europe

BirdLife International’s ‘Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas’ well covered by Natura 2000 in Europe but potential to extend network

The coverage of ‘Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas’ (IBAs) in relation to Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for birds in the EU has been assessed in a new study. Overall, 66% of the IBA network is covered by SPAs. SPAs were found to cover 23% of the distributions of 435 EU bird species as well as 25% of the distributions of mammals, reptiles and amphibians.




europe

How big a threat do invasive alien species pose to European biodiversity? A ranking of species for urgent risk assessment

Invasive alien species (IAS) pose a threat to native European biodiversity and cost the EU annual damages worth EUR 12 billion as a result of IAS effects on human health, damaged infrastructure, and agricultural losses. IAS are the focus of Target 9 of the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) and Target 5 of the EU Biodiversity Strategy: ‘By 2020, IAS and their pathways are identified and prioritised… pathways are managed to prevent the introduction and establishment of new IAS.’ The EU framework for action against IAS is set out in a Regulation adopted in 2014. This provides for the adoption of a list of IAS of Union concern that will be subject to restrictions across the EU. The first step in order to consider a species for listing is to undertake a risk assessment.




europe

Managing the impact of drugs in the European environment

A recent report raises awareness of the impact of pharmaceuticals in the environment. Experts from science, industry and the state sector have drawn up a series of proposals for actions that need to be taken at the European level to increase understanding and improve management of the risks.




europe

The toxicity of PAHs in European mountain lakes

Long-range atmospheric transport of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has polluted sediments in high mountain lakes in Europe. Recent research has found that lakes in northeastern Europe are a hotspot for PAH contamination, and concentrations of these toxic compounds were also above the 'no effect' threshold in lakes in north, central, west and southeast Europe.




europe

Risk map shows European ‘hot spots’ for pharmaceuticals in the environment

A new tool has been developed which highlights ‘hot spots’ of pharmaceutical pollution in Europe, where human health and aquatic environments could potentially be affected. The results suggest that the substances and locations posing the greatest risk are not the same for the aquatic environment as for human health.




europe

Groundwater pollution in Europe: an overview

An overview of groundwater contaminants in Europe is provided by a recent study, which calls for more integrated monitoring using a range of indicators. Groundwater contamination presents serious health and environmental concerns.




europe

Radioactive iodine in Arctic sea ice may have European origin

Ninety-eight per cent of radioactive iodine in Arctic sea ice may come from Europe, new research suggests. The study concludes that atmospheric transport of Iodine-129 from European nuclear fuel reprocessing plants is the most likely source.




europe

Pharmaceutical pollution levels in European rivers assessed

Concentrations of three pharmaceuticals (ethinylestradiol, oestradiol and diclofenac), have been mapped in a recent study of European rivers. The researchers predict that levels of ethinylestradiol, a contraceptive and hormone replacement drug, could exceed the WFD's suggested environmental quality standards in 12% of the total length of Europe’s rivers




europe

Increased oestrogen pollution in European rivers could affect development of brown trout

Brown trout (Salmo trutta) embryos exposed to oestrogen during development hatched earlier, grew more slowly and had a lower heart rate than unexposed individuals, according to a recent Swiss study. These findings may indicate that oestrogen pollution in some European rivers is contributing to the decline of wild populations of such species.




europe

Risks of biodiversity loss posed by nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in European freshwaters

The risk of eutrophication as a result of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in Europe’s freshwaters fell by 22% in lakes and by 38% in rivers between 1985 and 2011, new research has shown. The researchers analysed data across 88 European river basins using a new statistical approach which could be used to help identify factors which increase eutrophication risks.




europe

Mussel biomarkers gauge pollution in European estuaries

Coastal areas are under threat of pollution from a variety of marine activities. This study focused on pollution caused by a range of activities with no specific discharge point (diffuse pollution) in three areas — a European harbour, marina and industrial area — by measuring biological responses in mussels. The researchers say biomarkers are useful for assessing diffuse contamination and comparing pollution between sites.




