Marine litter in Europe. An integrated assessment from its origin to the sea. AEM.
The issue of marine litter and plastic pollution features prominently in Europe, addressed by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, and the Zero Pollution Action Plan, which includes specific reduction targets for waste generation, and microplastics. It is essential to assess whether these actions are leading to a reduction in the levels of plastic litter in […]
Global Risks Report 2023. World Economic Forum. 18th edition.
The Report considers current tensions and the confluence of socio-economic risks, identifying the risks perceived as most serious to economies and societies over the next two years. The analysis focuses on a possible “polycrisis”, related to the scarcity of natural resources such as food, water, and metals and minerals, illustrating the socioeconomic and environmental consequences.
Provisional State of the Global Climate. World Meteorological Organization, 2022.
The study reports on the current state of the climate, reporting on events and impacts. In 2021, concentrations of the three major greenhouse gases continued to reach all-time highs: the annual increase in methane concentration was the highest on record, while real-time data show that levels of all three gases continued to rise.
How to avoid gas cuts in the European Union in 2023. IEA.
European and global natural gas markets are not yet out of the danger created by Russia’s cuts in pipeline gas deliveries. Total gas demand in the European Union is forecast to fall by around 10% in 2022, a drop of around 50 billion cubic meters. But, gas storage levels remain above their five-year average.
Coal 2022. Analysis and forecast to 2025. IEA.
Coal is the single largest source of carbon dioxide emissions but the current energy crisis has forced some countries to increase their reliance on coal despite climate goals. The study provides an analysis of recent trends, and provides forecasts through 2025 for demand, supply and trade, by region and by grade of coal.
Soil monitoring in Europe – Indicators and thresholds for soil health assessments. AEM, 2023.
The report outlines a number of widely accepted soil health measures and indicators. The focus is on soil threats, with indicators that have been selected to assess soil status, degradation, resilience and uses. For each indicator, there is a justification to indicate that the soil is in good condition, with respect to a specific soil.
Integration into the electric vehicle network, IEA.
The handbook aims to serve as a guide for policymakers to effectively integrate electric vehicle charging into the grid. The key steps can be summarized in preparing institutions for the switch to electric mobility, assessing impacts and deploying measures for grid integration, with recommendations based on best practices.
Isolated Renewable Energy Statistics 2022. Irena.
This publication presents statistics covering off-grid energy capacity, biogas production, and the number of people using energy and biogas for cooking and lighting. Off-grid renewable energy can come from a variety of sources, ranging from large off-grid power grids to home lights and solar systems.
EEA 2022 signals Stay the course during a sustainable Europe. EEA.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has not changed the reality of the climate crisis, but it has added another dimension to Europe’s efforts, as building a sustainable energy system takes time, and the decisions we make now will define our future options. Given the current circumstances, Europe needs to react quickly but also in the right […]
Management of non-plastic packaging in European waste – the missing part of the plastic puzzle (EMA).
Plastic is used in many ways across Europe, and most policy actions focus on plastic packaging, even though a large proportion of plastics are used for non-packaging applications. Better reporting on plastic packaging is needed to inform the development of effective policies and measures that address this important waste stream and increase resource efficiency.
