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How green is your city? That’s the question being asked by the European Green Capital Award (EGCA), which is now searching for an exemplary city for 2014. The competition was launched by the European Commission on 14 June.
The EU-27 and its Member States must meet legally binding limits for four air pollutants set by the National Emission Ceilings Directive (NEC Directive) to protect human health and the environment. The annual status report released today by the European Environment Agency (EEA) shows that while EU-27 emissions for three air pollutants are projected to meet the ceilings, nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions for the EU-27 as a whole will exceed its ceiling by 17 %. Ten Member States expect to miss their respective NOx ceilings.
In 2010, around half of the European Union's Member States expect to surpass one or more of the legal limits set by the National Emission Ceilings Directive (NEC Directive). The annual status report released today by the European Environment Agency (EEA) confirms that 11 countries anticipate an exceedance of their ceilings for NOx — some by more than 40 %.
Widespread and increasing use of motor vehicles in urban areas impacts not only human health but also the quality of life in cities. During European Mobility Week, 16–22 September, more than 1 500 cities across Europe will promote sustainable transport in urban areas and let their residents enjoy a car-free day. The European Environment Agency has tips to help you make your daily trips more environmentally friendly.
While technological advances produce cleaner vehicles, more and more passengers and goods are travelling further distances, thereby offsetting efficiency gains. Based on analysis of long-term trends, a new European Environment Agency (EEA) report calls for a clear vision defining Europe's transport system by 2050 and consistent policies to achieve it.
The European Environment Agency (EEA) has launched the most comprehensive map of noise exposure to date, revealing the extent to which European citizens are exposed to excessive acoustic pollution.
Every day, millions of Europeans make short trips to work, school or the shops. Their choice of how to reach their destination has a significant impact on the environment. During European Mobility Week from 16 to 22 September 2009, Europe will focus on sustainable mobility in urban areas. The European Environment Agency has tips to help you make your daily trips more environmentally friendly.
Transport continues to contribute disproportionally to Europe's greenhouse gas emissions, poor air quality and noise; and still uses the least efficient modes to move people and goods.
Transport’s carbon footprint is a major obstacle to achieving a sustainable, low-carbon economy in Europe. A new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) urges policy makers to take a fresh approach to address the spiralling growth of transport, supporting “realistic” measures that include pricing schemes for unsustainable mobility and improving citizens’ awareness about the environmental consequences of their shopping basket and travel choices.
Despite significant emission reductions in recent years, only 11 EU Member States expect to remain within their emission limits for all four air pollutants set by the EU National Emission Ceilings Directive (NEC Directive). The nitrogen oxides ceiling remains the most difficult to comply with. This is partly due to the fact that demand for road transport has grown faster than anticipated.
Transport remains a major and growing source of greenhouse gas emissions, which cause climate change. During the European Mobility Week between 16-22 September, more than a thousand cities across Europe will promote sustainable transport in urban areas and let their residents enjoy a car-free day.
There must be a clear, ambitious target for cutting CO2 emissions from transport in Europe. Citizen behaviour, together with improved use of technologies, have a major role to play. These are just a few of the messages emerging from the seminar: “Right on track - choosing the most eco-friendly transport option” organised by the International Union of Railways (UIC) today at the European Environment Agency.
The EEA Scientific Committee has made public an opinion on the environmental impacts of biofuel use in Europe. The Scientific Committee recommends a new, comprehensive scientific study on the environmental risks and benefits of biofuels, and that the EU target to increase the share of biofuels used in transport to 10 % by 2020 should therefore be suspended.
Europe's road transport has made a clear contribution to economic growth, but its environmental performance is still unacceptable. Traffic congestion, poorer air quality, noise and in particular greenhouse gas emissions are some of the key challenges effectively addressed by six initiatives identified by the European Environment Agency as success stories. Such measures should also be implemented elsewhere, but to reach intermediate and long-term climate change targets, transport demand has to be addressed as well.
More environmental education, alternative sources of energy and stricter transportation laws are some of the proposals put forth by Europe's next generations of policy-makers and voters. 9 May, Europe day, commemorates the speech the French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman gave 57 years ago, advocating closer European cooperation. Europe day has a particularly special meaning this year as we also celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Rome Treaty. Curious as to how the future policy-makers and voters feel about Europe's environment, the EEA's communication team interviewed young Europeans.
Subsides worth between EUR 270 to 290 billion a year are estimated to go into European transport, according to a preliminary report released by the European Environment Agency today. From this figure, road transport receives EUR 125 billion annually, rail EUR 73 billion, aviation EUR 27–35 billion and water-borne transport EUR 14–30 billion.
Today is European ‘Car Free Day’. In over a thousand towns and cities across the continent, people will be going about their business without their cars. The environment is not the only one to benefit. EEA staff, who regularly travel to work without a car in Copenhagen, see health and flexibility as major bonuses in avoiding the gridlock. “Pleasure, freedom and a little bit of exercise everyday” is what walking or cycling to work means for one staff member.
Housing, food and drink, and mobility have the greatest environmental impact over their lifecycle, the EEA and the European Commission have shown. This concern brought together European governments, researchers, NGOs and business under the same roof during a conference held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, back in September last year.
The transport sector in the EU must apply rigorous measures to help Europe meet its greenhouse gas emission targets, says a new report published by the European Environment Agency.
The EU-15 can meet, and may even over-shoot, its 2012 Kyoto target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 8 % below 1990 levels if Member States implement now all additional policies being planned, according to a new report from the European Environment Agency (EEA), released today in Copenhagen.
For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/transport/highlights/highlights_topic or scan the QR code.
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