europe

Europe's rivers ‘highly contaminated’ with long-chain perfluoroalkyl acids

Long-chain perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are persistent chemicals with proven toxic effects. This study estimated the emissions and concentrations of two such chemicals, perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in 11 of Europe's most populated river catchments. Estimated emissions were lowest in the Thames and highest in the Rhine, while the EU environmental quality standard for PFOS was exceeded in all rivers. This study provides a picture of PFAAs contamination in rivers across Europe, and makes recommendations for achieving reductions.




europe

More coordinated legislation needed to ensure the Good Environmental Status of European seas

A range of legislation, including the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), is designed to ensure the ‘Good Environmental Status’ (GES) of EU seas by 2020. Researchers have assessed the MSFD in relation to existing maritime policies, concluding that coordination between directives is important to achieve GES.




europe

European coastal regions at greatest risk from oil spills identified by new risk index

European Atlantic countries are, in general, at higher risk of being affected by oil spills than Mediterranean and Baltic countries, with the United Kingdom most affected, according to new research. The study developed a new risk index for analysing the potential vulnerability of coastal regions to oil spills at sea.




europe

Potentially toxic elements in European soils mapped by researchers

A new study has mapped levels of chemical elements found in European agricultural soils. In most places, unusually high concentrations are linked to geology, such as high levels of arsenic in the Massif Central in France. Human activity is to blame in some small areas, for example high concentrations of mercury were found near London and Paris. Abnormal concentrations, both too low and too high, could pose an environmental risk. This new data can be used in conjunction with the REACH Regulation1 and can help identify areas where action may be needed in relation to toxic elements in the environment.




europe

Agricultural management practices influence copper concentrations in European topsoils

Copper (Cu) is frequently used in agricultural practices, particularly in fungicides, used extensively in the management of permanent crops, such as vineyards, olive groves, and fruit orchards — all crops of significant economic importance to the EU. An investigation into the factors influencing Cu distribution in the topsoils of 25 EU Member States has identified that, in conjunction with other factors such as topsoil properties, land cover, and climate, such agricultural management practices play a role in influencing Cu concentration. The analysis used 21 682 soil samples from the EU-funded Land Use and Coverage Area frame Survey (LUCAS)1 and found that vineyards, olive groves, and orchards had the highest mean soil Cu concentrations of all land use categories. The findings highlight the major impact of land use and agricultural practices on soil Cu concentrations and emphasise a need for more sustainable land management practices.




europe

Air pollution's impact on health: a European and N. American analysis

A team of investigators has examined the effects of air pollution on human health using the databases of earlier studies from Europe, the United States and Canada. They concluded that PM10 and ozone are associated with an increase in mortality. Different modelling approaches do not significantly affect the results.




europe

Characterising particulate matter from sites across Europe

A recent study has analysed the physical and chemical characteristics of particulate matter (PM) from 60 sites across Europe. The results suggest there is no single ratio between PM2.5 and PM10 mass concentrations for all the sites, and that PM mass cannot be directly related to the concentration of particle numbers.




europe

Climate change impacts on future air quality over Europe

Climate change is likely to significantly affect future air quality over Europe. According to a recent European study, climate change alone is likely to significantly increase ozone pollution in Europe and by as much as 50 µg.m-3 (micrograms per cubic metre) over central France in July by the year 2100, compared with 1990 levels.




europe

How climate change could affect European ozone pollution

A study by Swedish scientists provides new insights into how climate change could affect future ozone concentrations in European countries. The findings of this study suggest that average ozone concentrations will increase more in Southern Europe than in more Northern and mountainous regions under the influence of climate change in the 21st century.




europe

Black carbon from wildfires is travelling across Europe

New research has recorded high levels of airborne aerosol black carbon (BC) in Lithuania during two periods in 2008 and 2009. Further investigation indicated this is from smoke produced by wildfires in Ukraine and southwest Russia, which then travels northwards.




