Sustainability

Sustainable development, global change and ecosystems

European Union ( UE) objective and actions envisaged

Latest news

10 September 2010: Comparatively speaking, forests initially have a weaker cooling effect during heatwaves than open grassland. This is revealed in a study that could help refine models for weather and climate forecasts. Moreover, it also provides fresh arguments for the debate on reforestation in the context of climate change. Read more

10 September 2010: Conservationists would save more whales from the harpoon if the whale-watching public and industry were willing to pay a levy that could be used to persuade those countries currently engaged in whaling to stop. Read more

7 September 2010: Fears of a decline in bee pollination confirmed. Read more

6 September 2010: A new discovery by scientists at the Universities of East Anglia and Frankfurt could make it possible in future to identify the source of banned CFCs that are probably still being released into the atmosphere. Read more

30 August 2010: A versatile, clean and efficient way to enhance widespread application of carbon nanotubes. Read more

19 August 2010: Super 'whisky' biofuel to power cars. Read more

16 August 2010: The discovery of a gene that plays a significant role of growth rate in Arabidopsis could help increase yields from crops. Read more

16 August 2010: The growing amount of human noise pollution in the ocean could lead fish away from good habitat and off to their death. Read more

11 August 2010: New technique announced to turn windows into power generators. Read more

6 August 2010: Boulders deposited by an ancient glacier that once covered the summit of Mauna Kea on the island of Hawaii have provided more evidence of the extraordinary power and reach of global change. Read more

2 August 2010: Scientists shed light on solar activity and Arctic temperatures. Read more

28 July 2010: Researchers at the University of Leeds have now found an energy-efficient way to make hydrogen out of used vegetable oils discarded by restaurants, takeaways and pubs. Not only does the process generate some of the energy needed to make the hydrogen gas itself, it is also essentially carbon-neutral. Read more

28 July 2010: Engineers use rocket science to make wastewater treatment sustainable. Researchers encourage bacteria that produce nitrous oxide and methane in sewage sludge. The gases can then be cleanly burned to produce energy to run the plant. Read more

22 July 2010: Longer summers are causing mountain rodents called marmots to grow bigger and be more likely to survive the winter, according to a 33-year study. Read more

14 July 2010: Rising levels of antidepressants in coastal waters could change sea-life behaviour and potentially damage the food-chain. Read more

14 July 2010: Radiation is the driving force of physical proceses deep within plant leaves. This new discovery in to plant pores has implications for weather forecasting, agriculture and hydrology. Read more

13 July 2010: A tiny, charismatic Colombian primate known for its distinctive punk-rock hairstyle, is in imminent danger of extinction, according to new population figures. Read more

13 July 2010: Researchers test green shopping scheme. Read more

28 June 2010: A chain of events that began with the melting of the large northern hemisphere ice sheets about 20,000 years ago reconfigured the planet’s wind belts, pushing warm air and seawater south, and pulling carbon dioxide from the deep ocean into the atmosphere, allowing the planet to heat even further. This hypothesis makes use of climate data preserved in cave formations, polar ice cores and deep-sea sediments to describe how Earth finally thawed out. Read more

28 June 2010: An analysis of the scientific prominence and expertise of climate researchers shows that the few who are unconvinced of human-caused climate change rank far below researchers who are convinced. Most news media accounts fail to include that context when reporting claims from the doubters. Read more

22 June 2010: Using carbon nanotubes in a lithium battery can dramatically improve its energy capacity. Read more

21 June 2010: LCD television waste ‘could help prevent bacterial infections’. Read more

21 June 2010: TU/e researchers want to develop solar cells with an efficiency of over 65 percent by means of nanotechnology. In Southern Europe and North Africa these new solar cells can generate a substantial portion of the European demand for electricity. The Dutch government reserves EUR 1.2 million for the research. Read more

21 June 2010: A researcher has developed a catalyst that can efficiently remove nitrite and nitrate from drinking water. These two toxic substances are increasingly found in drinking water in areas with intensive agriculture. The catalyst converts nitrite and nitrate, in combination with hydrogen, into harmless nitrogen. Read more.

