by Lorenza Contin The Committee on Environment, Public Health, and Food Safety (ENVI)’s meetings of May 24, 2023, concerned several pieces of legislation key to achieving goals of the European Green Deal. Some critical discussions covered the sustainable use of plant protection products (‘Farm to Fork’ strategy) and the reduction of industrial emissions (EU Industrial...
IPM is a solution to significantly reduce the use of pesticides in the EU, which have shown to be damaging to biodiversity, the environment, as well as human health. Adopting IPM would prioritize strengthening Europe’s biodiversity and support tackling some key issues that face the agricultural sector and food supply concerns due to climate change. There is resistance to adopting this strategy as it would disrupt the current pesticide industry, and farmers are reluctant to change because it may affect their yield and income.
In an effort to cut pollution and improve air quality, the EU Commission has proposed new rules known as Euro 7 to tighten emission requirements for vehicles sold within the EU. Manufacturers and industry organizations are worried about the timetable, the emissions caps, and the potential financial costs of the new laws. The idea of delaying the application date and aligning the rules with international norms are two topics of continuing discussion.
In 2021, the Atlanta Council approved plans for a new police and firefighter training in a forested area in Atlanta dominated by people of colour with low incomes.These plans have sparked numerous protests from neighbourhoods and environmental activists due to the negative impacts the facility would have.Authorities have responded excessively, culminating in the death of an environmental activist, activists being branded as domestic terrorists and the Georgia governor declaring a state of emergency.
As climate impacts worsen, managed retreat may be inevitable in some cases. Managed retreat in the US is centered around flood hazards and most cases occur in the eastern half of the US. Such programs may worsen social inequity if justice considerations are not taken into account.
The Global Covenant of Mayors is the largest alliance for city climate action leadership representing over 1 billion citizens.The GCoM cities and local governments could reduce global emissions by 1.9 GtCO2e annually in 2030, compared to a business-as-usual trajectory, and by 76.5 GtCO2e in 2050.Greater financial investment in city climate actions is needed especially for adaptation activities; implementation of all actions could generate 11 million new jobs worldwide.
The European Parliament voted in favour of a Regulation that would restrict imports to “deforestation-free” products for EU bloc countries on a set of commodities that have been identified as key drivers of deforestation.A reduction of 31.9 million metric tons of carbon emissions is achievable with adoption of the law, which sets international precedent in regulating a high-emission supply and demand chain.The outlined definition of deforestation is weak, and the land-type to which the regulations will apply is limited to natural forests. Other ecosystems have not been considered.
Climate activists protest against the demolition of the hamlet Lützerath in order to expand a coal mine.The responsible Green ministers struck a deal with energy company RWE to bring forward the coal exit in the Western German states to 2030 in exchange for mining the coal below Lützerath.Scientists argue that it is a foul deal under which Germany will not get onto a 1.5° warming path.
Central Asia is one of the most arid regions in the world and is watered nearly entirely by one source: the Tibetan Plateau. The Amu Darya basin within the Tibetan Plateau has shown a decline of 119% in water-supply capacity, and experts predict a near-total collapse in water availability to downstream regions. Water availability has been linked to a number of clashes in the region over the past few decades, such as border clashes in 2014 and 2016.
by Reinout Debergh For all the talk about a red wave – i.e. a major win for Republicans – in the run up to the midterm elections, already on election day/week it became obvious that it was not materialising (to the disappointment of Wall Street that was betting on it) [1, 2]. In the end,...