europe

Health impacts and costs of air pollution in European cities

A new study has shown that life expectancy and monetary benefits increase significantly when levels of fine particles are reduced further in European cities. It also reveals that living near busy roads could be responsible for a substantial amount of poor health attributable to air pollution.




europe

Researchers assess indoor air pollution across Europe

The quality of indoor air varies widely across Europe, according to a recent study. However, more data are needed from a range of locations, especially in towns and cities, and greater harmonisation of sampling and analysis procedures are needed to develop a more comprehensive picture of European indoor air quality.




europe

Researchers assess indoor air pollution across Europe

The quality of indoor air varies widely across Europe, according to a recent study. Poor indoor air quality is mainly due to household products, outdoor pollution and smoking yielding high levels of organic pollutants harmful to human health. The study indicates higher levels of indoor air pollution in southern Europe than in northern Europe, and with an associated risk of cancer higher than the acceptable unit risk. However the present data must be improved in order to get more precise risk estimates




europe

Carbon emissions linked to rise in hay fever and asthma in Europe

Pollen allergy is a common cause of allergic respiratory diseases such as hay fever and asthma. A recent continent-wide study suggests that rising carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions over the last 30 years may be increasing pollen counts especially in European cities, which could have serious consequences for public health.




europe

Ozone and NOx air pollution predicted to fall in Europe

A new study has estimated that nitrogen oxide (NOx) and harmful ozone levels will fall significantly in Europe, by 2030, if all current and planned air quality legislation is implemented. The co-beneficial effects of climate change policies could also reduce levels of these air pollutants by a further 40%.




europe

Europe makes tentative progress in reducing transport’s environmental impact

A new report indicates that some progress has been made towards meeting key sustainable transport targets, but challenges remain. Improvements in passenger vehicle efficiency has led to reductions in emissions, however, reductions in oil consumption are not sufficient to meet targets, with more policy initiatives and continued monitoring needed to ensure that sustainability goals are achieved.




europe

Public health costs of air pollution fall in Europe but remain high for maritime shipping Public health costs of air pollution fall in Europe but remain high for maritime shipping

The public health impacts of air pollution in Europe remain large, but are falling thanks to regulatory actions to cut emissions, a recent study finds. However, it issues a warning about the public health impacts of emissions from rising levels of international ship traffic.




europe

Ozone levels will vary across Europe under future climate change

Climate change affects air pollution at a regional and local scale. A recent study has reassessed the latest findings and suggests that climate change will increase ozone concentrations by about 3 parts per billion (ppb) in central and western Europe in the year 2050 if emissions from human activities remain at present-day levels. However, if emissions increase, ozone concentrations could increase by 16 ppb for much of Europe.




europe

Industrial pollutant melted European glaciers

Industrial emissions of black carbon were responsible for the retreat of the glaciers in the European Alps that marked the end of the so-called ‘Little Ice Age’, according to a new study. The researchers explain how black carbon deposits could have caused glaciers to melt more rapidly from the mid-19th century and suggest that human activities were already having a visible influence on the climate before the effects of carbon dioxide were evident.




europe

Air quality in Europe: pollution levels have dropped, but health concerns remain

Some progress has been made towards improving air quality in Europe with levels of sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and benzene all falling substantially in recent years, a new report from the European Environment Agency (EEA) concludes. However, threats to human health and ecosystems remain, and urban citizens’ exposure to high levels of particulate matter (PM) and ozone are a particular concern.




europe

European air quality in 2020: success story for PM2.5

Levels of the air pollutant PM2.5 in Europe will continue to fall in 2020, concludes a recent study. Furthermore, deposition of nitrogen from air pollution will also drop. The outlook seems less positive for ground-level ozone, however, as large amounts of this pollutant continue drift over to Europe from other continents.




europe

Reduced heavy metals and nitrogen in mosses reflect falling air pollution across Europe

Deposition of heavy metals and nitrogen is falling across Europe, a new study suggests. The researchers used the levels of these pollutants in mosses as indicators of how deposition has changed from 1990 to 2010. These reductions are likely to be the result of effective air pollution policies, they say.




