News Archive
Nature is widely adapted to current climate – making it harder to adjust to a new one
23 Nov 2020To do the right thing at the right time, organisms need to glean cues from their environment. With ongoing climate change, the timing of these cues, like the accumulation of warm days, is rapidly shifting. Researchers have shown that the timing of species’ activity fail to keep up with their cues, and that how quickly activity shifts reflects past evolution.
Trees and green roofs can help reduce the urban heat island effect
18 Nov 2020Air pollution experts from the UK modelled which types of green infrastructure can help reduce temperatures in many of Europe's cities and towns. Trees turn out to be the most effective to reduce the urban heat island effect.
Climate and Environmental Change in the Mediterranean Basin - Current situation and risks for the future
17 Nov 2020The First Mediterranean Assessment Report prepared by the independent network of Mediterranean Experts on Climate and Environmental Change has been released. The report is written by almost 190 scientists from 25 countries and includes a summary for policy-makers.
LIFE programme: over €280 million in EU funding for environment, nature and climate action projects
16 Nov 2020The European Commission has approved an investment package of more than €280 million from the EU budget for over 120 new LIFE programme projects. This EU funding will trigger total investments of nearly €590 million to help meet these projects' ambitious goals for environment, nature, and climate action. This amount represents a 37% rise compared to last year.
Climate-ADAPT Adaptation Support Tool – new version launched
13 Nov 2020The recently updated Adaptation Support Tool (AST) provides a sound overview and guidance in assisting policy makers and coordinators in the EU Member States, EEA member countries and others on how to develop, further improve and increase the coherence of National Adaptation Strategies (NASs) and National Action Plans (NAPs). A webinar will be held on 18 November 2020 to learn more about the practical experience and use for policy, planning and decision making.
Latvia integrates climate change policy into sectoral and regional policies
04 Nov 2020Latvia Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development (VARAM) has started the implementation of the project 'Integration of climate change policy in sectoral and regional policies' in the framework of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism Programme 2014-2021. The project aims to improve the integration of climate issues into sectoral and regional policies and activities, and to develop new climate change policy planning tools.
Vegetation response to water deficit in Europe
31 Oct 2020Monitoring vegetation response to water deficit due to droughts is necessary to be able to introduce effective measures to increase the resilience of ecosystems in line with the EU’s nature restoration plan. Between 2000 and 2016, Europe was affected by severe droughts, causing average yearly vegetation productivity losses covering around 121,000 km2.
Forest fires threaten Europe’s nature as world suffers worst year on record
30 Oct 2020In what was possibly the worst-ever year for forest fires around the world, the European Commissions Annual Report on Forest Fires in Europe 2019 shows that over 400,000 hectares of Europe’s natural land was burnt and an unusually high number of nature protection areas were affected by wildfires.
EU reveals exceptional nature, environment and climate action projects
22 Oct 2020The EU’s LIFE programme has announced the winners of the 2020 LIFE Awards. The LIFE Award for Climate Action goes to the Hungarian project FIRELIFE, which focuses on providing information to teachers, social workers, farmers, and forest fire prevention experts to enhance forest fire prevention across the country.
Climate change undermines the safety of buildings and infrastructure in Europe
14 Oct 2020Higher temperatures will accelerate corrosion of buildings, and will expose infrastructure to higher stresses, thus undermining the safety of constructions. Researchers of the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change and members of the scientific network established by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, co-authored two studies, suggesting a review of the EU standards for structural design.