Researchers

PEER members are dedicated exclusively to environmental research focusing on the interaction between man and the environment and sustainable development.

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Policymakers

PEER combines forces to follow a joint strategy in environmental sciences, to enhance ecological research and to strengthen the knowledge base for the sustainable development.             

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Strategic Areas

PEER has defined three Strategic Areas for research in our network: Biodiversity, Climate Action and Adaptation as well as Urban Environmental Sustainability.

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15.05.2023

Webinar – Is the Climate Smart and Compact City Socially Inclusive?

Did you miss our webinar on the social implications of smart, green and compact city developments? No worries, you can watch it here. Date & Time: May 15, 2023 14:00-15:00

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OUR VISION

To be a world leader in integrating knowledge and expertise for sustainable development

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WELCOME TO PEER

Welcome address of Mark Bailey, Director of the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

News

Figure: Global heat storage Global heat storage has increased significantly in the ground (red line), in thawing permafrost (green line) and in inland water bodies (blue line) over the period from 1960 to 2020. The new calculations add precision to data from an earlier study (von Schuckmann et al. (2020)). Photo: Author(s) 2023
31.05.2023

Underestimated Heat Storage

Calculations show that the thermal energy stored by land masses has increased significantly. There are many effects of climate change. Perhaps the most broadly known is global warming, which is caused by heat building up in various parts of the Earth...

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24.05.2023

How much wood can we expect from European forests?

The energy crisis has shown Europe the need to become more self-sufficient in resources. Wood is one of those resources, used in the construction sector, for example, and is already largely produced in the EU itself. The demand for wood is still...

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Invasive alien species are a major threat to native biodiversity and ecosystems functioning, and can affect negatively human health and the economy © Kim_Hyun-tae, 2023 (All Rights Reserved)
22.05.2023

New study on invasive alien species pinpoints patterns of invasion across European ecosystems

The invaded extent of urban ecosystems in Europe is nearly 68%, that of freshwater ecosystems is 52%, and that of forest and woodland ecosystems is 44%.

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Orange Tip Butterfly (Anthocharis cardamines) According to the analysis of the scientists, the orange tip (Anthocharis cardamines) is the only butterfly species in Europe for which a significant increase can be recorded. Photo: Ulrike Schäfer
16.05.2023

Butterflies on the decline

Research shows that the numbers of butterflies in meadows and pastures of Europe are in a continuous decline. A new EU regulation aims to stop this trend.

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15.05.2023

Webinar – Is the Climate Smart and Compact City Socially Inclusive?

Did you miss our webinar on the social implications of smart, green and compact city developments? No worries, you can watch it here. Date & Time: May 15, 2023 14:00-15:00

read more
Around 258 million people across 58 countries faced high levels of acute food insecurity in 2022 © Food Security Information Network
03.05.2023

Food crises worsen in the wake of conflicts, economic shocks and weather extremes

Conflicts, economic shocks driven by COVID-19 and Russia’s war against Ukraine, and weather extremes are pushing up the number of people who suffer acute hunger and malnutrition, according to the latest edition of the Global Report on Food Crises.

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Wild boar in forest. The liver of wild boar is suitable as a bioindicator for PFAS contamination of the environment. Photo: André Künzelmann / UFZ
26.04.2023

Bioindicator for the occurrence of PFAS

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are considered to be forever chemicals. Many are toxic; others are highly mobile or accumulate in the food chain. However, all are extremely persistent and are spread throughout the environment. The...

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26.04.2023

Syke Policy Brief: Preventing biodiversity loss with ecological restoration

Restoration of watersheds, wetlands, and forests is a way to compensate for the human-caused damage on biodiversity. Halting biodiversity loss is essential for safeguarding ecosystems and human well-being. In a fresh Syke Policy Brief the Finnish...

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Drone - Pixabay CC01
25.04.2023

Using drones to map habitats - an interactive online course

This interactive course will give you the skills to take images collected from a UAV platform, process them into a scene for image processing and generate classified images.

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24.04.2023

Water requirements of freshwater ecosystems - an interactive online training course

This one-day course online will equip you with knowledge, tools and experience to assess the water requirements of freshwater ecosystems and understand the implications for water resources and flood management.

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