Environment & climate action

End of 2014 the first Horizon 2020 projects were signed. Since then almost four thousand more have been added.

As announced by President Juncker on 13 May 2015, the European Commission intends to set up a new Scientific Advice Mechanism ("SAM"). The mechanism will support the Commission with high-quality, timely and independent scientific advice for its policy-making activities.

Where water is scarce, it makes sense to make the most of what you receive for free. An EU-funded project is studying the different ways Africa’s farmers can increase the volume of rain and river water collected, to improve crop yields and bridge dry spells.

The aim of the conference is to discuss challenges related to the invasive alien species (IAS) and diseases in Europe and their impact on the development of EU policies in the field of agriculture and environment.

The complex issue of invasive alien species was recently addressed by the European Commission in the proposal for a Regulation on IAS.

The Group on Earth Observations is pleased to announce the kick-off of the GEO 2015 Short Video Competition for the GEO-XII Plenary and Ministerial Summit.

Freely accessible online tools to enable sustainable and efficient water resource management are being developed by the EU-funded SWITCH-ON project. The initiative is currently building a web portal to host innovations such as a virtual water-science laboratory, product marketing point and meeting place.

An ALTER-Net conference in collaboration with the European Commission under the auspices of the Latvian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Please join us for an international conference on Nature-Based Solutions to Societal Challenges. Relevant to research in many disciplines and communities, to EU policies and to practitioners, this event offers rich possibilities to share, learn and connect.

The second biennial ‘European Climate Change Adaptation Conference’ will be hosted in Copenhagen in 2015. More than 1000 participants are expected to attend this event.

The conference will offer a unique platform for researchers, policy makers, and businesses to share new research results, novel policy developments, and practical implementation experiences regarding climate change impacts and adaptation, as well as highlight opportunities for business.

Effective, evidence-based policy-making requires contributions from various sources. So-called ‘knowledge brokering instruments’ can boost the sharing of the necessary information and knowledge between stakeholders, policy and science. Choosing water policy as the focal point, the EU-funded project PSI-CONNECT put knowledge brokering activities to the test.

Sewage may not look like a particularly precious resource, but it is home to phosphorus and other products, such as metals and biogas. EU-funded researchers are developing and demonstrating more efficient ways to extract these, turning waste into a valuable and renewable resource, creating new opportunities for companies and reducing its impact on the environment.

A lack of clear data on how ecosystems deal with carbon dioxide has hindered understanding of how they are affected by land management and climate change. For a clear picture, scientists need accurate information on which ecosystems release or retain carbon and greenhouse gases (GHGs) and how much. Through detailed measurements and data analyses, EU researchers have the first answers to these pressing questions.

When Prof. Heino Falcke obtained an ERC grant to study and identify the sources of ultra-high energy cosmic rays, back in 2008, he could not imagine that his research would provide an important clue to better understand lightning and thunderclouds much closer to us. His team indeed realized that cosmic rays, originating in outer space and striking the Earth from all directions, can provide a near instantaneous 'picture' of the electric fields in clouds.

Africa’s dry climate and strong rural dependence on farming make drought a particular threat across the continent. Early warning and targeted action can limit the harm done – EU-funded research is connecting policy-makers to information that helps them identify risks and prevent problems.

EU-funded research has significantly boosted understanding of the links between climate, environment and disease in Sub-Saharan Africa. The research is feeding into global efforts to create an early warning system for major outbreaks of killer diseases such as malaria – and save lives.

The Estonian Liaison Office (ELO) for EU Research and Innovation, representing the Estonian Research Council in Brussels, has the pleasure to invite you to the seminar 'Cooperation in Marine Science around the Baltic Sea and beyond: a contribution to Europe’s Societal Challenges', which will take place on April 22nd from 9:00 to 14:00 at Square de Meeûs 1, 1000 Brussels (1st floor, room Luxembourg).

Rising temperatures in mountain regions could have a significant impact on ecosystems, societies and economies around the world over the coming decades, according to EU-funded researchers who led a landmark study into the effects of climate change on mountain water resources.

Many of Africa’s cities lack the skills and resources to prepare for natural disasters, which scientists expect to become more frequent due to climate change. An EU-funded project has provided practical approaches vulnerable communities could use to plan ahead – and reduce the risk to lives and infrastructure.

The world needs more drinking water, without damaging ecosystems, and the sea is one possible source. EU-funded researchers are developing a self-cleaning filter membrane for desalination plants that cuts their energy use, waste and maintenance costs compared to those of existing filters.

The implementation activities of the Galway Statement on Atlantic Ocean Research Cooperation, signed in May 2013 by the EU, Canada and the United States of America, and launching an Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance, are moving to a new exciting stage. This event will be the launch pad for all the 'Galway Statement follow-up projects' funded with the first Horizon 2020 Blue Growth calls - the main financial instrument on the EU side to make the Galway Statement commitments reality.

EU-funded research has shown that natural rubber from home-grown dandelions and guayule could be used for tyres. Researchers and industry are now working together to scale up production – paving the way for Europe to reduce its dependence on rubber imports and to boost competitiveness.