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Biodiversity restoration in European freshwaters stagnates after decades of progress
Biodiversity in European river systems increased significantly between 1968 and 2020, but this recovery has stagnated since 2010. Many river systems have not fully recovered, according to an international team of researchers. The study of...
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Huge fluctuations in onset of spring in the high-Arctic
The original, extreme rates of phenological change have been replaced by large year-to-year variation in the timing of events, pushing phenological limits of species.
read moreNew model for the drinking water market in Jordan
Water scarcity is a basic problem in many regions of the world. The consequences of this are black markets for drinking water, unauthorised water extraction from private wells, and the uncontrolled decline of groundwater supplies. For Jordan, one of...
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Addressing Global Biodiversity Loss: Experts Convene at Science Summit at the UN General Assembly to Drive International Standardization for Effective Biodiversity Monitoring
In response to the urgent and far-reaching challenges posed by global biodiversity loss, an assembly of leading experts is set to gather for a pivotal session at the Science Summit at the 78th UN General Assembly on September 14th. This initiative...
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Underwater noise in the Baltic needs reviewing
Sources of impulsive noise include pile driving, seismic surveys involving airguns, underwater explosions and low-frequency sonars and all of these sources are known to cause negative effects in marine mammals and fish.
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Same pack, different ingredients? Dual quality down in branded EU food
The share of EU food products bearing the same or a similar packaging but having different composition has declined. While these products accounted for a 31% share of the tested samples back in 2018/2019, in 2021 their share dropped to 24%.
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PFAS reduce the activity of immune cells
PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) can not only lead to liver damage, thyroid disease, obesity, and cancer but also reduce the activity of human immune cells. This has been shown by a team of environmental immunologists from the UFZ in a...
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Innovative requirements could boost circular economy of plastics and critical raw materials in vehicles
New vehicles make up around 10% of plastic demand in the EU and the automotive sector consumes around half of the overall EU use share of some critical raw materials. Innovative policy measures may enhance circular economy of these materials.
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The new genomic techniques either edit some genes out, or introduce others that come from the same plant or from a close relative. © Juliane Franke– stock.adobe.com
The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre estimated the potential impacts of decreasing food waste in the EU and assessed food waste reduction initiatives to inform new policies.
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Kick-off soon! Nature-Based Solutions for climate resilience in Europe’s Atlantic region
A consortium of 30 partners (along the Atlantic coastline, from Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain and Portugal) will soon kick off the project ‘Nature-Based Solutions for Atlantic Regional Climate Resilience’: a new € 18 million European...
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New genomic techniques can help cut pesticides use or shield from celiac disease
From crop disease resistance to allergen-free foods, new genomic techniques have the potential to facilitate the sustainability transition of our food systems, with economic, environmental and health benefits.
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Leipzig research team develops process for bio-based nylon
Until now, nylon has been produced from petroleum-based raw materials. However, this is quite harmful to the environment because non-renewable fossil resources are used, a great deal of energy is required, and climate-damaging nitrous oxide is...
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Human activity impacts wildlife in protected tropical areas
Tropical mammals living inside protected areas are affected by human activity, even when this activity occurs outside of the protected range. That is the conclusion of a new, international study across 16 tropical forests. Using camera traps,...
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Tackling Europe´s water problems requires new ways of governance
Three new research and innovation projects tackle Europe’s water problems by putting into test collaborative and cross-sectoral solutions.
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Soil health and why it needs Europe-wide protection
The majority of soils across Europe are in poor condition as a result of unsustainable human activities. This has serious consequences for the health of people, the environment we live in and the ecosystems of our planet. The proposed EU Soil Health...
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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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Five times fewer people in climate danger zone through compliance with Paris Agreement
What part of the global population is likely to have to survive Saharan temperatures as a result of climate change? Professor Marten Scheffer (Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management) analysed this question three years ago with a team of...
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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.
read moreWater 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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Scientists estimate that by 2095 forest services will decrease on average by 52% in Europe’s Mediterranean area
A new study models how changing climate conditions will impact forest services such as wood for construction and paper, edible fruits, leaves, roots and other services.
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Natural flood prevention: higher trust through better communication
A UFZ study shows: If the population feels well informed, it has a more positive view towards nature-based flood prevention. In many places today, dikes are being moved back, and floodplains are being revitalised in order to give the river more...
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Study: past extreme climate warming triggered by tipping points
Can a rapid warming of Earth trigger tipping points in our climate? For decades scientists have debated if today’s warming can strongly amplify itself by triggering a catastrophic release of greenhouse gases. New research, published in Science...
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Transforming Environmental Data in R - 2-day online training course, May 2023
This 2-day interactive online course will help you understand the benefits of data transformation tools (such as R). The course also includes an optional "Introduction to R" session for those not familiar with the software on 15 May.
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