Ecology
Fluorinated gases and ozone-depleting substances: Council greenlights new rules to reduce harmful emissions
The Council today has adopted two regulations to phase down fluorinated gases (F-gases) and other substances that cause global warming and deplete the ozone layer. While existing EU legislation has already limited the use of these gases and substances significantly,…
NEW EU STANDARDS – WHERE IS THE BEST DRINKING WATER?
The European Commission has adopted new minimum hygiene standards for materials and products that come into contact with drinking water, which is a significant step towards improving the quality of drinking water throughout the European Union. The decision will enter…
Costs of industrial pollution from largest facilities decline in Europe but remain at two per cent of EU GDP
The 2024 update of the EEA briefing ‘The costs to health and the environment from industrial air pollution in Europe’ presents the latest assessment of the trends in externalities of industrial air pollution from about 10,000 largest facilities in Europe,…
AN INTERNATIONAL LEGALLY BINDING INSTRUMENT ON PLASTIC POLLUTION TO BE CREATED BY THE END OF 2024
Although the plastic industry is worth about 700 billion dollars a year, provides millions of jobs and generates other social benefits, we have to look at the bigger picture, i.e. how plastic is used and disposed of because it harms…
EU exported 32 million tonnes of waste in 2022
In 2022, the EU exported 32.1 million tonnes of waste to non-EU countries. This was a slight decrease of three per cent compared with 2021. Imports of waste from non-EU countries decreased by five per cent since 2021, amounting to…
New global fisheries management body’s first meeting focuses on sustainable practices and promoting biodiversity
A new global fisheries management body was launched yesterday with key items on the agenda including best practices and approaches for the effective management of fisheries resources, and improvements in the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)…
Valencia kicks off 2024 as new European Green Capital
The Spanish city of Valencia officially starts, today, as the European Green Capital 2024. To celebrate this achievement, over 400 activities and events are foreseen to reach all sectors of the city, from specialised audiences in sustainability, production, and business,…