Tag: ecosystems

What is “Nature Positive” and Why is it the Key to our Future?

G7 leaders recently announced that “our world must not only become net zero, but also nature positive, for the benefit of both people and the planet.” This represents a real paradigm shift in...

Pollution From Farming and Harbours Imperils Coastal Habitats: New Report

The plants and animals that live along the world’s coasts are coming under increased pressure from pollution tied to harbours, agriculture, and fish and shrimp farming, warns a new report from the...

COVID-19 in Europe: Increased Pollution From Masks, Gloves and Other Single-use Plastics

The coronavirus pandemic has challenged European societies in many ways. The European Environment Agency’s (EEA) briefing, published today, analyses the pandemic’s effect on the use of certain single-use plastics products, which cause...

Measuring the Extent and Condition of European Ecosystems

Protecting ecosystems and biodiversity are key policy targets in the EU’s biodiversity strategy for 2030 and the European Green Deal. EU and national policymaking require approaches to be developed to measure the...

Nature-based Solutions – An Answer To The Climate Change Challenges In The Western Balkans

Nature-based Solutions offer a cost-effective, no-regret solution to reducing disaster risks and contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation. While still an emerging concept, evidence has shown the benefits of Nature-based Solutions...

10 Things You Should Know About Industrial Farming

There was a time when industrial agriculture seemed to be a panacea for a fast-growing world.  Synthetic fertilizers, chemical pesticides and high-yield cereal hybrids promised to reduce hunger, accommodate growing populations and...

Connecting Protected Areas With Green Infrastructure Would Strengthen Europe’s Ecosystems

The European Union’s (EU) network of protected sites, Natura 2000, could be further connected with green infrastructure to create a trans-European nature network. According to a European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing highways...

Protection of Seagrasses Key to Building Resilience to Climate Change, Disasters

Seagrass meadows can be a powerful nature-based climate solution and help sustain communities hard-hit by stressors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, but these important ecosystems continue to decline. The importance of seagrasses...

3D-Printed Coral Mimics Nature

Most of us have heard that coral reefs around the world are dying, largely because of warmer ocean temperatures and the increased acidity of seawater, but few people realize why that is...

Home School with a Virtual Dive into the Ocean

Remote diving is the new remote working. Schools, events and activities in so much of the world have come to a standstill in the wake of COVID-19, with little or no movement recommended....

Biopesticides for Locust Control in East Africa

East Africa is going through a massive Desert Locust infestation that’s stripping farming families of food and income and threatening the food security of millions throughout the region. And the number of...

Coronavirus Outbreak Highlights Need to Address Threats to Ecosystems and Wildlife

Diseases passed from animals to humans are on the rise, as the world continues to see unprecedented destruction of wild habitats by human activity. Scientists suggest that degraded habitats may encourage more...

World Wildlife Day Highlights Importance of Sustainable Use of Wildlife in “Biodiversity Super Year”

Joining the global celebration of the United Nations World Wildlife Day, representatives of UN Member States, UN System organizations, international and non-governmental organizations, rural communities and youth gathered at the UN Headquarters...

Why Does Europe Need to Limit Climate Change and Adapt to Its Impacts?

The increased exposure to climate related hazards will differ from region to region across Europe, according to the EEA story map. The background briefing shows examples of selected risks across Europe. It...

World’s Largest Platform for Air Quality Data Launched at Tenth World Urban Forum

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), together with UN-Habitat and IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company, today launched the world’s largest air quality data platform, bringing together real-time air pollution data...

Why Forest Elephant Extinction Will Make Climate Change Much Worse

Forest elephant extinction would exacerbate climate change. That’s according to a new study in Nature Geoscience which links feeding by elephants with an increase in the amount of carbon that forests are...

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