideas and habits of all the persons connected to the renovation project. The authors suggest that substituting information on payback time with information on cost of investment could enhance the effectiveness of the labelling system.

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Prospective Scenarios for Renewable Energies and Carbon Capture and Storage (29/03/07)
A German team of scientists has recently compared the structural, economic and environmental aspects of carbon capture and storage (CCS) with renewable energy technologies. Even if CCS technologies emit more carbon dioxide than generally assumed and considerably more than renewables, CCS could lead to a significant absolute reduction of greenhouse gas emissions within the electricity supply system. However, depending on market forces, renewables could develop faster and become cheaper.

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Reducing CO₂ Emissions in the Transport Sector (29/03/07)
A recent paper has reviewed ways in which technological and behavioural change can reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and, therefore, greenhouse gas emissions, in the transport sector. The author concludes that even though technology improvements are indispensable to meeting the long-term CO₂ targets, in the short term, policies to change behaviour and travel habits are critical if the benefits of technological options are to be achieved.

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Vulnerability Assessments could help Sustainable Development (29/03/07)
Researchers have recently developed a method to assess which regions in Europe may be the most vulnerable to a range of projected climate and land use changes. This vulnerability approach could serve as a basis for decision-making in a sustainable development perspective.

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Facing Impacts of Climate Change on Water Resources (22/03/07)
A recent report by the European Environment Agency reviews the challenges facing Europe to adapt to the impacts of climate change on water resources. The report concludes that countries are aware of these impacts and have started to adapt to them but that much remains to be done.

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How to boost Wind Power Development (22/03/07)
Swedish scientists have recently analysed the potential for future wind power development in Sweden. They describe the main obstacles to the expansion of windmills and the measures that could be implemented to face such difficulties. In particular, they highlight the importance of evaluating the institutional and legal framework governing wind power development before new or modified policy instruments are implemented. They conclude that a clear political commitment is necessary in order to reduce the legal and policy-related uncertainties associated with wind power investment.

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How to enhance Climate Change Communication in Urban Areas (15/03/07)
Cities are constantly expanding, both in terms of space and population, requiring urban residents and decision-makers to make important land use and energy-related decisions. Cities have therefore become strategic places for intervention in the fight against emissions and for adapting to the impacts of climate change. This study gives an insight into the difficulties encountered by communicators as they try to convince various audiences to change their way of life and explains how they must adapt their approach in line with the residents they are targeting.

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Would warmer Oceans remain productive? (01/03/07)
American researchers have recently investigated the relationship between ocean temperature and ocean productivity. Using satellite data, they have assessed that under warmer ocean temperatures, phytoplankton strongly decrease. As these micro-organisms are the first level of the food chain, the productivity of oceans is strongly affected. These findings provide new insights into the potential risks for food chains with a warmer climate, including for human beings as the last level of these chains.

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Possible Effects of Global Climate Change on Trees (22/02/07)
European researchers have recently reviewed available scientific evidence of the effects of future climate change on European beech trees. While trees could benefit from an increased concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere, it is also predicted that they will suffer greatly from an expected intensification of droughts and flooding. These results underline the need to take all these effects into account when estimating the overall reaction of plants to a changing climate.

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Barriers and Drivers for the Biofuels Industry in Europe (08/02/07)
Recently, a team of researchers have analysed the markets for biofuels in Germany and the United Kingdom. They observed that the commitment of national governments and excise duty exemptions or deductions play a crucial role in stimulating the biofuel industry. The study provides general conclusions for policy-makers that are particularly relevant for the early stages of a biofuels industry.

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Abrupt Ice Retreat in the Arctic Possible by 2040 (18/01/07)
According to a recently published study, the recent retreat of Arctic sea ice could accelerate so rapidly that the Arctic Ocean could become nearly ice-free during summertime as early as 2040. Nevertheless, the authors highlight that reductions of future greenhouse gas emissions could reduce the probability and the severity of the predicted events.

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Priorities for Energy Conservation Measures in Buildings (21/12/06)
According to a recent Greek study on potential energy savings in the building sector, the most effective energy conservation measures include the insulation of external walls, weather proofing or sealing of openings, and the regular maintenance of central heating boilers. The results also show that efforts to improve energy efficiency in residential buildings can result in considerable reductions in CO₂ emissions and thus play a key role in meeting the EU target of reducing emissions in accordance with the Kyoto Protocol.

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Recent Global Stabilisation of Atmospheric Methane (07/12/06)
American researchers have found that the levels of atmospheric methane, a greenhouse gas that also contributes to the formation of tropospheric ozone, have stayed nearly flat for the last seven years, after more than two decades of continuous increase. Even though there is no reason to believe that methane levels will remain stable in the future, the results suggest that methane concentrations can be controlled.

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Climate Change may have a Rapid Effect on Ocean Circulations (30/11/06)
American researchers have provided new evidence from the last ice age that climate change can have a rapid effect on the chemistry and circulations of our oceans. The results suggest that global warming and higher rainfall, the likely consequences of climate change, could have severe effects on circulation in the north Atlantic, which currently keeps Europe relatively temperate.

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Climate Change may affect Delivery of WFD objectives (23/11/06)
A recent British study has assessed the main risks climate change poses to delivery of the Water Framework Directive objectives. The study shows that climate change is likely to put additional pressure on many water bodies both directly through changing flow and temperatures, and indirectly by affecting other pressures such as land management and use. However, the authors conclude that the Directive provides new opportunities for developing climate change adaptation policies.

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New Insights into how to achieve Sustainable Holiday Travel (16/11/06)
A recent study identifies long-haul travellers as responsible for more than 80% of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with holiday travel, even though they represent the smallest travel group. This is due to the fact that those who travel to more distant destinations also appear to travel more often and use air travel for more than 60% of their trips. Long-haul travellers are therefore the group with the greatest potential for reducing the environmental impact of holiday travel.

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Will Europe Meet the Kyoto Protocol Emission Targets? (09/11/06)
The European Environment Agency has published the results of a recent study on past and projected greenhouse gas emissions in Europe. It concludes that, in the pre-2004 EU Member States, only the combined effect of existing and planned domestic policy measures, the Kyoto Mechanisms, and carbon sinks would bring greenhouse gas emissions down to 8% below the base year level by 2010, as required by the Kyoto Protocol. Nevertheless, progress towards achieving the emission targets is not the same in all countries and seven countries project they will not attain their targets.

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Wood-framed Construction Requires Less Energy and Emits Less CO₂ (26/10/06)
Swedish and Finnish scientists have developed and used a new methodology to compare the net carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption of concrete and wood framed buildings. The results suggest that increasing the proportion of wood-based building materials would lower the energy demand and lead to a net reduction of CO₂ emissions relative to concrete materials. The recovery of residues resulting from the production of the wood building material and their utilisation in energy supply systems would increase such benefits.

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Environmental Impacts of Hydrogen-based Energy Systems (19/10/06)
A new British study suggests that future hydrogen-based energy systems may still disrupt climate, as hydrogen is a secondary greenhouse gas. Unless leakage from the synthesis and use of hydrogen is carefully controlled, the expected improvement in global warming gained from replacing fossil fuel-based energy systems would not be fully realised.

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Global Temperatures Reaching Record Levels (12/10/06)
A recent study by NASA climatologists has found that the current world temperature is reaching a level that has not been seen in thousands of years. The authors conclude that global warming of more than 1°C, relative to 2000, would constitute a ?dangerous? climate change, likely to generate irreversible changes in our planet.

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Trees Respond Slower to Climate Change that Previously Predicted (12/10/06)
Results from a recent American study suggest that trees cannot migrate in response to climate change as quickly as was previously believed. This may have important implications in the future. As different species of trees may not be able to adapt to changing conditions under global warming, many species could become extinct.

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Is Sewage Sludge a Fuel or a Waste? (05/10/06)
In the context of current UK energy and waste management policy, British scientists have analysed different technology scenarios permitting the co-combustion of sewage sludge. The results suggest that sewage sludge can be considered as a fuel, since all the scenarios studied provided net energy gains. However, the lack of a clear legal definition of what waste actually is, affects the development of sustainable sewage sludge management strategies.

