Over the past 40 years the EU has set up a relatively comprehensive and dense body of environmental legislation which, although far from perfect, is certainly a success story. Times are changing and increasing complexity of inter-linkages between policies on climate change, biodiversity and natural resources, coupled with financial and political volatility mean EU policy is likely to move in a new direction in the coming decade. That is the suggestion made by the recent report produced by the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) and commissioned by the All Party Parliamentary Environment Group (APPEG). Here are some of the key areas of EU environmental policy that the IEEP has identified as being high on the agenda over the next few years.

Climate Change and Energy

Despite being among some of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the world, EU member states are also among the most active in seeking to address the issue. The Kyoto Protocol commits the EU-15 to reducing average GHG emissions by 8 per cent below 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012. In 2009 the EU implemented the 20-20-20 target, which aims to reduce GHG emission by 20 per cent, increase the share of renewable energy by 20 per cent and reduce energy consumption by 20 per cent, all by the year 2020. Progress towards these targets is mixed with the steady rise in the share of renewable energy sources in stark contrast to the energy saving estimates. A number of studies have demonstrated that more ambitious climate mitigation polices are needed in Europe which could modernise the EU economy and infrastructure, create jobs and enhance competitiveness in fast growing global markets for low-carbon goods and services.

Transport

Emissions from transport are a major source of the EU’s GHG emissions, in 2010 it accounted for more than a fifth of GHG emissions from the EU. Increasing demand has offset potential gains from improvements in the energy efficiency of new vehicles. Further impacts of transport include problems with poor air quality, noise and transport infrastructure also puts huge pressure on Europe’s ecosystems and biodiversity. Currently there is a major effort to promote the use of biofuels and accelerate the process of electrifying road vehicles, however, many challenges exist in ensuring that these alternative fuels and energy sources are sustainable and are in fact low carbon.

Water

The EU environmental policies regarding water pollution have improved freshwater quality for many of its member states, including the UK. There are, however, growing problems in relation to water quantity, in particular in the south of Europe. EU water policy provides a comprehensive legislative framework that aims to address issues related to water quality as well as water demand and availability. 2012 will be an important year for EU water policy with the current “fitness-check” being undertaken by the Commission.

Biodiversity

Despite the establishment of a European network of protected areas (Natura 2000) and wide ranging regulatory framework, biodiversity continues to decline. 2010 targets of halting biodiversity loss within the EU were not met, mainly due to continuing increases in key pressures such as intensification of agriculture and habitat fragmentation. Over the last few years there has been increasing recognition of the economic value of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the policy process. A new EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 was produced in 2011 which sets out six main targets relating to: full implementation of the birds and habitats Directives, maintaining and restoring ecosystems and their services, increasing the contribution of agriculture and forestry to maintaining and enhancing biodiversity, ensuring the sustainable use of fisheries resources, combating invasive alien species and helping to avert global biodiversity loss.

The BES, together with the Biochemical Society, hosted another successful Policy Lunchbox at Charles Darwin House yesterday. The guest speaker was David Bott, Director of Innovation Programmes at the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) who delivered an engaging talk on the process of turning innovative ideas into real products and services. David identified a number of barriers to this progression and outlined how the TSB is working to address them.

One of the biggest issues is the significant risk involved in pursuing innovative ideas as well as a lack of long-term support for innovative projects due to a demand for immediate returns on investments. There is also a lack of long-term political planning. The UK Government does not harness its considerable market influence, which has the potential to drive innovation in its suppliers through forward-thinking procurement and regulation, alongside tax breaks to encourage investment in certain technologies. Since its creation, the TSB has developed a ‘toolbox’ of solutions to these barriers including providing coherent, long-term support to those involved in innovation and encouraging knowledge exchange, for example by hosting ‘Missions’ to introduce innovators to potential competitors, funders and collaborators, and creating _connect, an online social network.

The environment presents an important area in which innovation is key and David stated that the TSB has identified energy and food production as major markets for the coming years due to the considerable logistical challenges they pose. The need to double food production by 2050 will require significant innovation in agriculture, whilst increasing energy production without worsening damage to the environment will require novel design and planning. In response to this energy challenge, one of TSB’s ‘Catapult’ technology and innovation centres will focus on Offshore Renewable Energy. Sustainability, although a relatively small proportion of the budget, is a specific, dedicated programme within TSB and underpins all of the board’s work.

