Environment

Tackling pollution and climate change in Europe will improve health and well-being, especially for the most vulnerable

Air and noise pollution, the impacts of climate change such as heatwaves, and exposure to dangerous chemicals cause ill health in Europe. Poor quality environments contribute to 13 % (one…

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Poland could become carbon neutral by 2056

Poland, the only European Union country that has not pledged to be carbon neutral by 2050, could reach that goal by 2056, a study by the state Polish Economic Institute…

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Britain to introduce legally binding environmental targets

Britain said it would bring in legally binding targets on air quality, waste reduction, biodiversity and cleaner water as part of efforts to combat climate change, improve the environment and…

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Amount of plastic in the Atlantic Ocean has been ‘massively underestimated’

Estimates for the amount of plastic dumped in the Atlantic Ocean have been "massively underestimated", experts have said. There are 12-21 million tonnes of tiny plastic fragments floating in the…

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Study finds Greenland ice has shrunk beyond return

Greenland’s ice sheet may have shrunk past the point of return, with the ice likely to melt away no matter how quickly the world reduces climate-warming emissions, new research suggests.…

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Japan to send team to Mauritius to assist in oil spill

Japanese Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said on Saturday Tokyo planned to send a team of officials from the ministry and other specialists to Mauritius to assess the damage from an…

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Wind and solar produced 10% of global electricity

Wind turbines and solar panels produced a record 10% of the world’s electricity in the first half of 2020 as coal-power declined, but steeper change is needed to meet targets…

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Microsoft commits to achieve ‘zero waste’ goals by 2030

Recognizing the urgent need to protect the world’s ecosystems and reduce the carbon emissions that come from the creation, distribution and disposal of waste, Microsoft announced its goal to achieve…

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Record temperature trajectory threatens to breach 1.5°C global heating threshold

New climate data from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) predicts that the annual mean global temperature is likely to be at least 1.0°C above pre-industrial levels (1850-1900) in each of…

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Smog causes an estimated 49,000 deaths in Beijing, Shanghai in 2020

Air pollution has caused an estimated 49,000 deaths and $23 billion in economic losses in the cities of Beijing and Shanghai alone since Jan. 1, 2020, according to a "clean…

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Microplastics found in fruit and vegetables

Microplastics have been discovered in fruits and vegetables, with apples and carrots found to be the most contaminated, studies show. Campaigners have called for an urgent investigation into the tiny…

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Maersk heads zero-carbon drive in shipping sector with $60 million research center

The world's largest container shipper, A.P. Moller-Maersk, will team up with industry majors to set up a research center in Denmark with the aim of reducing carbon emissions in the…

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Germany bans single-use plastic products

The German Cabinet agreed on Wednesday to end the sale of single-use plastic straws, cotton buds and food containers from July next year, bringing it in line with a European Union directive…

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Microplastics found for first time in Antarctica’s food chain

For the first time, scientists have discovered microplastics inside small organisms living in the soil in Antarctica, according to a new study published on Wednesday. "Plastics are thus entering the…

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Map of world’s uncharted ocean beds takes shape

Plans to map the entire ocean floor by 2030 are going ahead despite the challenges of the coronavirus crisis, officials leading the project said, with almost a fifth covered so…

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Passengers to pay a CO2 tax for flights departing Switzerland

The Swiss parliament has moved to impose an environmental tax on airline tickets, as part of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The overwhelming majority in the House of Representatives…

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Russia says it contained huge Arctic oil spill

Russia has managed to contain a massive diesel spill into a river in the Arctic, a spokeswoman for the emergencies ministry was quoted as saying. "We have stopped the spread…

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COVID-19 contributing to Thailand’s plastic pollution problem

While the world's main focus is on battling the COVID 19 disease pandemic caused by the SARS CoV-2 coronavirus, Thailand is dealing with another effect of the coronavirus: mountains of…

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Russia’s Putin declares state of emergency after Arctic Circle oil spill

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has declared a state of emergency after 20,000 tonnes of diesel oil leaked into a river within the Arctic Circle. The spill happened when a fuel…

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Alarm at Covid-linked Mediterranean pollution

