sustainability - search results

NHS England has said it will impose a sugar tax in hospitals and health centres across England to tackle obesity… A 20 per cent tax on sugary food and drinks could be imposed in NHS cafes from 2020. NHS head Simon Stevens said the 1.3 million staff working in the...

Dr Takashi Yamanouchi from the National Institute of Polar Research highlights the Green Network of Excellence (GRENE) Arctic Climate Change Research project and its impact The Arctic has become a hot topic not only in the scientific sector, but also in society, due to the abrupt retreat in summer sea...

Agriculture’s role in environmental issues are both large and complex, often contributing to both problems and solutions to the global environment. For example, agricultural practices have the potential to increase soil C storage which can positively influence soil quality and help mitigate the rise in atmospheric CO2.

Research and innovation could accelerate Europe’s energy transformation, as outlined by EU Commissioner for Energy, Miguel Arias Cañete in a speech at the SET-Plan Conference A rapidly changing energy and climate landscape require a realignment in the way we work. That is why the vision we have for the SET-Plan...

Gavin Whitmore, Senior Manager – Biodiversity at the European Crop Protection Association (ECPA) looks at how integrated pest management supports the sustainable intensification of agriculture Society is increasingly aware of the dual challenge of feeding a growing population whilst protecting the environment. Organic agriculture is often marketed as being an environmentally...

Daniel Skog from the City of Malmo outlines how locally produced vehicle fuel could help the city’s transport become more sustainable In Malmö every third trip is done on a bicycle. Also the local railways and coming trams are experiencing increased business but still there is a need for sustainable...

Open Access Government looks at how Sweden is aiming to become a sustainable nation, highlighting the government’s key environmental priorities Sweden has gone through something of a recycling revolution in the past decade. More than 99% of all household waste is recycled in one way or another – compared to...

Residents in Herefordshire can discover how energy efficient their homes are via a new online heat map… If you live in Herefordshire and want to know how efficient your home is a new heat map released by the council can tell you. Herefordshire Council carried out a heat survey across parts...

Two of the key strategic topics on the European Committee’s Horizon 2020 Roadmap revolve around geo-resources and geo-hazards, and their impact on societal and economic development. On the way towards a better policy for sustainable geo-resources production – such as oil, gas, geothermal energy and groundwater, as well as...

In the modern energy system, upwards of 10% of the total primary energy supply is expended to find, develop, extract, transform, and transport energy carriers to end-users 1. Some particularly challenging resources, such as heavy oil, require an even larger fractional expenditure for their extraction and processing. This energy...

Norwegian cancer researchers launch a project to improve care for cancer patients with a limited life expectancy Europe has about 3.5 million new cancer cases per year, and the number is rising. Advances in treatment options have led to more patients getting cured and prolonged survival for those with incurable...

Katarina Luhr, Vice Mayor of Environment in the City of Stockholm outlines how they strive to become a truly sustainable city for generations to come. Sweden’s capital city Stockholm has been working on climate change mitigation and adaptation since the 1990s. The city is a frontrunner, with well implemented climate...

Ellen Rowles from Action PR Ltd sheds light on why third party partnerships hold the key to success in improving leisure facilities for schools and colleges. In these times of economic uncertainty and budgetary constraints, many local authority schools and colleges are exploring alternative ways to improve their fitness offering...

New ways to deal with the complexity and dynamics of change in our cities On-going urbanisation makes cities focal points for economies and societies. As its share of resource consumption and emissions grows, economies become knowledge intensive. City life accelerates, its complexity grows exponentially along with various instabilities, challenges, uncertainties...

Dr Andy Slaney, Principal Consultant and Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, BSI explains the benefits to organisations of using the training initiative Lean Six Sigma With its roots in manufacturing, Lean Six Sigma is now being applied across numerous diverse industries, in both the public and private sectors. Irrespective...

David Mooney, Director of the Strategic Energy Analysis Center, at the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, explains how understanding energy is important to the success of clean energy technologies Moving from today’s energy system to a clean energy system will require a profound transformation. While today’s energy...

Elena Nekhaev, Programmes Director at the World Energy Council, details how energy analysis is important in order to achieve future energy sustainability According to the World Energy Council’s Scenarios, the total primary energy supply (TPES ) will increase by 27-61% by 2050 and despite the continuing strong growth of renewables,...

The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of the Republic of Latvia details the importance of small and medium-sized urban areas in the context of the EU Urban Agenda Approximately 70% of Europeans live in cities and towns. They play a significant role in territorial development of the EU, and...

The city of Toronto is a massive never-ending blur of concrete. The immense redevelopment of the waterfront consists of apartment towers as far as one can see. Looking at the city from the Sky-tower the outskirts have a green look, but don’t let the image fool you: down at...

European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis spoke at eHealth week in Riga about how digital applications are integral to tackling today’s health challenges in Europe When I started as a practising medical doctor, we kept handwritten health records and had face to face consultations. There was no...