European Union News - Environmnet

The Commission has recognised in a Communication dated on 1st april 2008 the need to reduce the emissions of harmful air pollutants if significant progress is to be delivered towards the objectives established in the 6th Environmental Action Programme. The Commission's communication on a Thematic Strategy on air pollution sets out a significant number of possible Community measures. 

Europe's flora and fauna are now better protected than at any time since the European Community was set up. Three recent expansions have added 18,784 square kilometres to Natura 2000, Europe's network of protected natural areas, which now covers almost 20% of the continent's landmass and 100,000 km2 of its seas. The additional areas are in Austria, Cyprus, Finland, France, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. Natura 2000 plays a major role in Europe's battle to halt biodiversity loss by 2010.

For the EU it is essential that the forthcoming global agreement sets the objective of limiting global warming to no more than 2°C above the pre-industrial level in order to prevent climate change from reaching dangerous levels at which irreversible and possibly catastrophic changes could occur. Keeping within this temperature ceiling will require worldwide emissions of greenhouse gases to be cut by more than 50% of 1990 levels by mid-century.

The European Union will be pressing for solid progress when formal negotiations to draw up a new United Nations climate change agreement start on 31 March in Bangkok, Thailand. The week-long meeting marks the first negotiating session since the UN climate conference in Bali last December decided to conclude the agreement by the end of 2009. The new agreement is intended to take effect once the Kyoto Protocol's targets for limiting greenhouse gas emissions from developed countries have expired in 2012.

The European Commission has published an amendment of the Decision 2005/338/EC in order to prolong the validity of the ecological criteria for the award of the Community eco-label to campsite service for 18 months which means that the criteria awards will remain until October 31, 2009.

Africa is home to some of the most valuable natural ecosystems and species on the planet. Worldwide, more than 16 000 plant and animal species are threatened with extinction. The monitoring of Africa's 741 protected areas (representing over two million square kilometres, i.e. nearly half the total area of the EU) plays a vital role in biodiversity protection, conservation and the sustainable management of natural resources. “The Assessment of African Protected Areas”, an online information system based on the latest advances in satellite technology, monitors trends in fire, vegetation, and rainfall. It allows park managers to compare current fire activity, vegetation growth or rainfall against seasonal norms. This information will help African nations to achieve the goal of reducing the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010.

Mr. Rajendra Pachauri participated last 26 april 2008 in EP Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change before an audience of MEPs.

The Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI) is hereby launching a call for proposals for the ‘Intelligent Energy — Europe’ 2008 work Programme. Some € 45 million will be made available, supporting up to 75% of eligible project costs. European projects, with a budget usually between € 0.5 - 2.5 million (mainly staff costs), will have a maximum funding period of three years and will include at least 3 partner organisations from 3 different eligible countries.

Over two-thirds of Europeans prefer policy decisions on the environment to be made at European Union level, according to a Eurobarometer survey published on 13th March 2008. The report also shows that Europeans are increasingly aware of the role played by the environment in their daily lives. More than 95% of European citizens feel that it is important to protect the environment. Some 80% also feel it influences their quality of life and consider that they have a role to play in protecting it. Climate change tops the list of Europeans' environmental concerns, followed by pollution and man-made disasters.