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Deep-Sea Sediments - an Innovative Solution for Storing CO₂ Safely (05/10/06)
American scientists have recently evaluated the feasibility of injecting man-made carbon dioxide into deep-sea sediments. They show that this innovative solution could provide virtually permanent, unlimited and safe storage for this gas, a major driver of global climate change in the last decades.

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Severe Impacts of Climate Change on Key Ecosystems Worldwide (28/09/06)
British scientists have recently assessed the impacts that climate change could have on key ecosystems. The results suggest that rising temperatures are likely to increase the risk of forest fires, droughts and flooding over the next two centuries in many parts of the world, even if greenhouse gas emissions were to cease immediately.

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Alpine Glaciers May Disappear within the Coming Decades (07/09/06)
Swiss researchers forecast that Alpine glaciers could all but disappear or experience significant loss within this century if global warming is not halted. Results show that the Alps could lose up to 80% of their glacier cover if summer air temperatures rise by 3°C and become almost completely ice-free if temperatures increase by 5°C. Such extreme glacier depletion could have severe consequences on the hydrological cycle, water management, tourism and natural hazards.

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Incorporating Renewable Energy in Energy Performance Regulations (26/07/06)
A recent study concludes that energy performance regulations, as required by the European Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings, offer a perfect opportunity for encouraging the use of renewable energy sources. A combination of regulatory, financial and information policies within the energy performance regulations are proposed to introduce and promote renewable energy.

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Achieving Environmental Integration within the Energy Sector (20/07/06)
According to a recent report by the European Environment Agency, environmental pressure from energy production in Europe was generally reduced between 1990 and 2003 in Europe. However, this positive trend has slowed down since 1999. More efforts are therefore required to achieve the secure, competitive and environmentally sustainable supply of energy in Europe. The introduction of technological advances and reduced consumption will play a major role in meeting this objective.

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Minimizing the Climate Impact of Aviation (13/07/06)
A recent British study has analysed the most important factors influencing the warming effect on climate from condensation trails, formed from the water vapour emitted by aircrafts at high altitude. The results of the study suggest that shifting air traffic from night-time to daytime may help to minimize the climate effect of aircraft condensation trails, thus reducing the climate impact of aviation.

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Implications of EU Enlargement on the CO₂ Emissions Targets (06/07/06)
According to a recent study, the enlargement of the EU is beneficial to economic welfare and does not necessarily increase emissions of greenhouse gases. Furthermore, it offers many opportunities to improve the allocation of production factors in Europe, which could have a beneficial impact on the environment in general. However, the implementation of proper environmental policies would be a definite prerequisite.

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Potential Risks of Underground CO₂ Storage (29/06/06)
A recent study has reviewed current knowledge and gaps in knowledge regarding the health, environmental and safety risks of underground CO₂ storage. The study concludes that although different research activities are currently being undertaken, it is expected that further research will be necessary to provide enough data for a thorough risk assessment. The main objectives of future research include impacts on marine ecosystems and leakage of CO₂.

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New Policy Measures Needed to Reduce Energy Use in the Home (22/06/06)
A recent Swedish study has analysed which current behavioural patterns regarding residential energy reduction are efficient and which need to be improved. Policy instruments to change inefficient residential energy behaviour have also been identified. They include a combination of information, economic and administrative measures, and more user-friendly technologies.

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Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change May be Overestimated (15/06/06)
Norwegian researchers have recently analysed the wider social impacts of climate change in Europe. They have questioned the current complacency regarding climate change impacts, vulnerability, and ability to adapt in Europe. The study concluded that greater attention needs to be paid to the social context and consequences of climate change, and to possible adaptation strategies.

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Global Warming May Have Damaged Coral Reefs Forever (15/06/06)
A recent study has shown for the first time the long-term impact of sea temperature rises on reef coral and fish communities. The results suggest that global warming may have had a more devastating effect on some of the world?s finest coral reefs than previously assumed.

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African Ice Caps Will Soon Disappear due to Global Warming (08/06/06)
East African equatorial glaciers are receding rapidly and will disappear within the next two decades according to a group of scientists that recently surveyed ice cover for the first time in a decade. The study suggests that the increased air temperature resulting from global warming is the main driving force. The loss of these glaciers could have serious consequences for local economies and ecosystems.

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Fragrance from Pine Forests Helps to Slow Climate Change (08/06/06)
European researchers have concluded that trees in the boreal forest are important contributors to the formation of natural aerosol particles, which are believed to have a substantial cooling effect on climate, thus slowing global warming. Their contribution should be considered in climate change models in order to make more accurate predictions of our future climate.

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Nitrogen Limitation Restricts CO₂ Absorption by Trees (24/05/06)
New research suggests that trees may not be able to limit climate change by storing rising atmospheric CO₂ as was previously believed. Limited availability of nitrogen in the soil, which will become more common as atmospheric CO₂ levels rise, may inhibit plant growth, which in turn would affect plants' accumulation of atmospheric CO₂. Atmospheric CO₂ levels may therefore rise even faster than anticipated.

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Human Activity Changes Atmosphere Circulation (24/05/06)
For the first time, a study has provided evidence that human activity is altering the circulation of the tropical atmosphere through global warming. The results suggest that the principal overturning of winds that drives climate and ocean behaviour across the tropical Pacific ocean is slowing down. Variations in its intensity and structure may affect climate around the globe.

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Changes in the Global Water Cycle Linked to Global Warming (18/05/06)
An American scientist has recently explored the possible link between global warming and the intensification of the global water cycle by reviewing the current state of science regarding historical trends in hydrologic variables. The results of this analysis suggest that global warming may have indeed intensified the global water cycle over the course of the 20th century.

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Global Warming Threatens Planet?s Biodiversity (11/05/06)
A recent study has assessed the magnitude of the threat of the global warming to terrestrial biodiversity at the global scale using vegetation models. The results suggest that, by the end of this century, the extinction rates of terrestrial plant and animal species caused by global warming, in some cases could equal or even exceed those due to deforestation in some tropical hotspots.

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Energy Rating Systems in Europe (04/05/06)
A new study analysed the various certification systems for good energy performance of buildings now running in the European countries under the EU Directive 2002/91/EC. Only six member States have energy rating systems covering the overall energy consumption by buildings. Denmark?s energy rating system is considered to be the most complete.

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Improved Estimates of Precipitation Extremes in Europe (27/04/06)
A recent Swiss study has quantified the expected changes in exceptionally strong precipitation events over the next 100 years in Europe using regional European climate models. The results, more accurate than previously obtained with global models, suggest that extreme rainfall in Europe may grow stronger and more frequent in the near future.

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New Sea Level Rise Projections under Global Warming (06/04/06)
British scientists have investigated sea level rise driven by global warming. The results suggest a rise of about 0.1 meter in global sea levels due to melting glaciers and ice caps by 2100. This estimation is about half as much as originally projected by previous studies. However, they also highlight that melting of glacial and mountain areas are accelerating fast, leading to flooding and land slides in mountainous regions.

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Alternative Fuels for Sustainable Mobility (23/03/06)
A recent Norwegian study analyses the implications of alternative fuels policies for promoting sustainable mobility, by assessing the ecological footprints of different energy chains. The results suggest that it would be possible to reduce the ecological footprints of fuels by up to 75% using alternative fuels and introducing new and conventional technologies. However, the transport policy needs to include other measures to meet the requirements of sustainable mobility.

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Economic Implications of the Kyoto Protocol (16/03/06)
A recent analysis of the economic implications of the Kyoto Protocol implementation revealed that the position of the United States of America influences the economic consequences of the Protocol more than any other factor or region considered.

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Land use Change ? a Significant Driver of Climate Change (02/03/06)
Recent modelling results have shown that future land use and land cover will be an important driver of climate change in the next century. In particular, the results have shown that future land uses decisions can alter IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) simulations on climate change from those based only on atmospheric composition change.

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The New Annual Greenhouse Gas Index (16/02/06)
The Annual Greenhouse Gas Index reflects the global changes in the total atmospheric radiative effect of all the long-lived greenhouse gases from both natural sources and human activities. Based on accurate measurements, it will be updated each year and is expected to provide an important decision-support tool for managing greenhouse gases at the global level, but not at regional or national levels.

