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Water bodies absorb the nitrogen released by human activity and must, therefore, be protected against nutrient overloading (or eutrophication), which can cause significant environmental damage. Constructed wetlands (CWs) are widely used as an eco-friendly treatment method for this; however, the efficacy of CWs may be affected by the presence of emerging contaminants in wastewater. This study explores how nano-sized particles of polystyrene plastic (nanoplastics) affect nitrogen removal (denitrification¹) in CWs.

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Food security is a growing concern as crop yields are threatened by increasing climatic variability — periods of excessively hot weather, or heatwaves, specifically. This study examines the crop diversity of the sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) to understand which genetic variants flourish in response to climatic stress and to identify the crop traits that aid this success.

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Researchers behind a new literature survey of antibiotic levels in the environment call for regulators to recognise antimicrobials as pollutants and to regulate them similarly to other hazardous substances — for which environmental limits, reference standards and treatment protocols have been set. Recognising that low-level contamination from antibiotics in waste and waste-water streams, agricultural run-off¹, and pharmaceutical effluent² may be important risk factors linked to antibiotic resistance, they suggest setting maximum acceptable levels that are below those selecting for antimicrobial resistance. They suggest that it is vital to view antibiotics as a contaminant and to monitor levels in soil and water³.

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At its core, Level(s) is about helping the construction and real estate sectors to take a full lifecycle approach to the sustainability of buildings. President von der Leyen’s recent announcement launching the New European Bauhaus movement has given this mission a huge boost. Inspired by the Bauhaus pioneers, the Commission wants to pool the expertise of architects, designers, artists, scientists, entrepreneurs, engineers, and students to produce radical, holistic solutions to sustainable living and boost the green transition. You, and your networks, can be part of this new movement by joining the discussion on the New European Bauhaus online platform. There, you will also be the first to hear about plans for five New European Bauhaus projects in EU Member States. Find out more

By their nature gasses are illusive. But with the latest sensor technology even the most sly gas leaks and ‘fugitive’ emissions from industrial sites can be picked up. This is where Sensia Solution’s innovative infrared cameras come in. Thanks to some well-timed EU funding, the growing Spanish firm’s thermal imaging technology is considered state of the art in the field of ‘leak detection and repair’ (LDAR).

Miro Analytical Technologies, a Swiss-based company, has pioneered a solution that simultaneously monitors ten of the most common greenhouse gasses and pollutants. It’s good news for industries looking to keep their emissions in check using affordable and adaptable technology. It’s even better news for the EU in achieving its ambitious zero-waste and zero-emissions targets.

Eco-innovation can take many forms. Sometimes it is about stand-out ideas that catch the eye and make a big public impact. Sometimes it is about setting targets. But sometimes eco-innovation is about processes. Work to improve processes, in particular industrial processes, can be highly technical and not easy for anyone other than experts to understand.

After more than a decade of monitoring green economy developments across the EU, the Eco-Innovation Observatory (EIO) has helped to build a shared understanding of what eco-innovation is, as well as why and how it should be supported by policy interventions, businesses and consumers.

The indicators tracking progress towards the European Green Deal goals will have a lot of work to do: helping policymakers and people more generally understand whether the green deal is being delivered successfully in all its breadth, and what more needs to be done.

This is a powerful notion that runs through the EU’s vision where digital developments and eco-innovation feature in a safer, greener, smarter economy. EcoAP News spoke with Bettina Bahn-Walkowiak, senior researcher in circular economy at the Wuppertal Institute and lead author of the new EIO biennial report on Eco-Innovation and Digitalisation.

In 2009, the OECD organised a global forum on eco-innovation at which experts in the then nascent field discussed how industry can do a better job at ‘innovating’ its way towards a greener planet, supported by insightful policies and tools. A decade later, the Eco-Innovation Observatory of the European Commission has become a bellwether in eco-innovation thanks to sophisticated monitoring activities.

A survey of 6,000 people shows that consumers have a growing awareness of biodiversity and want companies to protect it. This is the key finding of the 2020 UEBT Biodiversity Barometer.

The recordings of the webinar series held this autumn by the EU B@B Platform on "Biodiversity measurement approaches for business and financial institutions" are now available in the form of an e-learning. These videos present the findings of a number of business cases and discuss the strengths and remaining challenges related to applied measurement approaches.

European researchers are working to crack a tough nut: how to cut waste streams in chemical production. The team is developing a new chemical reactor platform that mimics the dynamics of how living cells elegantly and economically synthesise a huge variety of complex products. Their vision is a green ‘chemical factory of the future’.