21 June 2010: The architectural and structural havoc wreaked by torrential rain, flooding and fluctuating temperatures could be prevented thanks to analysis based on laboratory simulations. Read more

11 June 2010: Scientists from the University of Bath have reported a dramatic fall in the number of grey whale sightings in British Columbia and are investigating the reasons for the disappearance of one of their main sources of prey. Read more

28 May 2010: Fear-laden images of a planet in chaos are a real turn off when it comes to changing public perception about climate change, according to research by Newcastle University. Read more

27 May 2010: A species of Madagascan bird is declared extinct due to the introduction of a predatory species of fish and fishing with nets. Read more

19 May 2010: Schooling fish provide inspiration for more efficient wind farms. Read more.

18 May 2010: Supermarket lamb curry ready-made meals eaten in the UK amount to an annual carbon footprint equivalent to 5,500 car trips around the world or 140 million car miles. Read more

17 May 2010: Preliminary findings from a UK government funded project focused on extracting value from seafood and beverage processing waste shows the process could potentially recover nutritional components such as glucosamine. Read more

17 May 2010: Lizards feel the heat from global warming. Read more

3 May 2010: New understanding of marine ecology will enable better management of resources. Read more

30 April 2010: Climate change will cause an invasion mosquitofish in Northern Europe. Read more

30 April 2010: Scientists have discovered that changes in the amount of ice floating in the polar oceans are causing sea levels to rise. Read more

28 April 2010: South Korea completes its 33.9km seawall- designed to reclaim the ocean for industry tourism and agriculture. Read more

21 April 2010: The best shade trees for urban environments for reducing carbon and noise pollution. Read more

20 April 2010: Algae soup could be the next step toward biofuels. Read more

20 April 2010: Finland plans to increase alternative energy sources including wind farms and biofuel, in order to meet the EU goal of reducing carbon emissions. Read more

19 April 2010: French videogame company 'Ubisoft' plans to go green. Read more

9 April 2010: Areas of the deep ocean with Oxygen-minimum zones (OMZs) are threatened by climate change. Read more

6 April 2010: Scientists harness urine to save water Read more

30 March 2010: Researchers from the South West of England are working on a £1.4 million project that could take carbon dioxide from the air and turn it into car fuel. Read more

25 March 2010: Greenland Ice Sheet Losing Mass on Northwest Coast - Ice loss from the Greenland ice sheet, which has been increasing during the past decade over its southern region, is now moving up its northwest coast, according to a new international study. Read more

25 March 2010: UK launches national carbon capture and storage programme - The UK has set out plans to pursue clean coal technology as a UK growth sector with the launch of an industrial strategy for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Read more

24 March 2010: New Approach to Water Desalination Could Lead to Small, Portable Units for Disaster Sites or Remote Locations - A new approach to desalination being developed by researchers at MIT and in Korea could lead to small, portable desalination units that could be powered by solar cells or batteries and could deliver enough fresh water to supply the needs of a family or small village. Read more

19 March 2010: EU seas under threat from human activities, report warns - A new report from the European Environment Agency (EEA) spotlights the current state of the oceans and offers a cautionary note: they are under increasing threat from various sources including pollution, overexploitation and climate change. Read more

19 March 2010: New EU-funded project targets “home-made energy” - EU funded researchers have embarked on a project to develop mini solar power systems that will allow homes and workplaces alike to generate their own electricity and meet their heating and cooling requirements. Read more

18 March 2010: Researchers warn of how methane leaks affect planet - An international team of researchers has discovered some alarming news: a section of the Arctic Ocean seabed holding extensive stores of frozen methane is displaying signs of instability and widespread greenhouse gas leaks. The study's findings were recently published in the journal Science. Read more

18 March 2010: Prescribed burns may help reduce US carbon footprint - Such burns release less carbon dioxide than wildfires, scientists find. The use of prescribed burns to manage western forests may help the United States reduce its carbon footprint. Results of a new study find that such burns, often used by forest managers to reduce underbrush and protect bigger trees, release substantially less carbon dioxide emissions than wildfires of the same size. Read more

17 March 2010: Akatsuki probe could help to explain why Venus is so different from Earth - Japan is shipping its Venus Climate Orbiter to the southwestern island of Tanegashima, where the satellite's launch is scheduled for 18 May. Read more

17 March 2010: UV Exposure Has Increased Over the Last 30 Years, but Stabilized Since the Mid-1990s - NASA scientists analyzing 30 years of satellite data have found that the amount of ultraviolet (UV) radiation reaching Earth's surface has increased markedly over the last three decades. Read more

16 March 2010: MEPs demand extra funding for low carbon energy technologies - The EU should invest a minimum of EUR 2 billion a year in low carbon technologies, members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have said in a resolution adopted on 11 March. Read more

16 March 2010: Scientists stretch quantum scales - A German-Spanish collaboration plans to use quantum mechanics (the study of small, inanimate objects such as single atoms) to identify quantum properties in larger and more complex objects made up of tens of millions of atoms, including the flu virus. Read more

16 March 2010: Nano-antennas could help keep quantum secrets. Nanorod arrays can guide light along the path toward quantum communication - Miniaturized television aerials made from gold nanorods could provide a way to control light on a chip — opening up the channels of quantum communication. Read more

16 March 2010: Big Quakes Trigger Small Quakes - Seismologists find large earthquakes can trigger smaller ones in unlikely locations. Read more