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Hydrogen Technologies for Sustainable Energy Supply (09/02/06)
A new report released by the International Energy Agency has shown that environmentally friendly hydrogen technologies may have a major role in the future sustainable energy supply. This will only be possible if the current targets for reducing technology costs can be met and high priorities are given to reducing CO₂ emissions, improving energy security and enhancing research and development efforts.

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Soils Lose Carbon Too (09/02/06)
A recent research has uncovered important carbon losses from soils across England and Wales mainly due to global warming and land use. These findings suggest that carbon loss from soils might occur much more broadly with important consequences on global carbon balance.

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Forests: a CO₂ Sink that Could Dry up (02/02/06)
European researchers have analysed the impact of the extreme heat and drought experienced in the summer of 2003 in Europe. They found that such extreme conditions resulted in 30% decrease in primary productivity over the continent which reversed European forests and prairies from CO₂ sinks to CO₂ sources.

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Negative Impacts of Carbon Sequestration Strategies (26/01/06)
An international group of experts have explored the environmental impacts of plantation of trees as the main tool for biological carbon sequestration. Their results show that the afforestation of grasslands, scrublands and croplands for carbon sequestration may cause important water and nutrient depletion and increased soil salinity and acidity.

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Climate Change Policy in the Light of Uncertainty (19/01/06)
Scientists highlight that the risks related to global change and its potential impacts on human well-being are so high that the lack of full scientific certainty should not stand in the way of taking severe and bold actions right now. An integrated approach to risk management and environmental monitoring in its widest sense will be crucial for the future management of the problem.

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Biodiversity Preservation under Changing Climate (12/01/06)
European researchers have demonstrated that long-distance dispersal across fragmented habitats will likely be crucial for species adaptation to climate change. This finding has important implications for conservation targets of landscape planning under predicted changes in climate.

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Biomass Potential in Europe (12/01/06)
According to the European Environment Agency, the use of biomass for clean energy generation in EU could be significantly increased in the next decades without harming biodiversity, soil and water resources. The potential biomass available in Europe seems to be sufficient to support the ambitious renewable energy 2010, 2020 and 2030 targets in an environmentally responsible way.

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Europe?s Vulnerability to Environmental Change (05/01/06)
A new study suggests that in Europe, Mediterranean and mountain regions are the most vulnerable to environmental change. In the coming decades, changes in climate and land use in these regions are likely to result in large changes in ecosystem services supply causing problems to water regimes, energy, biodiversity, agriculture, forestry and tourism.

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Innovative Wave ? Power Concept (15/12/05)
Physicists have found a new way to focus water waves that could be useful for wave-energy applications. If their discovery is proven to work in practice, it could largely contribute to the evolution of economically competitive and environmentally sustainable wave power technology that could increase the share of ocean energy in global energy production.

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CO₂ Storage Against Greenhouse Gases (05/12/05)
A new assessment report finalized by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concludes that capturing and storing CO₂ produced by power plants and factories before it enters the atmosphere could play a major role in minimizing climate change.

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Environment and Health

Extent of Environmental Health Research in Europe (29/11/07)
Recent research investigates environmental health research in Europe over the last 10 years. The greatest research efforts in all countries analysed focused on the topic of work environment and heath, while urban and rural health and environmental health policy have received much less attention. In spite of the major advances in understanding the association between health and the environment, more collaborative research is needed in order to link the different elements of scientific data and knowledge in a more effective way.

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Are Environmental Factors contributing to the growing Incidence of Cancer? (11/10/07)
An international team of researchers has analysed the carcinogenic effect of certain environmental factors and their role in carcinogenesis. The results suggest that chemicals related with pollution are of critical importance. Of major concern is outdoor air pollution by carbon particles associated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The results suggest that the recent increase in cancer incidence could be largely related to changes in our environment.

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Living close to Power Lines may increase the Risk of Some Cancers (27/09/07)
According to a recent study, living close to high-voltage power lines for a long period may increase the risk of developing certain cancers later. In particular, people who lived less than 300m from a high-voltage power line during early childhood are up to five times more likely to develop cancers such as leukaemia and lymphoma.

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Positive and Negative Effects of Nanotechnology on the Environment (26/07/07)
In a recent paper, European researchers discuss the potential positive and negative effects of nanotechnology on the environment. The authors show that nanotechnology has promising applications such as environmental monitoring, remediation and pollution prevention, and resource saving. Based on the available information, the authors draw recommendations regarding future priorities for the research needed to ensure the safe and responsible development of nanotechnology.

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Building Healthier Urban Neighbourhoods (22/02/07)
American researchers have recently investigated how structural features of the urban environment determine traffic stress and the associated health outcomes. They found that a higher density of major streets and greater traffic levels reinforce the negative impacts of perceived traffic stress, thus posing a potential threat to health. Parks and recreational facilities, on the other hand, may help to alleviate the damage of traffic stress on individuals' well-being.

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Pesticide DDT's Polluting Legacy will Last for Many Decades (26/07/06) According to a recent Canadian study, agricultural soils containing residues of DDT, a banned pesticide, will continue to be a source of atmospheric contamination for more than a generation, much longer than previously believed.

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Aircraft Noise Affects Cognitive Performance in Children (18/05/06)
European researchers have investigated the effects of exposure to aircraft and road traffic noise on cognitive performance and health in children. The results suggest that exposure to high levels of aircraft noise could impair the development of reading capacity and memory in children. Thus, schools exposed to high levels of aircraft noise are not healthy educational environments.

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Side Effects of Nanotechnology (23/02/06)
A recent review of potential harmful side effects of nanotechnology suggests that, under certain circumstances, nanomaterials may pose risks to human health and the environment. These findings highlight the important role that nanotoxicological studies may play in the responsible development of nanotechnologies and considerable benefits they may offer to the society.

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Reduced Air Pollution Improves Children?s Health (16/02/06)
In a recent epidemiology study, Swiss researchers have demonstrated that even small reductions in rather moderate air pollution levels contribute to improved respiratory health in children.

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EU EMF Directive Raises Questions(09/02/06)
A recent assessment of the implementation of the EU Physical Agents (Electromagnetic Field) Directive reveals that the defined exposure limits could have negative impacts in the developing field of magnetic resonance imaging. British scientists who conducted the assessment highlight the need for a prompt revision of the directive.

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Health Implications of Ecosystem Change (19/01/06)
The sixth report from the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment points out a myriad of health threats caused by worldwide ecosystem degradation. It also highlights the need to promptly address the health-related issues of ecosystem change by implementing measures to safeguard ecosystem services on which human well-being depends on.

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Noise Increases the Risk of Heart Diseases (12/01/06)
Recent epidemiologic study shows that long- term exposure to high traffic noise increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

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New Electromagnetic Fields Exposure Guidelines (15/12/05)
The World Health Organization's science-based Environmental Health Criteria monograph on Static Fields provides bases for the revision of international exposure guidelines. It also advises that the long-term effects should be addressed in both further research and policies dealing with EMF issues.

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Health Effects of Air Pollution Underestimated?(05/12/05)
Recent study of the relationships between air pollution and mortality at within-city scale demonstrates that the contribution of particulate matter to chronic health problems may be two to three times greater than current estimates which are based on conventional between-cities approach.

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Environmental technologies

Nanotechnologies for Improved Environmental Performances (13/12/07)
Finnish researchers have recently looked at the possibility of reducing the environmental impacts of papermaking through the use of nanotechnologies. They suggest that rethinking the design of production processes so that they include nanotechnologies could help reach near-zero emissions.

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Do Environmental Management Systems lead to new, cleaner Technologies? (08/11/07)
Recently, a team of Slovenian researchers investigated the link between the Environmental Management System ISO 14001 and the introduction of new cleaner technologies in the Slovene metal and chemical industries. Their results show that the ISO 14001 standard is a very good way to move towards cleaner technologies.

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Renewable Energy Sources are beneficial over their entire Life-Cycle (27/09/07)
Greek researchers have recently compared the environmental impacts of different renewable energy systems with those of traditional energy sources based on fossil fuels. The results show that, depending on how the produced energy is used, certain systems of renewable resources can have greater overall life-cycle efficiencies.

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Key Factors for the Successful Implementation of the IPPC Directive (06/09/07)
A recent paper by British experts presents some of the experiences gained in England and Wales in the implementation of the European Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive. Phasing the introduction of the regime by industrial sector, providing guidance and regulatory packages tailored to each sector and involving the industry and trade bodies in the process have, among other factors, contributed to an efficient and successful implementation of this integrated regulation.