Video shot by a French environmental NGO in the Mediterranean Sea shows masks and gloves littering the seabed. Opération mer propre (Operation clean sea) is trying to clean up the…

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European lockdowns could avert 11,300 air pollution deaths

Improved air quality in Europe due to lockdowns to combat the coronavirus pandemic has delivered health benefits equivalent to avoiding 11,300 premature deaths, according to a study published on Thursday.…

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U.N. reminds world of “even deeper emergency” of climate change

The world is facing a "deeper emergency" than coronavirus, the UN chief has warned. The coronavirus pandemic may already be having an impact on global pollution levels but it is…

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Ambitious plan in Milan to reduce car use after lockdown

Milan is to introduce one of Europe’s most ambitious schemes reallocating street space from cars to cycling and walking, in response to the coronavirus crisis. The northern Italian city and…

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Photo Story: Earth Day celebrations in Seoul

Members of the Environmental Health Citizens' Association of Korea, wearing masks representing the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, perform during the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea,…

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Nestlé announces industry’s first baby food packaging designed for the future of recycling

Nestlé announced the launch of a first-of-its-kind, single-material pouch for its baby food products designed for the future of recycling. In the U.S., the new pouch will be available exclusively…

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New Eurobarometer Survey: Protecting the environment and climate is important for over 90% of European citizens

According to a new Eurobarometer survey, 94% of citizens in all EU Member States say that protecting the environment is important to them. In addition, 91% of citizens stated that…

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Every child in England to be offered bicycle training

The British government has announced all children in England will be taught the skills for a lifetime of cycling, as its Bikeability training programme is significantly expanded. The commitment will…

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Canadian research finds climate change could lead to extinction of bumblebees

Bumblebees are disappearing at rates "consistent with a mass extinction" thanks largely to climate change, according to a new study in Canada. Researchers at the University of Ottawa say they…

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NASA Study Reveals Arctic Ice Melt Is Changing Ocean Currents

A major ocean current in the Arctic is faster and more turbulent as a result of rapid sea ice melt, a new study from NASA shows. The current is part…

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2020: the year for action, to ‘rise up’ and safeguard ocean life

With the ocean in deep crisis, members of civil society and philanthropic organisations are urging governments and corporations to take bold action to safeguard the ocean. After a two-day preparatory meeting in New York ahead of June’s UN Ocean…

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Dozens of koalas found dead on Australia logging plantation

Dozens of koalas have been found dead or injured at a timber plantation in the Australian state of Victoria, sparking an investigation by officials. Blue gum trees - an important…

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EU to help tackle air pollution in Kosovo with €76.4 million

As part of his first visit to Kosovo, the European Union’s High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell will launch today a major EU-financed project to improve the environmental performance of the “Kosovo…

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Warning world is “rapidly approaching” a dangerous level of warming

The current record for the hottest year is likely to be broken again within the next five years, the British Met Office said. As it stands, the hottest year on…

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42 Global Organizations Agree on Guiding Principles for Batteries to Power Sustainable Energy Transition

Batteries will be a major driver in reducing the carbon footprint of the transport and power sectors through the use of electric vehicles and renewable energy. To help companies and…

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Microsoft Announces $1 Billion Climate Innovation Fund, Microsoft to be carbon negative by 2030

Microsoft has just announced an ambitious goal and a new plan to reduce and ultimately remove Microsoft’s carbon footprint. Microsoft this week launched an initiative to use its technology to…

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Serbia strives to address air pollution

Following ombudsman Zoran Pašalić’s decision to start the review of the work of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Serbia and six municipal authorities due to air pollution, the…

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Study suggests platypus in Australia could soon be extinct

A study by the University of New South Wales released by on 20 January 2020 and published in the Biological Conservation journal suggests that platypus could be extinct, depending on…

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Malaysia refuses plastic waste from rich countries

Malaysia has sent back 150 containers of plastic waste to 13 mainly rich countries since the third quarter last year, with the environment minster warning on Monday that those who…

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China to ban plastic bags and other plastic items

China, one of the world's biggest users of plastic, has unveiled a major plan to reduce single-use plastics across the country. Non-degradable bags will be banned in major cities by…

