239 News & Press Releases found
European Commission, Environment DG News
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Environment: Commission urges Malta to refrain from finch trapping
The European Commission is asking the Maltese government to reconsider its decision to resume traditional finch trapping. This practice is prohibited under EU legislation on the conservation of wild birds. The case concerns Malta`s decision to apply ...
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Sea lice pesticides from Norwegian fish farms can exceed UK environmental health standards
Levels of aquaculture pesticides exceed UK environmental quality standards (EQSs) in samples taken from near Norwegian fish farms, a recent study has shown. The researchers examined five pesticides used to kill sea lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) and ...
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Farmland biodiversity monitoring costs estimated
Monitoring biodiversity on farms is vital for conservation policies but how much does it cost? In a new pan-European study, researchers develop a standardised monitoring programme and estimate it will cost an average of €8 200 per farm to ...
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Deep-water fish remove over a million tonnes of CO2 in Irish-UK waters every year
Deep-water fish living along the Irish-UK continental slope remove more than a million tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere each year, according to a recent study. Continental slope ecosystems play an important role in carbon sequestration, which ...
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Soil nitrogen increased through greater plant biodiversity
Increased plant biodiversity improves grassland soil quality by boosting its nitrogen levels, even in the absence of nitrogen-fixing plants, recent research has found. Previous research has shown that grasslands with higher biodiversity had higher ...
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Deep-water fish remove over a million tonnes of CO2 in Irish-UK waters every year
Deep-water fish living along the Irish-UK continental slope remove more than a million tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere each year, according to a recent study. Continental slope ecosystems play an important role in carbon sequestration, which ...
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How vulnerable to climate change is agriculture in the Black Sea region?
The impacts of climate change in the Black Sea region are likely to affect agriculture in Ukraine, Romania, Moldova, Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey, new research suggests. The number of days of plant growth was reduced in these countries as a result ...
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Compacted urban soils improved with composts have long-term benefits for tree growth
Composting to compacted urban soils can provide a lasting effect that aids tree growth, new research indicates. Urban soils improved with added organic material are less compacted after five years compared with soils that have not been treated with ...
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Target the crop not the soil - to reduce fertiliser use
Feed the crop not the soil’ is the message of a new review into sustainable phosphorus use. Currently, phosphorus fertiliser is applied to the soil, and plants then take it up through the roots. However, more precise nutrient management is ...
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Balancing conflicting conservation goals takes time
Ecosystems are complex and managing them effectively can mean balancing conflicting conservation goals. In a recent US study in the San Francisco Bay area researchers examine the best strategies to eradicate an invasive plant while protecting an ...
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Ash dieback in the UK: how will it affect the rest of the woodland ecosystem?
Ash dieback in the UK is likely to lead to the extinction or decline of over 50 species which are reliant on or highly associated with this tree, including mosses, lichens and beetles, a new study suggests. The researchers recommend that the ash ...
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Deepwater Horizon oil causes heart problems in developing fish embryos
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is likely to have damaged large numbers of tuna and amberjack fish embryos, new research suggests. Fish embryos exposed to oil samples taken during the spill developed abnormalities in their hearts and, consequently, ...
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Plastic debris in the Danube outnumbers fish larvae
Plastic debris in the Danube outnumbers fish larvae Pieces of plastic litter outnumber fish larvae in the Austrian Danube River, new research has found. This is worrying, as some fish are likely to mistake the plastic for the prey they would ...
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Hormones in wastewater disrupt fish reproduction over generations
Synthetic oestrogens in wastewater from contraceptive pills can have effects on fish reproduction and survival that worsen over several generations, new research has found. The study suggests that some fish populations may not be able to recover ...
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Which seeds to sow for bees?
Farmers could help to maintain populations of bees and other pollinators by sowing inexpensive seed mixes on their land, a new study suggests. Researchers surveyed pollinators visiting study plots in Berkshire, UK, and explored how sowing different ...
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Fewer forests in our cars
Ladies and gentlemen, It is my pleasure to welcome you to this Conference on the challenges of deforestation and forest degradation. Thank you for joining us and accepting to share your experience and perspective with us today. The topics we will ...
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Commission welcomes Parliament`s adoption of Maritime Spatial Planning legislation
The European Parliament today endorsed a Directive for Maritime Spatial Planning which should help Member States develop plans to better coordinate the various activities that take place at sea, ensuring they are as efficient and sustainable as ...
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Local food collectives: what role should public authorities take?
Local food systems, such as vegetable box schemes or farmers’ markets, can encourage sustainable consumption. However, authorities must take care before becoming too involved in such citizen-led initiatives, because these collectives may be ...
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Commission takes Greece to court over failure to protect iconic species
The European Commission is taking Greece to Court for a failure to provide adequate protection for endangered sea turtles. The case concerns developments in Kyparissia Bay in the Western Peloponnese, one of the most important nesting beaches for ...
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Birds could provide a simple means of identifying high nature value farmland
New research from central Italy shows that high nature value farmland in the region can be accurately identified by the presence of just four bird species. Once such groups of species have been identified for different regions, they can provide a ...