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Environment

A CITYTREE in Jena, Germany, combines moss and wireless technology to filter air pollutants and convert them into biomass. Image credit: Green City Solutions
environment | open innovation
20 December 2016

Artificial trees and vertical farms helping turn Europe’s cities green

Moss-covered boards that absorb city pollution and warehouses where fish and LED-lit lettuce grow side-by-side are helping to reshape the way that urban Europeans live their lives.

Prof. Hans Joachim Schellnhuber says that limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius will not be enough to avoid all tipping points. Image credit: Mercator 2009
environment | interview
19 December 2016

We need an Apollo-style programme to tackle climate change – Prof. Hans Joachim Schellnhuber

Europe needs a climate research plan as focused as the US Apollo space programme that took astronauts to the moon, according to Professor Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, founder of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany, who in 1995 first proposed that we should limit the increase in the earth's temperature to 2 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

State-of-the-art sensors measure the amount of CO2 leaked from the ocean floor in the Mediterranean Sea, and similar ones are being used in the North Sea. Image credit: M.Weber/HYDRA
environment
12 December 2016

Sea floor experiment to test carbon storage plans

Scientists are preparing a first-of-a-kind sub-sea experiment in which they will deliberately pump carbon dioxide into the ocean floor and let it seep back up into the sea.

Prof. Giulio Di Toro says predicting the exact time, magnitude and location of big earthquakes may never be possible. Image courtesy of Prof. Giulio Di Toro
interview | environment | frontier research
08 December 2016

Big earthquakes may never be predictable - Prof. Giulio Di Toro

It is very, very difficult to predict when a big earthquake will hit. And we may never be able to forecast precisely the time, magnitude and location of destructive quakes such as those that tore through central Italy in August and October. But our understanding of how they happen is improving dramatically, says Giulio Di Toro, professor of geology in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Manchester, UK.

Nuclear power is one way to lower carbon emissions but there are issues around public acceptance of the technology. Image credit: 'Nuclear.power.plant.Dukovany' is in the public domain
environment
05 December 2016

Paris climate deal 'may require unpopular technology'

Technologies such as nuclear power and carbon capture and storage, which are currently unpopular in many European countries, might be necessary if Europe is to meet the emissions reduction targets set out in Paris last year, according to researchers looking into the options facing Europe's Member States.

Commissioner Moedas set out four priority areas where research and innovation can contribute to shaking up the EU’s energy market. Image courtesy of the European Union
energy | environment | policy
02 December 2016

‘Disruptive innovation’ will set direction for Europe’s new energy market – Commissioner Moedas

The European Union has launched new plans to revolutionise how it trades and supplies energy, but to ensure its success EU funds need to support the frontiers of science and knowledge, according to Carlos Moedas, EU Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation.

Horizon held a debate with representatives from industry and a climate non-profit organisation to discuss whether steel could be sustainable in the future. Image credit: Octavian Carare
energy | environment
30 November 2016

Horizon steel debate: can the industry go green?

The steel industry plays a big role in Europe’s energy consumption, but many say green technologies have been sidelined to stay competitive with cheaper, dirtier steel from China. To explore the best way forward, Horizon organised a debate between Dr Klaus Peters, the secretary general of the European Steel Technology Platform (ESTEP), and Wendel Trio, the director of Climate Action Network Europe.

Tiny pieces of plastic can enter the food chain, endangering marine animals and humans. Image credit: Gyre / Chris Jordan / Ars Electronica / Flickr
environment | health
29 November 2016

Plastic tsunami threatens human health, biodiversity and the climate

Trillions of pieces of plastic, many of which will last for thousands of years, are floating in the oceans, potentially damaging human health, killing birds and fish, and even adding to global warming.

Working with Pacific states can teach European researchers about climate change, emerging diseases, deep sea mining and blue growth, according to Prof. Jean-François Marini. Image credit: ZMT/Rathke
interview | environment | open to the world
22 November 2016

The Pacific region is a perfect example of science diplomacy in action – Prof. Jean-François Marini

The Pacific region can serve as an exemplar of how science diplomacy could work, according to Professor Jean-François Marini, coordinator of the EU-funded PACE-Net Plus project and former adviser to the French government on science diplomacy.

Researchers are working on the next generation of sewage processing. Image is in the public domain
environment | industry | open innovation
21 November 2016

Electric bacteria could quadruple speed of sewage processing

Bacteria that grow their own electrical wires to help them survive in harsh environments are transforming how we process sewage.

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