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Cities have a set of capacities to address climate change that other levels of government do not have, according to Prof. Harriet Bulkeley. Image credit - Pixabay/Leonardo Alves, licensed under Pixabay License
interview | environment | policy
01 August 2019

People in cities hold the key to ensuring a sustainable future

Cities have a critical role to play in fighting climate change but hard conversations lie ahead about the best way to achieve the transition to sustainability, according to Harriet Bulkeley, professor of geography at Durham University, UK.

AI can be used to identify potential perpetrators of violent crimes and assess the risk of a criminal re-offending. Image credit - Max Pixel, licensed under CC0
ict | policy
30 July 2019

Getting AI ethics wrong could ‘annihilate technical progress’

An intelligent water gun that uses facial recognition to identify its targets is helping to highlight some of the emerging human rights issues surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) – an area of research that is on the rise as new technologies become more and more prevalent in our daily lives.

Switching to more efficient appliances can save people money over time, although they are often more expensive to buy. Image credit - Photo Mix
energy | frontier research | policy
25 July 2019

Shoppers ‘can’t afford’ energy efficient cars, homes - researchers

Europeans can slash their fuel bills and have a significant impact on curbing global greenhouse gas emissions by buying more energy efficient cars, homes or even fridges – but many do not because of higher initial cost of green products, mistrust in EU energy ratings, and lack of awareness of long-term savings, researchers say.

Part of running a mission well is to know when to stop or change direction, says Prof. Mazzucato. Image credit - University College London
interview | policy
04 July 2019

Missions will require a ‘revolution’ in European governments – Prof. Mariana Mazzucato

The success of European research missions, which aim to stimulate innovation to solve major societal problems, will require a complete change in the way governments think about business and risk, according to Professor Mariana Mazzucato, special advisor to the European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, Carlos Moedas.

The IPCC has identified accelerated technological innovation as a critical part of limiting global warming. Image credit - Pixabay/rasov, licensed under pixabay license
policy | energy | environment
25 June 2019

Which climate innovations will really limit global warming?

From a chemical-free spray that turns sand into lush green land, to a caterer who serves planet-friendly dishes, and from technology that makes stronger concrete with less cement, to insect farms that produce fish food and fertilisers, there is no shortage of ideas to reduce emissions. But which ones work best?

Young scientists are blurring the boundaries between advocacy and research, according to Luciana Miu, vice chair of the 2019 International Student Energy Summit. Image by David Holt on Flickr, CC-BY 2.0
interview | energy | policy | environment
29 May 2019

‘Young scientists share protesters’ sense of urgency on climate’

Young scientists have the ambition, disruptive thinking and sense of urgency to drive clean energy forward at the radical pace that is needed, says Luciana Miu, a PhD student in chemical engineering who is focusing on energy efficiency at Imperial College London, UK. 

There is 'large uncertainty' surrounding the risk from microplastics, pieces of plastic less than 5mm wide, says Prof. Bart Koelmans. Image credit - 5Gyres, courtesy of Oregon State University licenced under CC BY-SA 2.0
interview | environment | policy
30 April 2019

‘We still don’t know enough about the dangers of microplastics’

An estimated 5.25 trillion particles of plastic float in Earth’s oceans, threatening not only the health of marine ecosystems and animals, but that of humans in the water we drink and the food we eat. However, research into the extent of the dangers posed by microplastics is still just in its infancy.

Europe's attitude toward entrepreneurs has evolved in the last decade, says Nicklas Bergman. Image Credit - Nicklas Bergman
interview | policy
18 March 2019

Q&A with Nicklas Bergman: How can Europe keep its entrepreneurs?

Europe’s position on privacy, regulation and competition could be a key way to attract entrepreneurs who share those values but there is still some work to do in encouraging ambition, according to Nicklas Bergman, a Swedish entrepreneur and technology investor. Over the past two years, he and other entrepreneurs have advised the European Commission on the design of the European Innovation Council (EIC), an initiative to support companies, researchers and entrepreneurs hoping to start their own business or scale up their projects internationally. The second phase of the pilot was launched on 18 March 2019.

The EU should cut greenhouse gases by 80% compared to 1990 levels by 2050, according to the European Commission's low-carbon economy roadmap. Image Credit: Rachel Clarke, CC BY-NC 2.0
environment | energy | policy
28 November 2018

‘Internet of electricity’ and zero-carbon molecules will help decarbonise Europe – report

An ‘internet of electricity’, zero-carbon cities and turning European soils into carbon sinks are among a slew of ambitious ideas to decarbonise our society and slash greenhouse gas emissions proposed by environmental experts in a report published on 28 November.

Commissioner Moedas likened the European Open Science Cloud to a 16th century coffeehouse where new ideas could circulate and flourish. Image credit - picture is in the public domain
ict | policy | open science
26 November 2018

Digital ‘coffeehouse’ to spark new scientific ideas now ready for use

The European Open Science Cloud (EOSC), a virtual one-stop shop for researchers to share, access and reuse data, was officially unveiled at the University of Vienna, Austria, on 23 November, giving scientists, open data advocates, research institutions and policymakers a first glimpse of the portal.

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