A new temperature-modulating robotic system reveals previously unknown collective honeybee behaviour, opening the door to new possibilities for helping bees survive in a changing climate. The EU-funded HIVEOPOLIS project has developed a robotic system that can interact with a honeybee colony. Built into the frame of a standard hive, the unobtrusive system measures and influences […]
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EU responses to climate change
Fighting climate change is a priority for the European Parliament. Below you will find details of the solutions the EU and the Parliament are working on: Mitigating global warming: a matter of 2°C increase Average global temperatures have risen significantly since the industrial revolution and the last decade (2011–2020) was the warmest decade on record. Of […]
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European Union prepares stricter rules for waste shipments
The Council adopted its negotiating mandate to start talks with the European Parliament on a proposal to update EU legislation on cross-border waste shipments. The aim is to ensure that international shipments of waste don’t pose a threat to human health and the environment, and to promote the use of waste as a resource in […]
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Eurostat report shows EU’s progress on Sustainable Development Goals
Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, published the ‘Sustainable development in the European Union — monitoring report on progress towards the SDGs in an EU context, 2023 edition‘, which provides a statistical overview of progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the EU. The report is published together with the European Semester […]
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EU-funded project shows unprecedented rise in ocean plastic
Researchers are equipping policymakers with valuable data to help shape future ocean plastic pollution policy interventions. Their global analysis shows an unprecedented rise in ocean plastic since 2005. Have you ever wondered exactly how much plastic pollution has accumulated on the surface of our oceans around the world? A new study partly supported by the […]
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Council adopts position on ecodesign requirements
The Council has adopted its position (‘general approach’) on the proposed regulation establishing a framework for setting ecodesign requirements for sustainable products. The new regulation will replace the existing 2009 directive and enlarge the scope to set environmental sustainability requirements for almost all kind of goods placed on the EU market. It establishes a Digital […]
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EU mobilises emergency equipment to assist Italian authorities
Following a new request for assistance from Italy, the EU has mobilised offers of pumping equipment from Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, France, Poland, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to help the Italian authorities deal with heavy floods. The request comes after severe weather conditions in Italy have caused floods and landslides […]
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May 22: International Biodiversity Day
The International Day for Biodiversity will be celebrated on May 22nd. The UN decreed this day with the aim of raising awareness about the importance of biodiversity for humans. Biodiversity strategy for 2030 The EU’s biodiversity strategy for 2030 is a comprehensive, ambitious and long-term plan to protect nature and reverse the degradation of ecosystems. The […]
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Council adopts new rules to cut deforestation worldwide
The Council gave the final go-ahead to a regulation that aims to minimise the risk of deforestation and forest degradation associated with products that are placed on or exported from the EU market. The EU is a large consumer and trader of commodities and products that play a substantial part in deforestation. The new rules […]
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