Science Flash For You

This is just one of many examples of JRC analysis, as it contributes to the European Commission’s response to the COVID-19 crisis with solid scientific evidence, tools and data. From the preparation of guidelines and control materials for testing and better characterisation of the pandemic, to the analysis of economic impacts, the JRC is evaluating and anticipating the evolution of the crisis to manage it better and prepare for the exit strategy. The JRC is monitoring the situation from the citizens’ perspective, understanding their fears and concerns on security, social, economic and environmental aspects.

JRC initiatives are helping manage the complex situation. JRC scientists designed a new control material to help prevent coronavirus test failures and increase their accuracy. The lack of positive control materials was one of the main challenges faced by laboratories for the reliable implementation of coronavirus diagnostic tests. From 1 April, samples of JRC material were dispatched to laboratories and research centres in countries across Europe.

On 15 April, the European Commission presented a roadmap towards lifting coronavirus containment measures. The availability of reliable data over time is key to lifting containment measures, as Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner responsible for the JRC, said. With JRC support, the Commission developed test performance criteria to improve their overall performance, which will benefit all European citizens.

Many other actions were taken to help tackle the pandemic with the JRC’s crisis management tools, including through the Disaster Risk Management Knowledge Centre. The JRC’s work has been contributing to:

• define exit scenarios;
• model the epidemic dynamics, for instance on demographics or mobility;
• evaluate impacts on both business activities and the labour market in the most affected sectors, as well as on security aspects related to critical infrastructure or energy;
• investigate social aspects and identify possible support through existing European tools such as the Structural Funds;
• understand the impact of the Coronavirus crisis on the environment.

On the “Enabling Environment” criterion, Dublin comes 1^st in its group thanks to its exceptional performance on Human Capital and Education. Galway, Cork and Limerick are among the four best performers in Europe in the same sector in the population group of towns with less than 250,000 inhabitants. In Cork, the CIT Crawford College of Art and Design’s contribution to a wide variety of artistic careers is highlighted as a best practice in the 2019 edition of the JRC Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor. Waterford is the other Irish town included in the Monitor.

In case of distress, 45% of Irish people (compared to 40% of all Europeans) said that it would not take long for them to get back to normal.

If they saw a substantial fall in their income, Irish people answered they will be more likely to first spend less and rely on existing savings. One in five people in Ireland said they would take up more work, and one in four would seek state support (compared to one in nine among all Europeans). Irish people tend to make use of credit and private institutions more than the EU average, while they rely on friends and relatives slightly less.

These data are even more relevant than usual since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, which is testing the resilience of our societies. It has killed many people, threatened the life and security of many others and seriously stressed national health systems, the economy and social welfare systems of every European country. Today more than ever, the resilience of each individual will play an important role in finding our way through this crisis successfully.

This snapshot of Ireland uses data from the ‘special Eurobarometer 88.4’, which also provided the basis for the JRC to develop an individual resilience index. Ireland is the EU’s fifth best performing country on the individual resilience index.

In fields that had already experienced difficulties due to overly wet conditions around sowing winter cereals established poorly, with empty patches. In some areas, replanting will be needed. Despite this unfavorable start of the season good yields are still possible if conditions improve in the coming weeks.

The JRC’s monitoring of agriculture using remote sensing (MARS) started in 1988 and supports the EU Common Agricultural Policy by providing a wide series of services. MARS activities include agricultural monitoring, crop yield forecasting, global food security, agricultural biodiversity, rural development, climate change and earth observation.

A recent JRC brief, prepared for the European Commission’s Knowledge Centre for Bioeconomy (KCB) reports on algae biomass production in the EU and globally, and maps algae production units in Europe. In contrast to the global trend, EU macroalgae production is primarily (98%) based on wild harvesting rather than aquaculture.

The term ‘algae’ actually describes a group of more than 72,500 species of aquatic photosynthetic organisms. The larger, pluricellular, types of algae are called macroalgae and make up 20% of all algae species. As well as providing habitats and food for a wide variety of species, algae also contribute to carbon sequestration, nutrient recycling and coastal protection.

Algae have been used for centuries as fertiliser, food and feed. They are currently used primarily by the food and chemical industries, with new applications emerging in the areas of food and feed, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, biofuels, biomaterials and bioremediation services. Macroalgae biomass production has gradually increased worldwide since 1950, driven by a growth in demand and aquaculture production in Asian countries.

The algae sector contributes to the EU blue bioeconomy and holds great potential for development in terms of employment and the economy, especially for coastal and remote areas. As a biological resource, algae could potentially provide an environmentally sound solution and contribute to meeting the increasing demands for food, feed, energy and materials

This chart takes a sample of people older than 15 in Ireland and sorts them into five groups according to their household income after tax. The height of the bars shows the level of income of each group as a percentage of the EU average for that group. In both 2007 and 2017, lower earners (group 1) have a larger advantage relative to their EU-peers than higher earners. While the relative position of all income groups worsened compared to pre-crisis times, all remain close to or above the EU average.