Already, TSB’s work has contributed to innovative environmental projects. A Demonstrator Project (designed to encourage further innovation in the sector) tested consumer responses to newly introduced electric cars, measuring their habits, attitudes and opinions of the vehicles when using them for a year. Another scheme – Retrofit for the Future – used innovative technologies to adapt 118 social houses to reduce their carbon emissions by 80% and found significant energy and money savings for the residents.

With the Business Secretary Vince Cable MP announcing a further Catapult Centre yesterday and a range of funding opportunities and events planned for the new year, the TSB’s valuable work in driving innovation is set to continue.

David Bott’s presentation at the Policy Lunchbox was well received by all the attendees and led to some very interesting discussion afterwards.

We would like to thank David Bott for his participation today, and everyone who attended. The TSB report ‘Concept to Commercialisation’, which discusses the work of the TSB further is available online.

The next Policy Lunchbox event on 6th March will see Beck Smith, Assistant Director of the Campaign for Science and Engineering, discuss ‘how can the Government incentivise private sector investment in research and development?’ This event is full, but to join the waiting list contact James Lush at the Biochemical Society.

Applications are now being accepted for the BES Parliamentary Shadowing Scheme. The scheme offers a fantastic opportunity for early-career ecologists to gain an insight into how ecology and the environment are addressed in policy making by spending two days shadowing a senior policy-maker. In the past, hosts have included Parliamentary-Secretaries of State at Defra, Government Ministers in Wales, Policy Advisors in Scotland and MEPs in Brussels, and previous shadowers have found their placements to be a positive, useful and interesting experience.

The scheme is open to members of the BES in the early stages of their research career. You must have finished your PhD and completed this no more than 12 years ago.

Full details on the scheme, including how to apply are available here. The closing date for applications is Wednesday 29th February.

A conference of more than 100 scientists and decision makers at the University of Copenhagen last week concluded that “the biodiversity crisis…is probably a greater threat than climate change to the stability and prosperous future of mankind on Earth”.

However, the talks signal a positive step towards addressing this pressing global issue as attendees discussed the future direction of the recently formed Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), created to coordinate international efforts to address the biodiversity crisis. IPBES is designed to be a global-scale interface between the scientific community and policy-makers, collecting and synthesising scientific research in order to strengthen its contribution to policy making.

Text adapted from original article at physorg.com

A study due to be published in Nature Climate Change journal (released to press) suggests that the current rate of ocean acidification, caused by increasing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, could be up to two orders of magnitude greater than that at the end of the last Ice Age. This has serious implications for ocean ecology, contributing to the ‘bleaching’ of coral reefs as well as apparent physiochemical effects on fish.

However, despite the severity of its potential impact, ocean acidication is relatively poorly covered in international policy. It had not yet emerged as an issue when the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was established in 1992 and, consequently, is absent from its contents. Meanwhile most treaties concerning the ocean focus on matters such as shipping access, fisheries and localised pollution.

The upcoming Rio+20 conference could provide an important platform to redress this policy gap and actors including Unesco’s International Oceanographic Commission are pushing for ocean acidification to be made a priority issue on the agenda. The first draft of the conference agenda – the ‘zero draft’ – is available to view online.

Text based on original article by Richard Black, Environment Correspondent for the BBC

Earlier today the All Party Parliamentary Environment Group (APPEG) launched a report, produced by the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP), entitled “The future for EU Environmental Policy: Challenges and Opportunities”.

The independent report considers environmental challenges facing the EU and the priorities for future development of EU environmental policy.

Do you know someone who’s campaigned tirelessly to protect a patch of green space?

Have you got a favourite teacher who’s inspired you to do something for nature?

Is there a famous person you admire who’s challenging the system?

If so, they could be a candidate for an Octavia Hill award, organised by the National Trust in partnership with Countryfile Magazine. The deadline for nominations is 31 January 2012.

