Global CO2 emissions declined sharply in 2020, but with a rebound expected in 2021 efforts must be intensified if the world is to reach the targets of the Paris Climate Agreement and keep global warming well below 2°C, a new study shows. The study, which has been conducted as part of the Global Carbon Project, was published in the scientific journal Nature Climate Change today, on 3 March 2021. It…
Since the end of November, flights to more than 40 destinations have been carried out to distribute Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine from Belgium. This includes shipments via DHL Express and on commercial flights. As the most important hub serving the pharmaceutical industry in Europe, Brussels Airport has fully deployed its expertise in the transport of temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical…
Responding to the European Commission’s Green Paper on Ageing, published yesterday, Lily Parsey, Global Policy and Influencing Manager at the International Longevity Centre UK (ILC), said: “The Commission’s Green Paper is a promising step towards a concerted European response to ageing. Alongside other major trends like climate change and COVID-19, population ageing is one of…
As part of the vaccination rollout plan in Belgium, the Skyhall, the iconic former transit hall at Brussels Airport, is set to become the vaccination centre for the residents of the towns of Zaventem, Wezembeek-Oppem and Kraainem. “From the start of the Covid-19 crisis, Brussels Airport has actively contributed to protecting public health by providing…
The airline Emirates says it has “safely and gradually” restarted operations across its network and currently serves 114 destinations on six continents. Since it safely resumed tourism activity in July, Dubai remains one of the world’s most popular holiday destinations, especially during the current winter season. Dubai was one of the world’s first cities to…
The European Commission on Friday proposed to the EU Member States to purchase an additional 200 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine produced by BioNTech and Pfizer, with the option to acquire another 100 million doses. This would enable the EU to purchase up to 600 million doses of this vaccine, which is already…
As from 31 December, the Belgian authorities now require a PCR test for Belgian residents returning from a red zone, and the test capacity at the airport is being increased to meet the anticipated surge in demand for tests. As of today (1 January) it has been possible to take 300 tests per hour by…
The early measures taken by the EU and its Member States to counter the economic impact of COVID-19 have helped save jobs and businesses, according to the European Court of Auditors (ECA). However, the auditors also see the risk that the pandemic’s uneven impact on Member States and their differing capacities to support their economies…
Thirteen human rights NGOs have called on the authorities of China, Iran and Russia to release religious prisoners under threat of being infected by COVID-19. These are the three countries that have the highest number of believers of all faiths behind bars, according to Human Rights Without Frontiers’ (HRWF) database of FoRB prisoners which documents thousands of…
In a final decision, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has unanimously rejected an applicant’s objections to the handling by the French State of the Covid-19 health crisis. The Court observed that the applicant was complaining about the measures taken by the French State to curb the propagation of the Covid-19 virus among…
