Central to the achievement of the Agenda for Sustainable Development is an adequate, equitably distributed and fully supported health workforce. Nurses are the largest occupational group and represent an indispensable force with which to combat inequities in access to health services and progress towards health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while …
Globally deforestation continues, albeit at a slower rate, with 10 million hectares a year being converted to other uses since 2015, down from 12 million hectares a year in the previous five years, according to the key findings of a flagship report that is conducted by the Food and Agriculture …
This short paper summarises Transport and Environment (T&E’s) views of the questions posed by the consultation Introducing E10 to Petrol. T&E is Europe’s foremost sustainable transport think tank and NGO. It is a federation of almost 60 national organisations across Europe campaigning for greener transport and now has a team …
The European Environment Agencys (EEA) data confirm large decreases in air pollutant concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations in particular largely due to reduced traffic and other activities, especially in major cities under lockdown measures. Reductions of around half have been seen in some locations.
Member States of the WHO European Region are at varying phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. Regardless of the phase, governments and public health authorities must begin to envision, and plan for, the subsequent stages of their response strategy, with the ultimate aim of reaching and maintaining a state of low-level …
Coinciding with the 50th anniversary ofEarth Day, this report investigates the impact COVID-19 lockdowns have had on global particulate pollution levels.As lockdowns were implemented in response to the deadly coronavirus pandemic, the dramatic changes brought about by these restrictions have been described as the ‘largest scale experiment ever’ into air …
This joint EEA-FOEN report explores two key questions related to Europe’s long-term environmental and climate ambitions: how to define a ‘safe operating space’ for Europe, and whether Europe’s environmental footprint is currently smaller or larger than its estimated ‘safe operating space’. The European Commission for the period 2019-2024 raised ambitions …
With one third of humanity currently in lockdown, people all over the world are learning from the Coronavirus pandemic that we cannot take our lifestyles for granted. In the face of fear and suffering we need to have hope. With governments starting to think beyond the crisis, it is time …
Europe has seized its ‘man on the moon’ moment, inspiring the seemingly impossible to become possible. In setting out a bold vision to become the first climate neutral continent, the EU is looking to inspire a global ‘space race’ to net zero emissions. One of the mission critical pathways to …
Four years on from the Dieselgate scandal - which exposed the failure to curb toxic air pollution from cars and shook confidence in EU emissions regulation - Europe is in the process of setting a new pollutant emissions standard for light and heavy duty vehicles. The future ‘post Euro-6/VI’ (informally …
Drylands cover 41% of Earth’s surface and are the largest source of interannual variability in the global carbon sink. Drylands are projected to experience accelerated expansion over the next century, but the implications of this expansion on variability in gross primary production (GPP) remain elusive. Original Source
A raging pandemic—unleashed by a highly contagious COVID-19 virus—has triggered unprecedented restrictions not only on the movement of people but also on a range of economic activities, and the declaration of national emergencies in most countries in Europe and North America. Growing demand for urgent healthcare and rising death tolls …
Following the emergence of a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and its spread outside of China, Europe is now experiencing large epidemics. In response, many European countries have implemented unprecedented non-pharmaceutical interventions including case isolation, the closure of schools and universities, banning of mass gatherings and/or public events, and most recently, wide …
All Member States have taken, based on advice from their national health authorities, decisive action to contain and slow down the spread of the virus. This effort is underpinned and supported by the guidelines of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the recommendations of the Commission …
The objective of this study is to provide a first assessment of the legal scope for EU or national measures to phase-out ICE vehicles and to identify issues where legal uncertainty remains and further investigation is needed. Vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICE) currently represent the most prevalent form of …
A longer lasting and more intensive coronavirus outbreak, spreading widely throughout the Asia Pacific region, Europe and North America, would weaken prospects considerably. In this event, global growth could drop to 1½ per cent in 2020, half the rate projected prior to the virus outbreak.
Low-carbon investment was driven by companies in the high-emitting materials, energy and transport sectors, accounting for 5, 38 and 50 percent respectively. Capital investments comprised €59 billion, driven by electric utility investments of €45 billion in renewables, infrastructure and enabling technologies such as demand-side response programmes and digitalization. Research and …
Global Energy Monitor (GEM) has completed the first comprehensive project-level survey of proposed natural gas infrastructure across the European Union (EU), including gas-fired power plants, liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminals, and gas pipelines. According to GEM’s survey, companies are already building or are proposing to build gas infrastructure that …
Trucks account for less than 2% of the vehicles on the road but 22% of CO2 emissions from road transport. The relative share of truck emissions is bound to increase as emissions from passenger cars are driven downwards by the surge in the sales of electric cars. Europe needs a …
African swine fever (ASF), is a highly contagious viral disease of domestic and wild pigs that has become a serious global threat to the pig industry and related sectors. Its existence and rampant spread has made a significant impact on protein availability, consumption and trade. It also poses a blockbuster …
Climate change effect on water security will present high risk to global security in the next ten years warns this inaugural World Climate and Security report released by the International Military Council on Climate and Security. It is the first report of its kind, and is intended to inform future …