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Microsoft pledges to be ‘carbon negative’ within ten years

Microsoft is making a series of compelling commitments to reduce and ultimately reverse the damage that its business is causing to the environment. The company is already working to compensate…

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Smog in southern Europe sparks car bans and street protests

Cities across southern Europe are experiencing dangerously high levels of smog caused by a prolonged period of dry sunny weather and light winds. Temporary bans on diesel vehicles have been…

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Improving circular economy practices in the construction sector key to increasing material reuse, high quality recycling

Construction and demolition waste makes up just over one third of total waste generation in the EU. Despite relatively high recovery rates of used materials, Europe’s construction sector will need…

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Experts say Mediterranean Sea altered by Suez Canal’s invasive species

As Egypt marks the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Suez Canal, marine biologists are bemoaning one of the famed waterway’s lesser known legacies — the invasion of hundreds…

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Air pollution emergency in Rome

Rome's smog emergency intensified on Tuesday with the Lazio ARPA environmental agency reporting that readings for Pm10 small particles were above the permitted levels at eight out of 13 air-quality…

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Polluting vehicles could be pulled from UK market

Carmakers could pull models from the UK, the automotive industry has warned, as the British taste for polluting vehicles clashes with the difficulty of meeting post-Brexit carbon dioxide limits. Under…

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Swiss welcomed the New Year with environmentally-friendly fireworks

Several cities in Switzerland held more environmentally-friendly fireworks displays - or none at all - to see in the New Year. In Basel, the number of fireworks were reduced…

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Desert crops in Saudi Arabia thrive as the aquifer shrinks

A handout photo made available by NASA Earth Observatory of a satellite image showing the spread of agriculture around the town of Wadi ad-Dawasir, Saudi Arabia, 26 April 2017 (issued…

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Thousands of serious offences related to marine pollution exposed in global operation

A global law enforcement operation involving 61 countries has identified thousands of illicit activities behind severe marine pollution as well as hundreds of violations and exposed serious cases of contamination…

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First Drone Project of Its Kind in Canada is Aiming to Plant 1 Billion Trees by 2028

A Canadian tech company is aiming to plant 1 billion trees by 2028—and they plan on achieving their goal with drones. Toronto-based startup Flash Forest is using a fleet of…

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Scientists warn Europe to do more to protect its rivers and lakes

More than 5,500 scientists have signed an open letter saying that Europe is facing a severe threat to its freshwater biodiversity and must do more to protect its rivers and…

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British school bans children from sending Christmas cards to protect the environment

A British primary school headteacher is in the centre of a controversy after banning pupils from sending Christmas cards. Jonathan Mason, head of Belton Lane Primary School in Grantham, Lincolnshire,…

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MEPs call for a reduction in pesticides to protect bees

Further reducing use of pesticides, more funds for research and better monitoring are urgently needed to save the EU’s bees, says the Environment Committee. The Environment, Public Health and Food…

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Survey reveals more than half of EU consumers have environmental impact in mind when shopping

The European Commission released its 2019 edition of the Consumer Conditions Scoreboard. It shows that the overall gap in consumer conditions is narrowing between the different regions of the EU;…

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Single use plastic retail bags to be phased out of LEGO Stores in 2020

The LEGO Group announced that it will phase out plastic retail bags in all LEGO® Stores globally in 2020. The move, which is part of the LEGO Group’s ambition to…

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Greek Parliament to invest 3 million euros in becoming energy efficient

The Greek Parliament has put up for a bid a two-year plan to improve the energy efficiency of the building. The institution decided to boost its efforts in tackling climate…

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Throwing cigarette butts on the streets of Brussels to be punished by €200 fine

In the Belgian capital, Plan Filters, an awareness initiative from the Alderman for Public Cleanliness in Brussels, Zoubida Jellab, has kicked off this week. The campaign has to make people…

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Pacific seals at risk as Arctic ice melt

A potentially deadly disease affecting marine mammals, including seals and sea otters, has been passed from the North Atlantic Ocean to the northern Pacific thanks to the melting of the…

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