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Development prospects for the European Eco-Industry (07/12/06)
According to a recent study commissioned by the European Commission, the European market for environmental goods and services was worth ?227 billion in 2004 representing 2.2% of the gross domestic product in the EU-25 area. The authors found that one of the main drivers of the development of this industry in the future will be the reinforcement of environmental requirements and their application.

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New Technology to Recycle Problematic Polystyrene (26/10/06)
European researchers have presented a new method for recycling problematic polystyrene. The new technology shows how microbes may help transform petroleum-based waste into a useful biodegradable plastic.

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What is the Future for Anaerobic Digestion of Solid Waste? (19/10/06)
A new study has analysed the likely future of anaerobic digestion technologies for the treatment of solid waste. Serious issues remain to be overcome, such as increasing reliability and decreasing overall costs. It is nevertheless expected that this type of biological treatment will play an even more important role in the future.

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Environmental Management Systems Enhance Technology Innovation (15/06/06)
A German study has recently analysed the influence of different characteristics of the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme, EMAS, on the technical environmental innovations and economic performance of the facilities that implement this system. The study reports that environmental management systems are having a positive influence on the environmental process innovation of companies.

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Sustainable Air Transport in 2050 (16/02/06)
A recent Swedish project explored three scenarios of sustainable air travel in 2050. The results suggest that slower aircraft configuration cursing at lower altitudes would entail a 56% cut of CO₂ emissions compared to 2000. If this technology is coupled with a shift to a weakened emphasis on economic growth and less hectic lifestyles, air travel would significantly increase in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.

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Earth Observation in Service to EU Water (05/12/05)
A broader use of the Earth Observation services may be used to facilitate and harmonise a large number of monitoring and reporting demands required by the EU Water Framework Directive.

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Public Policy Boosts Environmental Innovation (24/11/05)
New empirical evidences suggest that, in the area of renewable energies, public policy, rather than economic factors, have the dominant positive effect on environmental technological innovation, as measured by patent activities.

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Forests

Integrating Forests in the Context of National Accounting (08/11/07)
Currently, different frameworks exist for forest accounting at national level within the European Union. In this context, an Austrian researcher has recently discussed their main characteristics and underlined their differences based on Austrian experiences. He suggests developing unambiguous protocols for dealing with the industry-specific challenges of national accounting as well as harmonising the different accounting schemes with other forest-related statistics.

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What is the Future for the World?s Forests? (14/12/06)
An international group of researchers has recently developed a novel approach to analysing the world?s forest transition and prospects. The results suggest that forest stocks have expanded over the past 15 years in 22 of the world?s most forested nations, thus raising hopes for a ?turning point? from deforestation. The technique developed, known as Forest Identity, may be useful to policy-makers as they formulate effective strategies for forest conservation.

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Economic Impacts of Increasing Forest Conservation in Europe (23/11/06)
According to a recent study, if Western Europe decided now to protect 5% of productive forest resources for conservation, harvest would decrease by 3% between 2010 and 2020, while wood prices would rise by 4%. The results also show that increased protection of forests in Western Europe would increase wood harvests in Eastern Europe and Russia.

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Soybean Production Impacts Climate and Deforestation in the Amazon (19/10/06)
A new study by American and Brazilian researchers shows that the Brazilian Amazon is increasingly being cleared for mechanized cropland rather than for grazing cattle, making the deforestation process even more harmful for the environment. This change in land use may alter the region's climate and the land's ability to absorb carbon dioxide.

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Environmental Effects of Converting Arable Land into Forest (20/04/06)
A recent Dutch study investigated the changes in water recharge and nitrogen concentration in the ground upon conversion of arable land into oak and spruce forest. The results showed that this land use transformation increases the net capturing of nitrogen from the ground, thus decreasing groundwater pollution by nitrogen. On the other hand, it reduces water recharge of ground and surface reservoirs, thus affecting the local hydrological balance.

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Deforestation May Not Be the Major Cause of Flooding (15/12/05)
Recent international report demonstrates that, contrary to general belief, there is no scientific evidence linking deforestation and logging to widespread flooding.

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Land use

The Challenge of Sustainable Brownfield Regeneration in Europe (26/04/07)
European researchers have recently addressed current Europe- and nationwide approaches to promoting and delivering sustainable brownfield regeneration. The study highlights that sustainable brownfield soil reuse or site regeneration is not being promoted, enabled or facilitated in Europe by the initiatives currently being adopted. Further efforts are still needed to overcome current obstacles to the effective and efficient redevelopment of brownfield sites.

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New Insights into Soil Erosion Prevention (15/02/07)
Spanish researchers have recently studied the effect of plant cover on runoff and soil erosion in south-east Spain. They have shown that, compared to uncovered soils, aromatic and medicinal plant cover reduces runoff and soil erosion by up to 81% and 98% respectively. The authors suggest that using these plants on bare-soils could be useful for sustainable land management in Mediterranean mountain areas.

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New Insights for Understanding and Predicting Desertification (06/07/06)
A team of researchers has developed a new integrated conceptual framework and operational scheme that takes into account the wide range of factors influencing changes that can result in desertification. This new approach could help to better understand and forecast spatial and temporal variations in desertification dynamics, thus improving our capacity to better target mitigation options.

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Land use Change - a Significant Driver of Climate Change (02/03/06)
Recent modelling results have shown that future land use and land cover will be an important driver of climate change in the next century. In particular, the results have shown that future land uses decisions can alter IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)simulations on climate change from those based only on atmospheric composition change.

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Land Use: Human Needs vs Ecosystem Effects (26/01/06)
The revised data on the global consequences of land use change shows that modern land use practices cause extensive environmental damage with adverse implications for ecosystem services. Confronting the land use challenge will require the assessment and management of trade-offs between immediate human needs and long-term capacity of the biosphere to provide goods and services.

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Europe's Vulnerability to Environmental Change (05/01/06)
A new study suggests that in Europe, Mediterranean and mountain regions are the most vulnerable to environmental change. In the coming decades, changes in climate and land use in these regions are likely to result in large changes in ecosystem services supply causing problems to water regimes, energy, biodiversity, agriculture, forestry and tourism.

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Marine ecosystems

Environmental Impacts of Recreational Boating (22/11/07)
A recent report on the environmental impacts of recreational boating shows that the major issue is the management of waste water. Further research appears necessary on how to equip all boats with on-board water treatment systems.

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Ships as a Cause of Non-Indigenous Species Introduction (13/09/07)
Researchers from New Zealand have recently demonstrated that ships' sea-chests, the intake areas for ballast water in the hulls of large ships, are responsible for introducing non-indigenous species into the world's seas. As might be expected, international vessels pose the greatest threat. The researchers call for more effective treatment of sea-chests, in order to limit the biological risks posed by non-indigenous species.

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Sea mussels as Marine Pollution Sensors in the Mediterranean Sea (21/06/07)
In a recent study, a Spanish team of scientists conducted a bio-monitoring survey on sea mussels along North West Mediterranean shores. By assessing the mussels? health by means of various biochemical tests, their results prove that there are significant correlations between environmental pollution and damage to mussels? health. This confirms that mussels may provide relevant data for assessing the biological impacts of environmental pollution in the Mediterranean Sea and that they may serve as reliable early warning signals.

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Fishing Gear Losses: Impacts and Management Responses (07/06/07)
?Ghost fishing? occurs when fishing gear such as nets or traps is lost or discarded and continues to catch species of fish and crustaceans unintentionally. In a recent study, a British team of scientists investigated the impact of ghost fishing in net fisheries in the EU and assessed the costs and benefits of common management responses to address this issue. Their results suggest that gear retrieval programmes may prove less profitable than other management responses unless the actual costs of ghost fishing are very high. Preventive measures are thus likely to be preferable.

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How can Biological Pollution from Alien Species be measured? (19/04/07)
A European team of researchers has recently developed a groundbreaking method to determine the magnitude of the impacts from invasive alien aquatic species on marine, brackish and freshwater ecosystems. These species, introduced by humans from outside their natural geographic range, are one of the major causes of biodiversity loss in Europe. The method could serve as a basis for assessing temporal changes as well as the efficacy of management in the field of biological pollution.

