Neonicotinoids and their substitutes in sustainable pest control

ISBN 978-3-8047-4144-7, EASAC / FEAM REPORT (European Academies Science Advisory Council / Federation of Auropean Academies of Medicine

Variation in beliefs about 'fracking' between the UK and US

In decision-making on the politically-contentious issue of unconventional gas development, the UK Government and European Commission are attempting to learn from the US experience. Although economic, environmental, and health impacts and regulatory contexts have been compared cross-nationally, public perceptions and their antecedents have not. We conducted similar online panel surveys of national samples of UK and US residents simultaneously in September 2014 to compare public perceptions and beliefs affecting such perceptions. The US sample was more likely to associate positive impacts with development (i.e., production of clean energy, cheap energy, and advancing national energy security). The UK sample was more likely to associate negative impacts (i.e., water contamination, higher carbon emissions, and earthquakes). Multivariate analyses reveal divergence cross-nationally in the relationship between beliefs about impacts and support/opposition – especially for beliefs about energy security. People who associated shale gas development with increased energy security in the UK were over three times more likely to support development than people in the US with this same belief. We conclude with implications for policy and communication, discussing communication approaches that could be successful cross-nationally and policy foci to which the UK might need to afford more attention in its continually evolving regulatory environment

Carbon sequestration potential of the South Wales Coalfield

This paper presents a preliminary evaluation of the carbon dioxide (CO2) storage capacity of the unmined coal resources in the South Wales Coalfield, UK. Although a significant amount of the remaining coal may be mineable through traditional techniques, the prospects for opening new mines appear poor. Also, many of the South Wales coal seams are lying unused since they are too deep to be mined economically using conventional methods. There is instead a growing worldwide interest in the potential for releasing the energy value of such coal reserves through alternative technologies – for example through carbon dioxide sequestration with enhanced coal bed methane recovery. In this study, geographical information systems and three-dimensional interpolation are used to obtain the total unmined coal resource below 500 m deep, where the candidate seams for carbon dioxide sequestration are found. The ‘proved’, ‘probable’ and ‘possible’ carbon dioxide storage capacities of the South Wales Coalfield are then obtained using an established methodology. Input parameters are based on statistical distributions, considering a combination of laboratory coal characterisation results and literature review. The results are a proved capacity of 70·1 Mt carbon dioxide, a probable capacity of 104·9 Mt carbon dioxide and a possible capacity of 152·0 Mt carbon dioxide

Forests as Commons – Changing Traditions and Governance in Europe

Commons are complex institutions and exist across the world in a wide range of situations regarding locally developed governance and management systems of many different natural resources. For many people commons remain associated with Hardin’s theory concerning the “Tragedy of the Commons” (1968), in which he assumed that local users of a natural resource are unable to formulate governance and management structures concerning their own choices that took into account the long-term sustainability of the resource itself. As a result, Hardin articulated that the tragedy was that the resource would inevitably become degraded in such situations and that the solution was private or public ownership. However, across Europe many forests have for a very long period of time successfully been managed as commons, just as they have in many other parts of the world. This chapter has three main aims: It will provide an introduction to the various types of commons before going on to link the issue of commons to the traditional forest landscapes of Europe, and it will look at how the role of forests and forest landscapes has changed and how it may change further in the future

Consolidated briefing of biochemical ethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass

AbstractBioethanol production is one pathway for crude oil reduction and environmental compliance. Bioethanol can be used as fuel with significant characteristics like high octane number, low cetane number and high heat of vaporization. Its main drawbacks are the corrosiveness, low flame luminosity, lower vapor pressure, miscibility with water, and toxicity to ecosystems. One crucial problem with bioethanol fuel is the availability of raw materials. The supply of feedstocks for bioethanol production can vary season to season and depends on geographic locations. Lignocellulosic biomass, such as forest-based woody materials, agricultural residues and municipal waste, is prominent feedstock for bioethanol cause of its high availability and low cost, even though the commercial production has still not been established. In addition, the supply and the attentive use of microbes render the bioethanol production process highly peculiar. Many conversion technologies and techniques for biomass-based ethanol production are under development and expected to be demonstrated. In this work a technological analysis of the biochemical method that can be used to produce bioethanol is carried out and a review of current trends and issues is conducted

The imperative of climate action to protect health in Europe

The pace and extent of recent environmental change, in particular climate change, poses serious challenges to global health gains made over recent decades. In previous work, the European Academies’ Science Advisory Council (EASAC) has covered several significant challenges relevant to climate change across Europe, for example in assessing the potential of negative emissions technologies in meeting emission targets, and monitoring trends in extreme weather events. In the present report, EASAC focuses on climate change and health. Although the European Union (EU) is very actively engaged in collective efforts to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions and to identify how best to adapt, the impacts of climate on health have been relatively neglected in EU policy. This must change. Our concern is motivated by the risks to health in the near future. EASAC’s main messages are the following. • Climate change is happening on a global scale and is attributable to human activity. • Climate change is adversely affecting human health and health risks will increase over time. • Rapid and decisive action, to cut GHG emissions sufficiently to keep temperature increase below 2°C above pre-industrial level, could greatly reduce risks to health. • There are major near term health benefits arising from decarbonising the economy as a result of reduced air pollution and other co-benefits of climate change mitigation. • Climate change can have effects on health within the boundaries of the EU and also through its effects on the health of populations outside these boundaries. • Solutions are within reach and much can be done by acting on present knowledge, but this requires political will. • The scientific community has important roles in generating new knowledge and countering misinformation on the health effects of climate change, on factors increasing vulnerability, and on the effectiveness of adaptation and mitigation strategies, in close collaboration with decision makers. While recognising the uncertainties in attribution and extrapolation of data, the academies, independent and free of vested interests, are well placed to make an objective and transparent evaluation of the evidence base. The systems are complex but we emphasise that the policy actions required will bring benefits to health now and for future generations whatever the extent of the contribution made by climate change in the mix of risk factors. The focus in the present report is on the EU but climate change effects in other regions have tangible consequences for Europe, and the EU has roles and responsibilities that can help address problems in the rest of the world