A new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) shows that large drop in emissions seen in 2008 and 2009 gives the EU-15 a head start to reach and even overachieve its 8% reduction target under the Kyoto Protocol. Austria, Denmark and Italy, however, need to step up their current efforts until 2012 to ensure … Read more
Over the past few years, globalisation and climate change have increased the challenges the EU faces in preventing the entry and spread of non-native plant pests in its territory. Red Palm Weevil is devastating palm trees in Mediterranean Member States, outbreaks of Pine Wood Nematode in Portugal are threatening millions of hectares of coniferous forest … Read more
Last year over 20 kilos of used packaging was recycled every second in Ireland according to packaging recycling scheme Repak. The results were announced at the launch of Repak Recycling Week which runs from October 4th to 10th and this year is encouraging people to recycle more by targeting recycling in the workplace. According to … Read more
The EU’s own research body, the Joint Research Centre, has published the first-ever atlas showing areas of Ireland and the rest of the EU where the biodiversity of soil is under threat. The biodiversity in our soils plays a vital role in sustaining life above ground. It is key in agriculture and in the water … Read more
At the recent High Level Meeting of the Africa-EU Energy Partnership (AEEP) in Vienna, EU Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs and EU Commissioner for Energy Gunther Oettinger launched the Renewable Energy Cooperation Programme (RECP) together with the African Union and announced a planned contribution of Eur5 million to start the programme. This programme of cooperation … Read more
The EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement (OEE) has published its ‘Focus on Landfilling in Ireland’ report. The report examines the standards of operation and management at landfills in Ireland and charts the progress made since the EPA began licensing this sector 15 years ago. The report charts the fall in the number of municipal waste … Read more
A report by the Joint Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security and the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Food, on the European Commission’s Green Paper on ‘Forest Protection and Information in the EU: Preparing Forests for Climate Change’ is being launched today, July 21st, at 10am in the AV Room of Leinster House. … Read more
Renewable energy sources accounted for 62% (17GW) of the new electricity generation capacity installed in the EU27 in 2009, according to the ‘Renewable Energy Snapshots’ report, published recently by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC). The share rose from 57% in 2008. For the second year running, wind energy accounted for the largest share … Read more
New research reveals that Europe could not feed itself on fish from EU waters for more than 189 days a year, and so from today would be dependent on fish caught elsewhere. Consuming far more than our depleted European seas can produce is making the EU increasingly dependent on fish from elsewhere, according to a … Read more
The European automobile manufacturers have defined joint specifications to connect electrically chargeable vehicles to the electricity grid in a safe and user-friendly way. The industry recommendations will enable the relevant EU standardization bodies to make rapid progress with defining a common interface between the electricity infrastructure and vehicles throughout Europe. The recommendations also provide decisive … Read more