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Benefits of Marine Protected Areas for Fish Conservation (15/03/07)
Marine protected areas are zones where fishing activities are restricted and they are believed to be essential for preserving marine resources. British researchers have recently investigated to what extent such areas in temperate regions protect marine communities. The results of their study show that fishing restriction zones benefit some marine communities, sedentary and short-lived species in particular.

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How do Changes in Ocean Temperature affect Marine Ecosystems? (01/02/07)
American researchers have recently found that temperature strongly affects marine larval dispersal, a key component in conservation and management of fish, shellfish and other marine species. They have developed a new model that shows that the distance marine larvae travel varies with ocean temperature. This model could be useful for evaluating the ecological and evolutionary consequences of temperature changes in the world's oceans.

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Seagrass Ecosystems face a Global Crisis (11/01/07)
An international team of scientists have recently reported that seagrass ecosystems, a unique group of flowering plants that have adapted to exist fully submersed in the sea, are facing a global crisis due to a diverse array of pressure from human activities. The researchers call for a targeted global conservation effort to preserve this critical coastal habitat, which provides key ecological services such as nutrient cycling, sediment stabilisation, enhanced biodiversity and organic carbon production.

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Ship Noise: a significant Stress Factor for Freshwater Communities (21/12/06)
A recent Austrian study confirms that exposure to underwater noise pollution is a major source of stress for freshwater fish. The results show that ship noise can increase the secretion of stress hormones in fish by up to 120% in comparison with a no-noise situation. The authors emphasise that this biological response to man-made noise can have severe impacts on the growth and development of fish.

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Current Trends in Ocean Species Loss threaten Human Well-being (07/12/06)
According to a recent study by an international group of scientists, marine species loss is accelerating, thus affecting the overall health of the world's oceans. If the observed trend continues, all fish and seafood species are projected to collapse by 2050. However, the results also suggest that reversing this trend is still possible.

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Untreated Domestic Waste is a Major Source of Marine Pollution (03/11/06)
According to a recent report by the United Nations Environmental Programme that overviews the current state of the marine environment, substantial progress has been achieved in reducing fuel oil contamination, persistent organic pollutants and radioactive substances. Nevertheless, other problems have grown worse. Physical alteration and destruction of habitats, nutrient over-enrichment, marine litter and untreated sewage discharge are identified as the four priority problems for action.

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New Insights regarding Marine Animal Conservation (21/09/06)
Results from a recent British study suggest that some large marine vertebrates, in particular basking sharks, move between different political and economic zones in European waters and are largely without legal protection. This demonstrates the limited capacity of the existing protection areas. The authors conclude that protection measures have to be organized at European level rather than at national level in order to guarantee consistent protection.

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Challenges Facing European Coasts (20/07/06)
Europe's unique coastal environment is under increasing threat from rapid and unsustainable acceleration in the use of coastal space, mostly driven by the recreation and tourism industries, according to a new report by the European Environment Agency. The implementation of an integrated legislative framework and the EU?s recommendation concerning the implementation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management are crucial to tackle coastal issues.

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Is Ecolabelling in Fisheries an Effective Conservation Tool? (06/07/06)
A recent study has reviewed the potential of ecolabelling to encourage sustainable marine fisheries and has analysed the possible modifications that are needed to the current scheme in order to overcome current limitations. The authors conclude that none of the modifications that are needed to achieve a wider participation from marine fishers will be sufficient without constructive support from governments, retailers and the fishing industry.

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The Reef Effect May Threaten Marine Ecosystems (29/06/06)
Scientists have recently examined the effects of offshore windmill farms on marine ecosystems. According to the study, the potentially most pronounced effect of this type of structure may be the impacts of the required artificial substrate on the composition of local species and biological structures. This effect is known as the reef effect, and has received very little attention in previous impact assessments. More research is needed regarding the impact of man-made constructions on the sea.

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A New Approach to Measuring Marine Biodiversity (08/06/06)
American scientists have recently applied a genetically-based method to identify and catalogue marine biodiversity in its larval phase. The results suggest that marine biodiversity may be underestimated in some parts of the world such as the Coral Triangle in the Indo Pacific region and the Red Sea. In spite of certain limitations, this new approach provides a mechanism to quantify the unknown marine biodiversity.

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Sustainability of Mediterranean Marine Ecosystems (23/03/06)
A recently released report identifies major issues of concern for the marine ecosystems in the Mediterranean region. The report concludes that the top priorities to guarantee the sustainability of the marine environment are the reinforcement of current and future environmental legislation and the development of an integrated ecosystem-based approach.

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Environmental Impacts of Fish Products (02/02/06)
Danish researchers have quantified the potential environmental impacts at all stages of the life cycle of fish products: from fishing stage through transport, processing, retail, and use phases to post-consumption waste disposal. The obtained results emphasise the need for the promotion of more sustainable fishing methods through fishery regulations.

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How to Reverse Fish Decline in Rivers? (05/01/06)
Scientists identified three main causes of the ongoing decline in fish catches in Switzerland: fisheries management relying upon stocking practices, poor fish health related to parasitic diseases, and habitat situation (presence of multiple man-made barriers and degradation of water quality). The measures to be taken to reverse the situation should be focused not on a single factor but on all three of the identified priority issues.

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Noise

Is it Possible to Decrease Noise Emissions from Road Traffic? (04/10/07)
Swedish researchers have recently analysed the potential for decreasing noise emissions from road traffic in Europe. The report concludes that the technical potential exists to reduce the emissions substantially and highlights the need for further political action as well as research on road surfaces, and quieter tyres and vehicles.

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Noise and Research: an Updated EU Strategy Paper (05/07/07)
Noise pollution is a priority on the list of citizens' concerns and noise reduction has increasingly become a focus for EU legislation and a priority for research initiatives. In this context, the EU noise expert group recently presented an updated Strategy Paper for future research to reduce environmental noise in Europe. The expert group concludes that research is a key element in reducing the effects of high sound levels. Research should cover aspects such as the assessment of noise exposure and perception, health impacts of exposure to noise, noise abatement including cost-benefit aspects, new technologies and system approaches for improved noise control at source and the further development of legislative standards.

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Calculating Noise Charges in Railway Infrastructures (14/06/07)
Swedish researchers have recently explored how to determine railway-noise charges in the European Union to promote the reduction of noise levels based on the marginal cost principle. The authors conclude that it is possible to apply already existing knowledge of monetary and acoustical noise evaluation to estimate infrastructure charges.

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How much are People willing to pay to reduce Noise Pollution? (25/01/07)
Spanish researchers have recently studied the dose-effect relationship between measured road traffic noise and reported disturbance, and the social and economical valuation of noise in a medium-sized city in Spain. The researchers found that up to 50% of the population would be willing to pay money in order to reduce noise pollution. The results may be useful when deciding what solutions should be adopted to reduce noise levels.

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The Environmental Cost of Aircraft Noise and Engine Emissions (19/10/06)
Recent research has evaluated the environmental costs of both aircraft noise and engine emissions at different sized airports in Europe. The total environmental costs have been estimated to range from ?11 million to ?645 million per year depending on the airport size and traffic and operation characteristics. The results and methodology of environmental cost calculations presented in the paper could be applied to the proposed EU harmonised noise charges as well as to other social and economic benefit analyses of airports.

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Laboratory Experiments for Noise Impact Assessments (06/04/06)
Swedish researchers have investigated whether there are differences in the effects of road traffic noise on sleep between studies performed in the laboratory and in field settings. The results suggest that laboratory experiments do not exaggerate the effects of sleep disturbances from road traffic noise.

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European Noise Thresholds Put in Question (15/12/05)
A recent study demonstrates that lower noise exposure limit (55dB) used for the drawing up of the maps of the major noise sources across EU leads to a large underestimation of the noise annoyance indicators. Dropping of this lower limit for the next round of noise mapping in 2012 will be crucial to define adequate long-term noise pollution reduction measures.

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Risk assessment

Five Grand Challenges to achieve Safe Nanotechnology(07/12/06)
An international group of scientists has identified five grand challenges for research into the safety of nanotechnology. The authors conclude that if the global research community takes advantage of the current research opportunities and rises to the challenges set in the study, it would be possible to realise the benefits of emerging technologies while minimizing potential risks.

