Birds and bees are lagging behind the rate of climate change

Bird and butterfly communities in Europe have shifted rapidly northward in the past two decades, but compared to the change in average temperatures they are lagging behind. To be in step with climate change, butterfly communities should have spread a further 135 km and bird communities a further 210 km. These are the findings of a Dutch study based on data collected from 9,490 bird and 2,130 butterfly communities distributed across Europe.

The shorter life cycles of butterflies might be one explanation why they tend to be faster than birds in adapting to climate change. Fragmentation of the landscape is given as a partial explanation why neither of the two groups manage to keep up with the pace of climate change.

Sources: Science Daily, 18 January and Nature Climate Change, 10 January 2012.

In this issue

Still possible to stay below 2°C

Global warming can be limited to below 2 degrees according to simulations made for the IPCC 5th assessment report.

“This lifeline should be kept until the EU is
sure that the US is really willing to join a
legally binding global agreement”

EU industrial air pollution cost up to €169 billion

The cost of damage caused by pollutant emissions into the air from the largest 10,000 industrial facilities in 2009 has been estimated as at least €102-169 billion, and half of the total damage cost was caused by just 191 facilities.

EU moving towards stricter ship sulphur standards

The European Parliament’s environment committee wants EU ship fuel sulphur legislation to be tougher than the global standards agreed by the International Maritime Organization.

Final countdown for Energy Efficiency Directive

Only three months to go before the directive that could mean thousands of green jobs is to be finalised, but the Council is instead heading in a direction that could even water down existing legislation.

Bringing justice through the air quality directive

Suing countries and municipalities that fail to comply with the EU air quality standards is a way to speed up the otherwise rather slow enforcement process by the EU bureaucracy.

Legal complaint to EU against UK air quality failure

Forty out of forty-three air quality zones were in breach of the NO₂ limit value in 2010.

Fight over US EPA air pollution rules

Industry pressure to relax new air pollution control legislation – challenges to EPA’s final power plant transport and air toxics rules in courts, Congress.

New Gothenburg Protocol soon to be agreed

Parties to the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution will meet in early May to adopt new non-ambitious national emission limits for major air pollutants.

Twelve countries exceed NEC directive limits

Twelve EU member states exceeded one or more of the emission limits set by the national emission ceilings directive and may now face EU infringement action.

Climate hotspots identified

Regional food and water security, coral reefs and Arctic sea ice are at risk at warming levels of 1.5–2°C.

Main menu

Birds and bees are lagging behind the rate of climate change

In this issue

Still possible to stay below 2°C

Editorial: The road after Durban

“This lifeline should be kept until the EU is
sure that the US is really willing to join a
legally binding global agreement”

EU industrial air pollution cost up to €169 billion

EU moving towards stricter ship sulphur standards

Final countdown for Energy Efficiency Directive

Bringing justice through the air quality directive

Legal complaint to EU against UK air quality failure

Fight over US EPA air pollution rules

New Gothenburg Protocol soon to be agreed

Twelve countries exceed NEC directive limits

Climate hotspots identified

Publications

The role of northern forests in limiting warming to 1.5°C

Protecting Northern Forests crucial for biodiversity, the climate and indigenous rights

The 100 largest industry emitters in EU-27

Road to Nowhere

Bioenergy CCS – too little, too expensive, and not net negative

Direct air carbon capture and storage - A waste of time and energy

Carbon emissions from the cement industry can be reduced without CCS

Iron and steel emissions, How they can be cut, and why CCS is not a major option

What we do

Air pollution

Climate Change

Policy initiatives

Do Your Bit!

Birds and bees are lagging behind the rate of climate change

In this issue

Still possible to stay below 2°C

Editorial: The road after Durban

“This lifeline should be kept until the EU is sure that the US is really willing to join a legally binding global agreement”

EU industrial air pollution cost up to €169 billion

EU moving towards stricter ship sulphur standards

Final countdown for Energy Efficiency Directive

Bringing justice through the air quality directive

Legal complaint to EU against UK air quality failure

Fight over US EPA air pollution rules

New Gothenburg Protocol soon to be agreed

Twelve countries exceed NEC directive limits

Climate hotspots identified

Publications

The role of northern forests in limiting warming to 1.5°C

Protecting Northern Forests crucial for biodiversity, the climate and indigenous rights

The 100 largest industry emitters in EU-27

Road to Nowhere

Bioenergy CCS – too little, too expensive, and not net negative

Direct air carbon capture and storage - A waste of time and energy

Carbon emissions from the cement industry can be reduced without CCS

Iron and steel emissions, How they can be cut, and why CCS is not a major option

What we do

Air pollution

Climate Change

Policy initiatives

Do Your Bit!

“This lifeline should be kept until the EU is
sure that the US is really willing to join a
legally binding global agreement”