Category Archives: EU
Speaking for Science at a European Level
A fascinating Special Report in Nature this week highlights the position of science at a European level. It notes that the EU has done much to support science, budgeting €50 billion for scientific research under the current 7th Framework Programme … Continue reading
European Commission Focussing on UK Air Pollution
According to the European Environment Agency, nearly 3,000 Londoners die every year from inhaling particulates, airborne particles emitted mostly by car exhausts. Six months ago, the European Commission gave formal notice that it was prosecuting Britain for failing to meet … Continue reading
New Indicator of Climate Change’s Impact on Bird Populations
To date, few indicators have been developed that summarise the impacts of climate change on multiple species over large areas of land. Such an indicator is much desired by policy-makers, who want to be able to see the potential impacts … Continue reading
Bioenergy Crops Pose Risk as Invasive Species
An interesting article in this week’s ‘Science for Environment Policy’ digest from the EU outlines recent research showing that crops grown specifically for bioenergy could offer a greater risk of becoming invasive than non-bioenergy crops. In this study, the first … Continue reading
Mussel Farming May Reduce Eutrophication at Sea
Under the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive, Member States must agree on common environmental targets and should establish a programme outlining how these targets will be met. Researchers have demonstrated that mussel farming may be a cost-effective way to remove … Continue reading
Future Directions for EU Environmental Policy
The BES this afternoon attended the Annual Lunch Reception of the All Party Parliamentary Environment Group at the Houses of Parliament. The purpose of the reception was to facilitate networking between the disparate members of the group: from Learned Societies … Continue reading
ALARMing News for Butterflies
A new study mapping the distribution of European butterfiles has revealed that, even under the best-case scenario, climate change will mean that much of the land occupied by many different butterfly species will become too warm for their survival. The … Continue reading
Urban Waterways Can Be Wildlife Rich Too
Despite the frequent public preconception that urban waterways such as canals and ditches are polluted eyesores, devoid of almost all wildlife, recent research has shown that they can have more macroinvertebrate diversity than similar water systems in rural areas. They … Continue reading
European Commission Launches New Effort to Reform the Common Fisheries Policy
The European Commission today launched its next attempt to reform the much-maligned Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). The last round of reform was only completed in 2002, but as the EU itself acknowledges in today’s Green Paper, many of Europe’s fish … Continue reading
Science and Policy in the New US Administration
Last night saw the Policy Team attend a discussion organised by the Science Policy Centre at the Royal Society, bringing together: Prof. Harold Varmus, Nobel Prize winner and Co-Chair of President Obama’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST); … Continue reading