16 March 2010: Scientists crack opium poppy's genetic code - In a breakthrough discovery, researchers at the University of Calgary have found the unique genes that allow the opium poppy to make codeine and morphine. Read more

15 March 2010: Weaker Sun would not slow global warming, say researchers - A research team from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) in Germany has found that deceased solar activity until the end of this century would only slightly scale down the global temperature rise caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Read more

11 March 2010: Geophysicists study how atmosphere affects Earth - A new cross-disciplinary research project backed by the Austrian Science Fund has been established so that geophysicists can develop a better understanding of how the Earth's atmosphere operates. Read more

11 March 2010: Review of Climate Panel Aims for Summer Release – On Wednesday the United Nations announced that a panel of scientists appointed by a global coalition of national science academies would launch an investigation of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Speaking to reporters, Robbert Dijkgraaf, a Dutch mathematical physicist who co-chairs the InterAcademy Council, explained the outlines of the plan, but few details were available. Read more

11 March 2010: First whole genome sequencing of family of 4 reveals new genetic power - The Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) has analyzed the first whole genome sequences of a human family of four. Read more

10 March 2010: Sushi restaurant raided after Hollywood sting - It's been a good couple days for the producers of The Cove, an exposé on illegal dolphin hunting in Japan. Read more

10 March 2010: Stormwater runoff is the main source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollutants to the NY/NJ Harbor - Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are components of petroleum products such as gasoline, coal, and oil. They are also produced as by-products of the combustion of fuels including petroleum and fire wood. Read more

9 March 2010: Increased Solar Radiation Requires Additional CO₂ Reduction of 50 Million Tonnes, Analysis Finds - The recently observed reduction in air pollution implies that more solar radiation reaches the Earth's surface. Read more

5 March 2010: Methane bubbling out of Arctic Ocean – but is it new? A wide expanse of Arctic Ocean seabed is bubbling methane into the atmosphere. This is the first time that the ocean has been found to be releasing this powerful greenhouse gas into the atmosphere on this scale. Read more

5 March 2010: Europeans spotlight optimum energy consumption moment. The EU counts nearly half a billion citizens: their impact on the environment, and on energy consumption in particular, is huge. Europeans must act to curb this impact and manage resources wisely in order to protect the environment. Read more

5 March 2010: EC steps up biomass use – Nearly €80 million for biorefinery research. A major research initiative of the European Commission about the sustainable use of biomass has started today. Read more

5 March 2010: Ninety-five per cent chance that Man is to blame for global warming, say scientists. The evidence that human activity is causing global warming is much stronger than previously stated and is found in all parts of the world, according to a study that attempts to refute claims from sceptics. Read more

5 March 2010: Hydrothermal Vents Discovered Off Antarctica - Scientists at Columbia's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory have found evidence of hydrothermal vents on the seafloor near Antarctica, formerly a blank spot on the map for researchers wanting to learn more about seafloor formation and the bizarre life forms drawn to these extreme environments. Read more

19 February 2010: Permafrost line recedes 130 km in 50 years, Canadian study finds. Read more

18 February 2010: A German team of scientists has developed a technique to treat nanoparticle surfaces to boost solar cell efficiency. Read more

16 February 2010: China has completed its first ever pollution census. Read more

16 February 2010: New solar-cell design based on silicon rods could produce electricity at a fraction of the cost. Read more

16 February 2010: Energy-efficient lighting made without mercury. Read more

15 February 2010: Greenland's glaciers disappearing from the bottom up. Read more

15 February 2010: Acid soil threatens Chinese farms. Read more

15 February 2010: An international team of climate scientists will take a new approach to modeling the Earth's climate future. Read more

12 February 2010: Antarctic ice shelf collapse possibly triggered by ocean waves, Scripps-led study finds. Read more

10 February 2010: EU backs revolutionary multi-purpose car material. Read more

8 February 2010: New EU project investigates soft matter physics. Read more

8 February 2010: Drought in SW Australia linked to snowfall in Antarctica. Read more

4 February 2010: Researchers have shown applied electric field can significantly improve hydrogen storage properties. Read more

2 February 2010: Japanese machine turns office paper into toilet paper. Read more

2 February 2010: Computer model demonstrates that white roofs may successfully cool cities. Read more

1 February 2010: A major milestone toward the harnessing of fusion power is expected within the next year or two. Read more

1 February 2010: Scientists are growing solar cell components in tobacco plants. Read more

1 February 2010: Coral in Florida Keys suffers lethal hit from cold. Read more

27 January 2010: Ozone hole healing could cause further climate warming. Read more

26 January 2010: Researchers have developed an advanced engine-control system reduces biodiesel fuel consumption and emissions. Read more

20 January 2010: Calls for processors to publish annual food waste figures. Read more

Older news