European Union News - Environmnet

The European Commission presented its strategy to get a sustainable economy by 2050 based in a resource efficient growth. It proposes among other things tools and indicators to help guide action in Europe and internationally. It is an agenda for competitiveness and growth based on using fewer resources when the EU produces and consumes goods and creating business and job opportunities from activities such as recycling, better product design, materials substitution and eco-engineering.

The special report issued by the European Court of Auditors (ECA) shows that thanks to the European agri-environment support aims to respond to society's increasing demand for environmental services by encouraging farmers and other land managers to introduce or continue to apply agricultural production methods compatible with the protection and improvement of the environment. The report shows on the other hand, the existing problems concerning the aid amounts.

MEPs approved a resolution that demands stricter rules to reduce emissions of fluorinated gases. They also stated at the resolution that European climate policy often focuses on carbon dioxide whereas tougher measures against other greenhouse emissions could be relatively cheap and deliver quick results.

Two new studies as part of an EU-funded project, the STEP project, have published their findings on the ways to conserve Europe's pollinators and to ensure they continue to deliver pollination services to crops and wildflowers.

The Polish Presidency in the EU Council wants to reach an agreement as soon as possible on cultivation of GMOs. The next round of talks held by the Polish Presidency is to take place as early as on 15 September in Brussels.

The compromise reached in the negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council at second reading has been adopted by the Council. It means that Member States may apply an "external cost charge" on lorries, complementing the already existing infrastructure charge designed to recover the costs of construction, operation, maintenance and development of road infrastructure.

Two major EU-funded nuclear waste-disposal projects have allowed researchers to reach a consensus on several key issues surrounding the chemical durability of both high-level waste glass and spent nuclear fuel, thanks to the publication of their results.

The new draft report on the Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area has been discussed in the Transport Committee at the European Parliament. The draft report builds on the Commission white paper on EU transport policy from now to 2050 and it sets realistic targets for 2020 according to MEPs.
 

The EU-funded GalileoCast project brings together three small companies to develop innovative weather-related services that use satellite positioning technologies. 'GalileoRoads' is one such service being launched by this project, using hybrid methods that combine fixed and mobile meteorological observations to produce very-high-resolution road condition models and weather forecasts.

European scientists have discovered how honeybees depopulation is directly related to the exposure of colonies to low doses of insecticides, as they have a higher risk of dying from infection by Nosema ceranae (N. ceranae). These findings support the theory that combining more N. ceranae with a high pesticide content in beehives could contribute to colony depopulation.

Scientists at Cemagref, the French research institute of science and technology for the environment designed the Government Resource Planning (GRP) software for SCHAPI, France's National Hydrometeorological and Flood Forecasting Centres, in order to forecast river flooding and warn authorities and the public about potential floods, giving vulnerable zones the crucial time they need to protect themselves.

The final assessment of the 6th Community Environment Action Programme (EAP) adopted by the Commission shows the accomplishments in the field of environment during the past ten years with examples as the extension of the Natura 2000 network or the introduction of a comprehensive chemicals policy. However this assessment also shows the need of progressing in implementing agreed EU objectives and rules.