Higher ambitions needed for NEC National emission reduction commitments for 2030 should ensure achievement of the World Health Organization’s recommended air quality levels. Read more
Editorial: New NEC directive should clear the air The proposed revision of the National Emission Ceilings (NEC) Directive is currently being debated in the Council and in the European Parliament. While there is wide agreement on the urgency .. Read more
Cities’ air quality efforts ranked Zurich topped a new ranking list of European cities based on efforts to improve air quality. It was followed by Copenhagen, Vienna and Stockholm. At the bottom of the list came Luxembourg and Lisbon. Read more
France: 100% renewables as cheap as 50% nuclear The findings of a new report show that renewables can entirely cover French electricity needs by 2050 instead of a mix of nuclear, renewables and fossil fuels, which currently is the government plan. Read more
Biogas solutions for methane abatement Four Nordic projects for anaerobic digestion of manure show the potential for this methane abatement technique under varying conditions. Read more
Danish farming futures Becoming independent from fossil fuels by investing fully in the new bio economy, or reintroducing wolves and the European bison, these are two visions explored in a new report about the future of Danish farming. Read more
Marshall Islands calls for cuts in shipping emissions By 2050, greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping are expected to increase by up to 250 per cent, equivalent to between 6 and 14 per cent of total global emissions. Read more
Offsetting of shipping NOx cuts? Emission control areas in the Baltic Sea and North Sea will cut NOx from shipping, but would make only a very limited contribution to member states’ NOx emission reduction targets for 2030. Read more
Ship scrubbers questioned The ecological risks to the marine environment of using sulphur scrubbers are ignored, while the economic benefits have been overestimated, says German environmental organisation NABU. Read more
New ships less fuel efficient than those built in 1990 Ships are significantly less energy-efficient today than in 1990, calling for greater steps in regulation and binding energy efficiency standards for the shipping sector. Read more
New draft EU air pollution limits weaker than in China The EU is currently in the process of defining new emission limits for coal-fired power stations, but the draft new standards are in many cases weaker than existing national standards not only in Europe but also in China, Japan and the United States. Read more
Shipping monitoring will contribute to CO2 targets The newly adopted EU Monitoring Reporting and Verification (MRV) regulation that requires ship operators to publicly report information on the environmental performance of ships is expected to contribute to a decrease in shipping sector CO2 emissions. Read more
Sweden without gas Natural gas is not a necessary part of the fuel mix. Most of Sweden, including Stockholm, has no natural gas. The combined pressure of environmental NGOs and farmers stopped gas and led to the development of biomass instead. Read more
Potential for shore-side electricity Connecting ships at berth to onshore power will provide health and environmental benefits by reducing air pollution, greenhouse gases and noise. Read more
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