European Union News - Environmnet

Over the next 4 years, more than 60 researchers from 15 countries will work together to improve the coastal management of the Mediterranean Sea. For the first time under the one research agenda, the EU-funded project will undertake an all-inclusive study of the sea, its coasts and marine ecosystems in a bid to build consensus on the future governance and prosperity of the ailing basin.

These awards, launched by the European Commission in 2000 and 2005 respectively, promote the reduction of energy consumption by public and private organisations on a voluntary basis. These initiatives count over 700 participants all over Europe, who save approximately 545 GWh each year. This is equivalent to the energy used by two mid-size European cities over the same period.

The Directorate General for Regional Policy of the European Commission has published several studies that assess how the ERDF has boosted transport networks and environmental initiatives in Europe.

The European Commission has launched a €35 million call for eco-innovation projects that turn environmental challenges into business opportunities to be funded under the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme. Under the 2010 CIP Eco-innovation call for proposals, funds are available for new projects in the area of materials recycling, sustainable building products, the food and drink sector and green business practices.

The European Commission has published a Eurobarometer survey which shows that many Europeans do not understand what is meant by biodiversity and do not feel well informed about biodiversity loss. The Commission has at the same time launched a campaign aimed at informing the public about the loss of biodiversity in the EU.

Forests are crucial to maintaining climate change below 2ºC. Forests also provide jobs, revenue and raw material for industries and renewable energy. They also protect the soil, regulate freshwater supplies and conserve biodiversity. So we risk a lot if we don't look after them.

The Presidency has supported by a vast majority of ministers meeting in the Agriculture Council called for action in areas ranging from the reinforcement of the agro-food industry to a better balancing of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and EU competition rules.

The European Council has agreed on the key elements of the new strategy for jobs and growth, the EU 2020 strategy. To president Van Rompuy, who chaired the meeting on 25-26 March, the strategy sums up the European model of social market economy with a strong environmental dimension.

The Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (AECI) has launched a call for proposals for the work programme 2010"Intelligent Energy for Europe". The budget of the call is EUR 56 million.

The heads of state and government of the 27 member states of the EU will look at ways of reactivating the process of climate change talks, after the failure of negotiations in Copenhagen summit last December.

The swedish city of Gävle has won the 2009 European Mobility Week Award. The Swedish coastal city was judged by an independent panel of experts to have done the most to promote clean mobility initiatives during European Mobility Week 2009. Leon in Spain and the Croatian city of Ivanic-Grad were runners-up. The awards were presented by Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik at a ceremony in Brussels tonight.