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Standards and Quality Assurance Needed for Compost Products (01/06/06)
Greek scientists have recently identified, registered and analysed different compost products available on the Greek market, and determined the level of compliance with the existing quality limit values established in different EU countries. The results suggest that, in countries with more tolerant limit values such as Greece, quality insurance procedures need to be established. Furthermore, the variability of limit values within the EU reveals a need to develop EU quality standards.

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Soil

New Technique for Soil Decontamination (20/09/07)
Canadian researchers have recently reported on the performance of a pilot-plant for decontaminating soils contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls. Polychlorinated biphenyls may have harmful effects on human health and the environment. The Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustion technologies used in this plant achieve decontamination rates of up to 99.99999%. This technique appears a very promising way to decontaminate soils, and thus prevent these effects.

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Climate and Land Use Changes May Affect Groundwater Resources (01/06/06)
Japanese researchers have analysed the effects of climate and land use changes on underground freshwater resources in coastal areas, and estimated the groundwater loss due to saltwater intrusion. The results suggest that in arid areas, the fresh groundwater loss increases as the percentage of forest cover increases. Deforestation may increase the recharge of existing fresh groundwater sources in these arid areas.

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Soil Management for Water Quality (24/11/05)
New experimental study demonstrates that preventing at source by soil management that reduces soil erosion and loss of phosphorus to surface waters will be an efficient way to achieve Water Framework Directive targets.

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Sustainable consumption and production

Are we meeting Sustainable Development Goals? (18/10/07)
According to a recent study, the challenge to increase sustainable development is currently falling short, in spite of national and international sustainability goals. In fact, almost all national and regional trends are moving away from sustainable development, particularly in high income countries.

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Environmental Impacts of Tourists (31/05/07)
It is commonly believed that people are greater consumers when on holiday. Researchers have recently estimated that the Ecological Footprint of tourists in some areas of Italy is equivalent to that of residents. However, when arrival transport is taken into account, this Ecological Footprint is multiplied by more than 7. These results provide new insights into the impact of tourism, which could be helpful when designing policies.

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Public Perspective of Wastewater Reuse in Urban Areas (31/05/07)
In semiarid and arid areas, alternative fresh water resources must be found in order to supply the competing needs of tourist development and agriculture. In this context, wastewater reuse for irrigation purposes has been the subject of much attention in the last decade. In a recent study, a team of Greek scientists assessed public perceptions of such reuse schemes with a survey conducted in a mid-size Mediterranean city. While the public perception of wastewater reuse in general is positive (60%), this perspective changes completely when it comes to food related applications (80% negative votes). Consumer fears are mainly driven by inadequate information, and a mistrust of ruling and monitoring bodies.

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Drivers of Environmental Product Innovation (10/05/07)
In a recent study, a German team of scientists empirically examined the relationships between Integrated Product Policy measures as defined by the EC and environmental product innovations. Their analysis proves that environmental management systems and measures concerning waste disposal or take-back systems of products are among the most significant innovation drivers. While market forces, policy and technology pushes also contribute to innovation, higher prices seem to be the main limiting factor.

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The Decline of Small Fish Species Disrupts Rivers (12/10/06)
Scientists have recently concluded that removing just one fish species from a freshwater ecosystem can have major effects on the ecosystem?s health. This finding contradicts the generally-held belief that the greater abundance and diversity of other species could compensate for the loss. Therefore, over-fishing small species may seriously and irreversibly disrupt how rivers function and the services, such as clean water, they provide.

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Does Appliance Reuse Contribute to Resource Conservation? (21/09/06)
Austrian researchers have recently evaluated the effects on resource consumption (materials and energy) of reusing household appliances. The results suggest that even intense reuse of electrical and electronic equipment only reduces total resource consumption by less than 1%. The authors found that efficient recycling, on the other hand, makes a higher contribution by reducing amounts of raw materials.

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New EU Report Identifies High Environmental Impact Products (07/09/06)
A recent EU report has identified the products used in the EU that have the greatest impact on the environment. The study shows that up to 80% of environmental impacts from products are caused by only three areas of consumption, those of food and drinks, transport and housing. They also account for approximately 60% of consumption expenditure.

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Towards More Sustainable Water Systems (27/03/06)
A Swiss research team has constructed and analysed three scenarios about possible futures of the waste water management in Switzerland. The results underline the need to improve water system organisation and technological innovation implementation to provide a more sustainable water management.

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Ecological Footprints for Policy-Makers? (02/03/06)
Scientists have recently developed a method that allows the disaggregation of national Ecological Footprints by economic sector, final demand category, sub-national area, or socio-economic groups. This method may help to extend the potential application of Ecological Footprint concept to inform policies and strategies on sustainable consumption.

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Wetland Ecosystems and Human Well-being (02/02/06)
The fifth report released by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment considers the links between wetlands and related ecosystems and human well-being. It highlights the urgent need to manage the trade-offs between agricultural production and water use, land use and biodiversity, and water use and biodiversity in order to assure a more sustainable management of wetland ecosystems and the services they provide to humanity.

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Sustainable development and policy assessment

Is a full Transition to Biofuels possible in the Transport Sector? (13/12/07)
Swedish researchers have analysed the potential for a full transition to domestically produced biofuels in the transport sector in Stockholm by 2030. Considering the particular case of Sweden, the results demonstrate the importance of making studies of energy efficiency potentials in all energy sectors before making an assessment of distributions of bioenergy between sectors. Furthermore, this study highlights the importance of considering both demand and supply-side policies in order to reduce energy use in the transport sector.

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What is the Impact of Environmental Regulations on Foreign Investment? (11/10/07)
A Romanian researcher has analysed the effect of pollution regulations on foreign direct investments. The results suggest that the more stringent the environmental regulations in the investor?s country, the higher the likelihood of foreign investment and the higher its volume. Furthermore, firms in industries with higher abatements costs tend to insvest more abroad.

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Combining Economy and Environment for sustainable Decisions (21/06/07)
Waste management is becoming an increasing issue worldwide and Europe?s priorities include the increase of waste recycling and reuse rates. Finnish researchers have recently made a first attempt to combine both monetary and environmental aspects of several waste management options, in order to help decision making. Their investigation showed that economically-preferable waste management routes are not the best from an environmental point of view. The two-dimensional analysis identifies that a compromise needs to be found between several waste management options.

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Tools for assessing Energy Performance in the Services Sector (14/06/07)
Recently, Irish researchers have explored the use indicators to profile energy consumption and to inform energy policy in a university. The authors show that analysis using simple indicators can provide interesting insights and usefully inform decisions. They introduce new approaches and tools for assessing energy performance in buildings and how they might be use to improve the energy policy decision making.

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Increasing Recycling and Reuse of Construction and Demolition Waste (07/06/07)
Spanish researchers have recently examined the current contribution of environmental management systems (EMS) to the management of construction and demolition waste in a region of Spain that has experienced major developments in the construction sector. The results suggest that environmental management systems contribute to an appropriate management of solid, inert and hazardous waste but only to a certain extent. Obstacles still hinder recycling, reuse and subsequent treatment of recovered waste on construction sites.

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Sustainable Use of Water Resources in Coastal Areas (19/04/07)
A recent paper by Spanish researchers illustrates how an inappropriately planned coastal development can lead to increasing water consumption to unsustainable levels. The results highlight the importance of focusing on the environmental impacts of resource use in order to achieve sustainable development.

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A New Approach to Investigating Household Waste Management Behaviour (08/03/07)
Irish researchers have recently used an innovative approach to investigate household waste management behaviour. Through the active participation of householders in a waste minimisation exercise, the scientists obtained useful information on the practical issues that householders have to deal with when attempting to minimise domestic waste on a daily basis, such as the issue of space and the time requirements of such activities, and potential ways to overcome these issues.

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New Improvements Proposed for the Water Framework Directive (28/09/06)
A recent study has analysed the current classification system established by the Water Framework Directive for rivers. The results suggest that the current factors used to determine river typology are too rigid and should be replaced by new ones, in particular temperature, current and size. This would allow the major groups of river types in Europe to be classified and represented more accurately, essential for the appropriate implementation of the Directive.