Uncertainty is part of science but it’s no excuse for indecision, according to Chandrika Nath, scientific advisor at the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology.

Scientists know that uncertainty is intrinsic to scientific investigation whether as a result of inherently variable natural systems, incomplete knowledge of complex mechanisms, or statistical probability.

Uncertainty drives science forward, and keeps scientists looking for answers. Policymakers, however, like to have definite answers, especially around controversial choices on the environment. So where uncertainty drives scientists into action, it can lead policymakers to indecision, delaying in the hope of eliminating uncertainty or providing an excuse not to make unpopular decisions.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has developed a “likelihood scale” that can help link probabilities to everyday language. For example, when the IPCC reports states that “it is extremely likely that humans have exerted a substantial warming influence on climate”, they mean there is a “more than 95 per cent probability” of that being the case.

Scientists often have limited control over how policymakers use their findings but they must still communicate clearly and openly about any uncertainty in the information they present. Making sure that uncertainty is communicated clearly with policymakers should mean that, over time, they become more familiar with the concept, and more confident about making decisions despite it.

Text adapted from an article on the Science and Development Network website.

Living with Environmental Change(LWEC), a consortium of 22 organisations that fund, carry out and use environmental research and observations, has launched a new strategy to drive collaborative research into how to manage the risks to life and property posed by flooding and coastal erosion in the UK. Across the country, it is estimated that 6 million properties are at risk from all sources of flooding or from coastal erosion; this number is only likely to increase due to climate change and extreme weather events. The LWEC ‘UK Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Research Strategy’ marks, as stated by the document, ‘a major shift’ in the UK’s approach to tackling this significant economic, social and environmental issue.

Research priorities are grouped under three themes within the document: ‘understanding risk’; ‘managing probability’; and ‘managing consequence’. To take the first: managers of risks from flooding and coastal erosion need to synthesise data from multiple sources and assess the quality of these data in order to make informed decisions. The development of decision-support tools will be necessary. Secondly, the management of engineered and natural flood and coastal defences (see the blog post on Natural Flood Management from earlier this week for a brief overview of natural flood defences and the potential issues in making greater use of these) can be improved by research. This is an area where a small amount of investment may yield dividends for the UK. Finally, raising awareness and understanding of flood risk in order to influence the behaviour of individuals and communities in response to flooding and coastal erosion events is important, and an area where research into behaviour change can contribute. Also included within ‘managing consequence’ is the need for greater research so that forecasting and early-warning systems can be improved, alongside multi-agency emergency planning.

The LWEC strategy, it is anticipated, will lead to greater coordination of research effort amongst LWEC partners, whilst efforts will be made to translate the outputs of research into practice. LWEC will commission collaborative research projects, including at local scales, and will promote early collaboration between academics, industry researchers, service providers, the beneficiaries and end-users of research. Over the next 20 years (the timescale considered by the Strategy), the outcome should be the improved understanding and management of flood and coastal erosion risk for the benefit of millions of people.

Tuesday 13th March 2012
The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) 1 Carlton House Terrace, London

Business has been put at the centre of the stage to deliver the sustainable economy that the Government pledges to provide in the Natural Environment White Paper (NEWP).This creates real opportunities for businesses, in terms of new markets (e.g. via Payment for Ecosystem Services/Offsets/Restoration) and new collaborations with delivery agencies and other institutions (e.g. via Nature Improvement Areas).

This one-day event, supported by professional and business bodies, will provide a forum for businesses to engage directly with some of the key researchers working in this area.

With top speakers including Prof. Ian Bateman (Co-Leader of the Valuing Nature Network), Prof. Rosie Hails, MBE, (Leader of the Natural Capital Initiative), Prof. Dave Rafaelli (Leader of NERC’s Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Programme) and Dr Rob Bradburne of Defra, as well as key business leaders, the day will provide a mix of speakers, discussion and project-development breakout sessions.

Outcomes of the day will include:
 Identification of specific areas where there are already tools that could be used or developed further by industry in collaboration with academia
 Identification of common themes of interest and actions that would address these
 Initiation of project developments for internship funding

To register for this free event and for full details of the day and directions to IOM please go to http://natural-capital.eventbrite.com.