Photo by Anil Sharma on Unsplash The quality of the maps used to assess deforestation has been assessed for the first time. It also assesses tree planting (reforestation/agroforestry), greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removal monitoring. The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) study supports cocoa companies who rely on these sources to meet regulatory compliance and…
Author: Our Staff Correspondent
Europe Needs a Strong Climate Policy
Photo by Shawn on Unsplash Climate and meteorological institutions have declared Europe the fastest warming continent, with 2024 the warmest year on record. The new European State of the Climate 2024 report, released by the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization, paints a stark picture. It says 2024 saw a record 335…
MEPs Call for More Support for 3 Seas Region
Photo by Matheus Frade on Unsplash MEPs have demanded dedicated EU funding to strengthen infrastructure, connectivity and resilience across the Three Seas region, a forum of thirteen states, in the European Union, running along a north–south axis from the Baltic Sea to the Adriatic and Black Seas in Central and Eastern Europe. This comes just…
Damning Report by ECA on NGO Funding
Photo by Eduard Delputte on Unsplash EU funding granted to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) suffers from a lack of transparency, according to a new report by the European Court of Auditors (ECA). Despite improvements, information on EU funding awarded to NGOs that are active in the bloc’s internal policies remains inaccurate and incomplete. The European Commission…
EU Crackdown on Toy Safety Welcomed by MEPs
Photo by Austrian National Library on Unsplash All toys sold in the EU will in future have to bear a clearly visible digital product passport (DPP) showing compliance with the relevant safety rules. The DPP aims to enhance the traceability of toys and make market surveillance and customs checks simpler and more efficient. It also…
Landmark Deal Agreed on Global Shipping
Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash The European Commission has welcomed a landmark deal which aims to cut maritime pollution. The agreement, with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), is hailed as a meaningful step towards achieving net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from global shipping by 2050. The EU said it was a historic deal in…
Wine Intergroup Calls for Dialogue after Trump’s Tariffs
Photo by Klara Kulikova on Unsplash The EU should demonstrate unity in responding to Donald Trump’s controversial tariffs. So says the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Wine, Quality Foodstuff and Spirits after it analysed the consequences of the 20% tariffs. The new additional taxes will be applied to all EU products starting from April 9. During a…
EU Counter-Measures to Trump’s Tariffs
Photo by LSE Library on Unsplash The EU is set to announce a first package of counter-measures in response to President Trump’s announcement of universal tariffs on the whole world, including the EU. The US is EU 5th most important trading partner, with total trade exceeding €9 billion. Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen called…
Aviation’s Most Ambitious Retrofit
The airline Emirates has announced a major retrofitting of its fleet, said to be the aviation industry’s most ambitious retrofit undertaking yet. It says that it will introduce Boeing 777s with upgraded cabins to eight more destinations on its route network, as the airline’s retrofit programme continues with an aircraft receiving its nose-to-tail facelift and…
Emirates Upgrades Cabins on Selected Routes
Photo by Mike van den Bos on Unsplash Emirates says it will introduce Boeing 777s with upgraded cabins to eight more destinations on its route network. This comes as the airline’s retrofit programme continues to progress at an impressive pace, with an aircraft receiving its nose-to-tail facelift and rolling out into service every three weeks. …