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How can Market Incentives be used to Preserve Biodiversity? (21/09/06)
A recent study has examined the current use of market-based instruments for biodiversity conservation across Europe. It has evaluated the success and failure of these instruments and assessed their potential for wider use in the future. The study concludes that well-designed and credibly implemented instruments that are tailored to local needs are able to deliver biodiversity objectives cost-efficiently, and that they work better as a complement to regulatory approaches.

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Narrowing the Gap between Scientists and Policy Makers (26/07/06)
Recently, British environmental policy makers have come up with a list of 100 ecological questions most in need of an answer. This list is the result of a two-day workshop that brought policy makers and ecologists together to identify policy-relevant ecological research questions. This innovative experiment is intended to narrow the current gap between science and environmental policy. The results could have major impact on future ecological research and its funding.

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Low Impact of Public Participation in the European Water Policy (22/06/06)
A new European study identifies patterns and lessons learnt from different European water related projects in terms of public and stakeholder participation. The authors conclude that the impact of public participation on the decision-making process in European water policy is still very slight, and there is no true involvement and collaboration from the interested parties.

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Behavioural Attitudes to Water Saving (08/06/06)
British researchers have recently analysed the different behavioural attitudes towards water saving in households in the United Kingdom. The authors have identified four different types of individuals according to their behavioural characteristics. They conclude that it is necessary to recognise behavioural complexity in order to ensure that policies and initiatives for water conservation are effective.

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Improving Policy Implementation Through Public Participation (11/05/06)
A German research team has recently identified two types of uncertainty that limit the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive. The authors propose to involve a broader public in the policy implementation process to improve uncertainty management.

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Special Management Actions Needed for Naturally Eutrophic Lakes (04/05/06)
New research assessed current water quality in lakes with a naturally high nutrient status in Finland and estimated their change over time due to human activity. The results suggest that this particular type of lakes may require special management actions to fulfil the new requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive.

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A New Framework for Integrated Assessments (20/04/06)
A recent research presents a ?common assessment framework? for integrated assessments in order to strengthen the methodologies used by the practitioners and planners to assess the relative importance of different policy options.

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Communication: A Key to the Success of Water Reuse Projects (06/04/06)
A well-organised and comprehensive communications program with stakeholders is essential to any modern water reuse project. A team of Australian researchers has recently summarised the major stakeholder communication issues to be addressed and successful means of addressing them.

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Overextraction and Overfishing - Major Threats to International Waters (30/03/06)
A recent report by the Global International Water Assessment has analysed the current and future situation of international water resources and the associated aquatic ecosystems. While unsustainable use of water and overfishing are the most important threats to international waters worldwide, pollution has its most severe impacts in Europe.

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Integrating Product Policy in Water Quality Management (30/03/06)
A recent study investigates an unexplored link of product-orientated policy approach to water resources management, especially to reduce diffuse source pollution. It identifies different types of product policies and suggests their beneficial effects on the water quality.

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Practices and Challenges in Wastewater Reuse (23/03/06)
A European research team has recently reviewed wastewater reclamation technologies and reuse applications in Europe. The authors estimate that the development of common guidelines and new economic tools, as well as improved communication between stakeholders, could enable better wastewater reclamation and reuse.

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Towards the Sustainable use of Water Resources (02/03/06)
In an effort to assist the sustainable use of water resources, English scientists have explored the linkages between Water Framework Directive and Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive. Their analyses show that numerous potential benefits can arise from the integrated implementation of these two key EU environmental legislations.

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Effectiveness of Packaging Waste Policies (23/02/06)
The effectiveness of packaging waste management systems in five EU countries has been recently evaluated. The results have shown that in the selected countries the targets of the EU packaging directive are generally met, but not the directive?s priority of preventing the production of the packaging waste.

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Social Acceptance of Water Quality Costs (09/02/06)
An analysis of the social acceptance of possible measures to improve the quality status of European water bodies revealed that the willingness of the inhabitants to invest in different strategies will depend on who will have to bear the costs. The social acceptance will significantly increase if the costs are substantially covered by the public budget.

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Improving the Quality of Environmental Monitoring (19/01/06)
Environmental monitoring is one of the key activities of ecological conservation management. But scientists argue that it will unlikely meet its objectives if sponsoring bodies and practitioners do not pay more attention on planning and maintaining monitoring programmes with sufficiently high scientific standards.

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Sustainable Transport Planning in Practice (19/01/06)
British researchers have recently explored how the concept of integrated transport planning has been translated from theory to practice in UK. In response to different implementation failures uncovered by the results of their research, the authors have developed an analytical tool that could allow policy-makers to assess the extent and the outcomes of integrated transportation policy in practice.

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Economic Benefits of Improved River Basin Management (05/01/06)
Interdisciplinary team of researchers defined a set of measures to reach a good ecological status of EU water bodies by 2015. The socioeconomic analysis of the proposed measures revealed that their benefits will significantly outweigh the costs.

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Sustainable mobility

Reducing the Environmental Costs of Air Transport (26/07/07)
Researchers have recently investigated the environmental costs of two types of airline business models. They have shown that these costs can be reduced up to 42% with pointto- point flights, compared to flights with transit at a large hub.

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Individual Actions to Improve Transport Energy Efficiency (19/07/07)
The transportation sector is predicted to be responsible for an even larger share of EU energy consumption in the future. In this regard, a Dutch researcher has investigated the actions and intentions of individuals in the field of energy efficiency in transport. The study reveals that almost 40% of the respondents are disengaged from this issue. Furthermore, only a few were ready to reduce their individual travel. Overall, the results provide new insights that could be useful for designing policies in the field of transport energy efficiency.

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Transport Subsidies and Effect on the Environment (07/06/07)
The European Environment Agency has recently published a report that investigates the subsidies granted to the transport sectors. These subsidies amount to almost 300 billion Euros annually and the road transport sector is the major payee with more than 40%. Even if it is not its primary goal, this instrument could have a positive impact on the environment, such as the promotion of more environment-friendly transport modes.

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Environmental Impacts of European Tourist Transport (03/05/07)
Environmental impacts of transport activities have been quantified in a large number of studies but very few have addressed the specific issue of tourist transport. Recently, a European team of scientists has investigated the environmental impacts of five tourist transport modes on five impact categories for tourism between the places of residence of the EU citizens and their destination. Their analyses reveal that climate change which is mainly caused by air transport is by far the most significant impact. Consequently, policies aiming at mitigating the environmental burdens of European tourism should focus on air transportation and intercontinental tourism.

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Possible Adverse Effects from Cost-Internalisation Measures (01/02/07)
A Dutch researcher has recently analysed the possible effects of the internalisation of noise, air pollution and traffic congestion costs on the freight transportation. Contrary to what might be expected, the results suggest that this measure would increase by 20% the distance above which bimodal freight transportation is more profitable than road transportation. This result highlights the importance of studying the possible adverse effects when implementing such a cost-internalisation measure.

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New Policies needed to tackle Unsustainable Urban Sprawl (21/12/06)
According to a recent study by the European Environmental Agency, continuous and rapid urban sprawl is threatening Europe?s environmental, social and economic balance. In particular, today?s trends towards new, low-density urban areas is resulting in increased consumption of resources. New policies to co-ordinate and control planning are required.

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Additional Policy Initiatives Needed for European Transport Systems (24/05/06)
According to a recent study by the European Environment Agency, greenhouse gas emission from transport increased by 22% between 1990 and 2002. Polluting emissions continue to have an impact on health and undermine progress towards Kyoto targets. Additional policy initiatives and instruments are therefore needed.

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Evolution of Fuel Consumption in Europe (06/04/06)
A recent study has revised the assumptions and the fuel economy values for the baseline scenarios used to predict fuel consumption evolution in Europe. Considering historical developments and observable future trends, the estimated fuel consumption values for the coming decades result higher than those assumed by previous studies

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Sustainable Air Transport in 2050 (16/02/06)
A recent Swedish project explored three scenarios of sustainable air travel in 2050. The results suggest that slower aircraft configuration cruising at lower altitudes would entail a 56% cut of CO₂ emissions compared to 2000. If this technology is coupled with a shift to a weakened emphasis on economic growth and less hectic lifestyles, air travel would significantly increase in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.