europe

Building materials used between 1950 and 1980 in Europe may contribute to PCB air pollution

European buildings built in the 1950s, 60s and 70s may contribute towards levels of toxins in the body, a new study suggests. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were found at elevated levels in children that lived in houses and studied in schools built during this period, before PCBs were more thoroughly regulated in the construction industry. Although food is generally a more concentrated source of these toxins, the authors say exposure through these environments should be minimised wherever possible.




europe

Mercury levels exceed safety standards for fish in six European freshwater and estuary sites

Mercury levels in bream (Abramis brama) collected from six European sampling sites from 2007 to 2013 exceeded the Water Framework Directive’s safety limit for fish in all but one site in 2012, a new study discovers. The findings suggest greater efforts need to be made to prevent mercury pollution.




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Concern over health effects of air pollution linked to personal and environmental factors in seven European cities

Subjective perception of air pollution can have important implications in terms of health-protective behaviours and citizen and stakeholder engagement in cleaner-air policies. A recent study, conducted under the EU-funded PASTA1 project, has analysed the link between level of concern over health effects of air pollution and personal and environmental factors in seven European cities. Overall, 58% of participants were worried over health effects of air pollution, with large differences between cities. On a city scale, average levels of concern over health effects of air pollution had a good correlation with average NO2 levels and a lower correlation with average PM2.5 levels. Individual level of concern was found to be linked to gender, having children in the household, levels of physical activity, and NO2 levels at the home address. These findings can be used to inform future policymaking.




europe

​More NTU exchange students opt for European languages

While most NTU exchange students pick up local languages such as Chinese and Malay, a growing number from Western countries have over the past few years opted for European languages....




europe

Europe's sets the bar high for its 2013 space goals

The ESA hopes to fly a spacecraft close to Phobos, orbit the lower Venusian atmosphere and draw up a map of Mars' hydrous areas in 2013.




europe

Europe clashes with Canada over oil sands

New rules in Europe could effectively ban oil derived from 'tar sands,' prompting cheers from environmentalists but jeers from some Canadians.




europe

Exhibit tracks Europe's ancient music journey

The European Music Archaeology Project's 'Archaeomusica: The Sounds and Music of Ancient Europe' givers visitors an idea of Europe's old sounds.



  • Arts & Culture

europe

One of the largest bears to ever walk Europe was a vegetarian

The extinct cave bear Ursus spelaeus appears to have descended from a vegetarian line of bears.




europe

Inefficient vacuum cleaners to be swept from European stores

The era of 900-watt-and-higher vacuum cleaners comes to an end in the European Union due to new efficiency standards.




europe

Europe swelters under devastating heat wave

Temperature records across the continent continue to fall as Europe buckles under heat wave. At least seven deaths have been attributed to the heat.



  • Climate & Weather

europe

Bayer lawsuit challenges Europe's pesticide ban

Europe's moratorium on neonicotinoid pesticides is being challenged by Bayer CropScience. Bee advocates, however, are fighting back.




europe

Ancient European stone inscriptions revealed by low river levels carry grave warnings

'If you see me, weep,' reads one of these so-called 'hunger stones.'



  • Wilderness & Resources

europe

Voracious invasive worm could eat all the snails in Europe

No more escargot? An invasive worm known to have an insatiable appetite for snails is invading Europe.




europe

Ever wonder how European starlings came to the U.S.? Blame Shakespeare

All it took was one avian aficionado with a love of William Shakespeare to introduce this aggressive species to the United States.




europe

Happy Europeans buying more bikes than cars

Bicycle sales exceed cars in Europe, and there's compelling evidence that pedaling increases the national happiness quotient.




europe

Europe is going car-free (and loving it)

Looking to reduce pollution and congestion, European cities are banning vehicular traffic — and creating vibrant shopping zones in the process.




europe

European nations still push for deforestation loophole

A trio of nations -- Austria, Sweden and Finland -- are pushing once again for loophole in the climate treaty that would allow them to get paid to cut down tree



  • Research & Innovations