European Union News - Environmnet

Companies from the UK, Belgium, Germany and Spain have won the 2010 European Business Awards for the Environment. The awards recognise "the best of the best" businesses that have already succeeded in competitions at national level.

The European Commission is sending a first warning to twelve Member States for failing to submit their plans for managing Europe's river basins, as required by EU water legislation. The river basin plans are the cornerstone of the Water Framework Directive and essential for achieving the EU's objective of 'good status' for European waters by 2015.

The European Environment Agency has published the latest EU inventory of greenhouse gas emissions showing that emissions fell again significantly in 2008, the first year of the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period. European Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard welcomed the news. The fall marks the fifth consecutive annual decrease

A new report, put together by the International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management, indicates that legislators and policymakers looking to make the most impact on the Earth’s well-being should use taxes and other incentives to encourage more eco-friendly agricultural practices and reduce the use of fossil fuels.

European Environment Agency and European Commission have presented two new instruments that will help in the fighting against the loss of biodiversity in European ecosystems.

This year's Green Week, the biggest annual conference devoted to European environment policy, will take place from 1 to 4 June at the Charlemagne Building in Brussels under the slogan "Biodiversity - our lifeline"

The European Commission has presented an analysis of the costs, benefits and options for moving beyond the EU's greenhouse gas reduction target for 2020 from 20% below 1990 levels to 30% once the conditions are met. At present these conditions have not been met. This communication follows the Commission's Communication on "How to reinvigorate international climate negotiations" and the Council's request to present an assessment on the impacts of a conditional move to a 30% emissions cut.

The electric vehicle, the European patent system and national R+D investment will be the key issues that European ministers will discuss in Brussels this Tuesday and Wednesday at the final Competitiveness Council.

Tomorrow is World Biodiversity Day and despite efforts around the globe, studies show that biodiversity – the rich variety of life on this planet – is diminishing at a startling rate. An innovative EU campaign to highlight this message is engaging thousands of people across the European Union and beyond. The campaign website has already received more than half a million visits, while over 56,000 people have shown their support for the campaign on Facebook.

The Spanish Secretary of State for the EU, Diego Lopez Garrido, said on Thursday that the EU Council of ministers in June will create a financial instrument to develop a comprehensive maritime policy and will promote the inclusion of a maritime aspect in EU security and defence policies.

The European Commission has laid out steps to improve the management of bio-waste in the EU and tap into its significant environmental and economic benefits. Bio-degradable garden, kitchen and food waste accounts for 88 million tonnes of municipal waste each year and has major potential impacts on the environment. But it also has considerable promise as a renewable source of energy and recycled materials.