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Urban environment

State of the Urban Environment in European cities (30/11/06)
According to a recent study on Europe?s urban environment, large urban areas are still environmentally critical areas, especially concerning their air quality. Nevertheless, they are becoming areas where innovative solutions are being tested. The study also shows a contrast between northern and southern cities in areas of environmental management such as waste management and the introduction of Agenda 21 local sustainability plans.

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How to improve Environmental Performances of Urban Parks (16/11/06)
Spanish researchers have recently evaluated the environmental performance of urban parks in Mediterranean cities. The results suggest that municipalities where urban parks are increasing are also those where sound environmental management practices are lacking. Furthermore, low water consumption and native plant species are rarely features of the majority of public parks, thus leading to a less efficient use of water.

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Urban Activities in Arid Environments Affect the Water Cycle (13/07/06)
A new American study has recently shown, using a unique 108-year-old data record and satellite data, that cities located in arid areas have a significant effect on rainfall patterns around them. According to the results of the study, it appears that human activities such as land use, aerosol generation, and irrigation in these arid urban environments have an impact on the entire water cycle by changing the weather patterns in and near the cities.

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Air Pollution Levels at Traffic Hotspots in European Cities (04/05/06)
A recent report by the European Environmental Agency shows that the air quality limit values are often exceeded in European cities, especially in streets and other urban hotspots. Air quality projections for 2030 suggest that P10 limit value is not expected to be met even in the most optimistic scenario.

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Social Dimensions of Urban Waterfront Planning (23/03/06)
Finnish researchers have identified four categories of social aspects of urban waterfront regeneration that should be considered in the social impact assessments of urban waterfront development projects and land-use plans.

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Urban Form Affects Water Quality (09/02/06)
Australian researchers have demonstrated that urban form influences the quality of urban stormwater quality. The outcomes of their study confirm the important role that urban planning can play in safeguarding urban water quality.

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Decline and Sprawl in European Urban Development (24/11/05)
Decline and sprawl, as observed in Liverpool and Leipzig, seem to represent an evolving type of urban development in European cities with important consequences on urban planning and policy.

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Waste

Meeting Environmental Protection and Recycling Objectives (06/12/07)
Austrian researchers have recently demonstrated that selecting an appropriate technique for recycling cooling appliances - one which respects environment protection - could also help meet national targets for material recycling in the long term.

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Cars and Design-for-Recycling (25/10/07)
French researchers have recently investigated the performances of existing technologies for recycling plastics. Taking into account the limitations of the recycling processes, recycling constraints were included in the design of a car bumper. This led to significant improvements in the recycling of materials used to make cars. This study provides new insights on how to reach EU recycling objectives for end-of-life vehicles.

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Public Perceptions of Household Waste Disposal (12/07/07)
British researchers have recently interviewed residents in England about the ways they recycle and re-use bulky items. The results show that 71% of the items are discarded via national waste management routes and 5% via illegal dumping. Although residents are globally satisfied with national waste management schemes, they report that this service should be free of charge. The researchers conclude that for effective and efficient waste management, it is important to understand the public perception of convenience.

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Combining Economy and Environment for sustainable Decisions (21/06/07)
Waste management is becoming an increasing issue worldwide and Europe's priorities include the increase of waste recycling and reuse rates. Finnish researchers have recently made a first attempt to combine both monetary and environmental aspects of several waste management options, in order to help decision making. Their investigation showed that economically-preferable waste management routes are not the best from an environmental point of view. The two-dimensional analysis identifies that a compromise needs to be found between several waste management options.

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Waste Management Options: How Should They be Chosen? (16/05/07)
In a perspective of sustainable development, waste management is an important area. However, several waste management routes exist and their effectiveness has been barely assessed. Swedish researchers have recently proposed some guidance for flexible and robust waste management strategies, taking into account environmental, economic and social aspects.

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Plastics Composition of WEEE and Implications for Recovery (03/05/07)
German scientists have recently investigated the plastics content in Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). The results show that the contamination of plastics by brominated flame retardants (BFR) and polybrominated dioxins and furans (PBDD/F) remains a severe issue and has a strong impact on material recycling and thermal treatment. This analysis provides useful information on the possible recovery of WEEE plastics.

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New Insights regarding the Acceptability of Waste as a Road Construction Material (08/02/07)
The French Directorate of Roads, part of the Ministry of Transportation and Equipment, recently launched a project to define technical and environmental requirements in order to assess the benefits of using construction and demolition waste as alternative road construction materials. This initiative could be a basis for such an assessment in other countries or at European level.

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New Insights into the processing of Electrical and Electronic Waste (18/01/07)
Swiss researchers have determined the composition of waste from small electrical and electronic equipments such as TV sets and audio and video equipments that reach a recycling plant. They have demonstrated the limitation of hand-sorting and mechanical separation for pollutants, whose flows are lost or may represent a potential hazard to humans and the environment. Only the separation of some hazardous chemicals such as mercury, found in batteries or polychlorinated biphenyls, found in accumulators, is proved to be efficient.

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Consumers Attitude towards the Disposal of Small WEEE (09/11/06)
A British study has assessed consumers? attitudes towards the disposal of small waste electrical and electronic equipment. The results suggest that stakeholders and policy makers have to become proactive in their approach to managing this type of waste as soon as possible because, with current consumer trends, the disposal and management problem is only set to increase. Further research exploring consumers? attitudes is required in order to improve and optimise the location and format of new recycling schemes for these products.

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Communication - A Key to the Success of Water Reuse Projects (06/04/06)
A well-organised and comprehensive communications program with stakeholders is essential to any modern water reuse project. A team of Australian researchers has recently summarised the major stakeholder communication issues to be addressed and successful means of addressing them.

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Phosphorus - Scarce Resource and Pollutant(09/03/06)
Australian researchers have shown the usefulness of substance flux analysis as a tool for supporting policy planning for conserving phosphorus reserves and, at the same time, preventing it from being a pollutant.

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Management of Residues from Waste Incineration in Europe (02/02/06)
Recycling of incineration residues from municipal solid waste is predicted to expand in the EU in the near future. A recent comparison of recycling legislations in EU countries has shown that management practices for incineration residues are very different in different jurisdictions. Such discrepancy in legislations may lead to important legal and illegal transport of waste across Europe. This highlights the need for a legislation on recycling of incineration waste residues at the EU level.

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Ecological advantages of WEEE recycling? (05/01/06)
The waste electrical and electronic equipment is expected to grow in the coming decades. The study of environmental impacts of the whole recycling chain of such specific waste demonstrated that the recycling option is much more ecologically advantageous than simple incineration and should be encouraged as the most suitable treatment option.

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Water

What is the true Potential for Water Saving in the European Union? (11/10/07)
Concern about water availability and the need for water saving in Europe has been rising in recent decades. A recent study commissioned by the European Commission has quantified the water saving potential in Europe. Significant savings can be achieved by implementing technical measures that result in more efficient water use, and by changing water users? behaviour and production patterns. The results show the potential for policy action across the EU.

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Definition of Phosphorus Reference Concentrations for European Lakes (28/06/07)
The Water Framework Directive requires the ecological quality of surface waters to be assessed taking reference conditions into account. European researchers recently estimated total phosphorus reference conditions for a large set of European lake types. They then developed models for predicting site-specific total phosphorus reference conditions for all lake types. The results should be useful for the many European countries that have chosen to use this parameter to measure the water quality of surface bodies.

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The Decline of Small Fish Species Disrupts Rivers (12/10/06)
Scientists have recently concluded that removing just one fish species from a freshwater ecosystem can have major effects on the ecosystem?s health. This finding contradicts the generally-held belief that the greater abundance and diversity of other species could compensate for the loss. Therefore, over-fishing small species may seriously and irreversibly disrupt how rivers function and the services, such as clean water, they provide.

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Communication ? A Key to the Success of Water Reuse Projects (06/04/06)
A well-organised and comprehensive communications program with stakeholders is essential to any modern water reuse project. A team of Australian researchers has recently summarised the major stakeholder communication issues to be addressed and successful means of addressing them.

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Groundwater Issues from End-users' Perspective (12/01/06)
Addressing the issue of groundwater quality is an integrated task that requires active cooperation of all the end-users concerned. A new analysis of different end-users' viewpoints on groundwater issues provides valuable information on data and strategies required to meet the groundwater quality problems at local and regional scale.

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