Presseurop |

Environment | Statistical fog in battle against CO2 (The Guardian, London)

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:07:49 +0100

The EU’s plan to reduce CO2 emissions is lauded for being the most ambitious scheme of its kind. But unclear criteria and wayward accounting put into doubt the success of steps taken so far. (Article)

Africa | Biofuels won't feed the people (La Repubblica, Rome)

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 17:07:07 +0100

Seeking to meet new regulations on low-carbon emission fuels, Europeans are battling over millions of hectares of African land in order to grow biofuels. This is detrimental to food crop production, warn NGOs. (Article)

Environment | 'Clean' energy, scourge of our countryside (La Repubblica, Rome)

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:52:38 +0100

Crisis-hit Italian farmers are turning to the intensive cultivation of maize for biogas production, which is more profitable than growing it for food. But they’re laying themselves open to the mercies of speculators -- and they’re threatening biodiversity too, declares the founder of the Slow Food movement. (Article)

Germany | Biofuel E10 inflames motorists

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 11:55:19 +0100

New fuel is causing havoc in Germany. “Super E10? Nein, tanke” (No, thank you), leads Bild, playing on the word “Tanke” (service station). The tabloid explains why the introduction of the biofuel E10 on the German market in February is "madness". "E" means "ethanol", and "10" stands for the percentage of bioethanol in the fuel, up from the five percent previously. In bringing in the biofuel Germany has fulfilled the European objective to have biofuels account for 10 percent of total fuel consumption in Europe by 2020. But not all engines can burn this fuel, which has sparked a furious boycott by motorists. The government has deployed an industry representative to a “petrol summit” on Tuesday, hoping to save the day. But for Bild the matter is clear: harmful to engines, to the climate and to the rainforest, a guzzler of resources, expensive, and encouraging famines – E10 is a flop.

(News in brief)

Environment | Europe devours Amazon, claims NGO

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 13:15:25 +0100

"European consumption threatens to destroy Amazon rainforest," warns Público, in an article highlighting the findings of a report published by the NGO Friends of the Earth (FoE) on 25 January. According to the newspaper, the surface area of the rainforest could be dramatically reduced by 2020, "as a result of the steep increase in European consumption of meat, biofuels and animal feed from Brazil," a phenomenon "that is expected to increase exponentially over the next decade." The daily points out that the EU trade bloc, which is the world’s biggest importer of ethanol, is also home to the fourth largest market for imported meat and one of the main markets for GMO soya. Consumption of these "three pillars of the Brazilian economy" will lead to the permanent degradation of the Amazon Rainforest, which will have a "major negative impact on climate change, biodiversity and the lives of thousands of people," warns Adrian Bebb, agrofuels campaign coordinator for Friends of the Earth Europe.

Público voices its support for several environmental groups that are hoping to weigh on the EU’s "review of the common agricultural policy (CAP)," which accounts for 40% its budget. The daily remarks that CAP policies, on the table for discussion at 24 January meeting of Europe’s agriculture ministers in Brussels, were responsible for the indifferent reception that greeted the "Meat Free Mondays" initiative when it was presented by singer Paul McCartney in Brussels last year. "Neither the European Commission or the governments of Europe’s 27 member states were willing to consider proposals put forward by the campaign," points out Público.

(News in brief)

Renewable Energies | Technology transfer - now (NRC Handelsblad, Rotterdam)

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:22:33 +0100

Instead of paying developing countries to combat global warming, it would make more sense to help them to the latest know-how, argue two Dutch researchers. (Article)

Biodiversity | Copenhagen treaty may endanger rainforests

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:55:43 +0100

On its front page, The Independent warns “Rainforest treaty ‘fatally flawed.’” A key text banning “the conversion of natural forests to forest plantations” has been deleted from a treaty on deforestation due be signed at the Copenhagen climate conference in December. If the safeguard is not reinserted, an environmentalist quoted by the daily claims “we will have a situation where countries are paid for converting their natural forests into palm plantations," which are often used to produce bio-fuel. The report further notes that deforestation “now produces nearly 20 per cent of annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions – more than from all the world's transport.” It is for this reason that REDD, a UN programme for “Reducing emissions from deforestation in developing countries” has a section to itself in the Copenhagen accord. Greenpeace has urged EU officials to reinstate the ban at final negotiations on the treaty, which begin in Barcelona next week.

(News in brief)

Biodiversity | Copenhagen treaty may endanger rainforests

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:51:42 +0100

(News in brief)