Environment

Spain Takes the Lead on Renewable Energy
Gary Cartwright
Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Following the opening of the world's largest solar power station at Alvarado, producing 50MW of power, Spain has now overtaken the US to become the biggest generator of solar energy. Spain's total solar output has now reached an impressive 432MW, roughly the equivalent of a nuclear power station. Last year, solar output met 2.8% of total demand in the country. In the northern region of Navarra, a highly impressive 75% of energy is now produced from renewable sources.

The Environmental Impact of War
Gary Cartwright
Sunday, June 27, 2010
One of the lasting legacies of the first Gulf war, in 1991, is that of Depleted Uranium Poisoning (DUP).
Carbon Leakage: economic and ethical questions
Gary Cartwright
Thursday, May 20, 2010

The Green/EFA group in the European Parliament has published a study on the issue of "Carbon Leakage" in a world of unequal carbon prices.

The concept of carbon trading is a contentious one, and the study authored by Susanne Dröge and Simone Cooper has identified a number of problem areas.

"Virtual" Water Dependency
Gary Cartwright
Saturday, May 15, 2010

 

A new term has started to appear in environmentalist circles - "virtual water". It refers to the water that is used in the production of imported foodstuffs and other goods. The issue is being much debated at present in scientific circles, particularly in the UK.

 

UK Reaches A Milestone In Renewable Energy
Gary Cartwright
Saturday, May 15, 2010

Despite years of inertia that has seen the UK lag behind much of Europe, and indeed the world, in the field of renewable energy a major milestone has just been reached. Britain's offshore wind energy capacity has just reached 1 gigawatt.

The Aral Sea
EU Reporter Correspondents
Wednesday, March 24, 2010

The loss of the Aral sea was quite possibly the worst man-made environmental disaster in history. It is also a damning indictment of Soviet era policy and planning. But now there is cause for optimism, as the sea begins to recover, following completion of a dam project in 2005. Water levels are rising, salinity is dropping, and fish stocks are recovering to a level where cautious and low-level fishing will soon be viable.

Oil Spillage Threatens Endangered Species
Gary Cartwright
Sunday, January 31, 2010

WWF (Russia) has reported a large spill from the new Eastern Siberia-Pacific Ocean oil pipeline. This raises major concerns regarding further construction of the pipe through the habitat of Siberian Tiger.

Japan threatens climate agreement...
Gary Cartwright
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Japanese delegates informed the chairman of a special working group at the ongoing U.N. climate change conference that it would not accept the draft political agreement formally presented by the chairman.

"This draft agreement cannot be called fair, as it lacks balance between developed and developing countries," Japanese representatives stated.

Political “credibility” of EU at stake over climate policy
Cillian Donnelly
Tuesday, October 27, 2009

The centre-right in Europe face “a moment of truth” in relation to climate policy ahead of this week's Council summit, according to environmental critics.
Bluefin Tuna facing extinction: Japan opposes ban on fishing.
Gary Cartwright
Thursday, October 15, 2009
On Wednesday of this week, Monaco formally proposed a ban on international trade in Atlantic and Mediterranean Bluefin tuna, which is facing a rapid population decline. The proposal was submitted to the secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, (also known as the Washington Convention).
Bundestag Elections 2009: Linking the economic and environmental crisis
Rebecca Harms MEP
Monday, September 21, 2009

In the run-up to this year's Bundestag elections, EU Reporter will be publishing a set of articles by leading German politicians on the subject of Germany and Europe.
France: The Problematic Carbon Tax
Jessica Berthereau
Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Making promises is easy. Honouring them is another matter altogether. This is the growing challenge facing President Sarkozy as he tries to implement new carbon taxes. He has promised that the new taxes would not be used an excuse to generate new government revenue – as he emphasised in a speech on September 10 in Artemare, eastern France "every centime taken from households will be given back in other ways". He is finding it difficult to convince people.
Slovakia: The Dirty Environment Ministry
Peter Harvan
Friday, September 11, 2009

The appointment of the fourth minister of environment in three year
Virtual Land Grabs and Climate Change
Nicolas J White
Friday, May 14, 2010
Preparations are already underway for the next Common Agricultural Policy set to coincide with the EU’s long term budget in 2014. Calls for a greener approach will likely encounter strong support given the 2004 reform of the payment scheme that put strict limits on the amount of harmful fertilisers that can be used in certain areas.
Message from Mali: Reflections on EU Development Policy
Stefan Cibian
Wednesday, July 15, 2009

When looking at the desert sky in Mali, packed with stars, I think of my holidays at home in the Romanian Carpathians. This thought of home, while far away in Africa intrigues me.
Why CAP Doesn't Kill
Pekka Pesonen
Wednesday, July 15, 2009

It is an extremely disturbing fact that over 70% of the world’s poor live in rural areas and most of them depend upon agriculture for their livelihood.
Keeping expectations low
Teresa Küchler
Wednesday, July 15, 2009

After a tumultuous first half of the year under the internationally unruly and domestically strife-ridden Czechs, European hopes are high that order will be restored as Sweden, country with a reputation of being stable and transparent consensus builders, takes over at the helm of the EU.

Countdown to Copenhagen: Russia disappoints environmentalists
Gary Cartwright
Thursday, June 25, 2009

Shortly after taking office, at a meeting in the Kremlin in June 2008, Russian President Medvedev called for higher standards of environmental protection and for the state to finance renewable energy projects.

EU Energy Policy: Fit for Purpose?
Professor Ian Fells
Tuesday, April 14, 2009

The recent collapse of the ice bridge in Antarctica which protects the huge Wilkinson ice shelf is yet another stark indication that the world is warming up.
European Parliament: Environmental Champion?
Satu Hassi MEP
Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Representatives of the European Parliament often like to think of the institution as an environmental champion. Given that environment is consistently cited as a high priority by European citizens in Eurobarometer polls, this aspiration is understandable.
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