API src

Found 25 results.

Other language confidence: 0.843595905929013

FP6-SUSTDEV, Integration of European Wetland research in a sustainable management of water cycle (EUROWET)

The final goal of the EUROWET project is to integrate the substantial multidisciplinary European research in wetlands to help attain the sustainable management of the water cycle. This will be achieved by the translation of state-of-the art science developed at both national and European levels, into practical guidance for end-users. This will be achieved by a comprehensive review, expert assessment and a focussed dissemination strategy. There is considerable scientific knowledge and technical experience gained in diverse aspects of wetland science and management including hydrology, biogeochemistry, ecology restoration, socio-economic and policy analysis. However the results of research and management experience are still too fragmentary and not sufficiently orientated to problem-solving or simply inadequately framed to be effectively transferred to, or used by, stakeholders and policy-makers. Simultaneously the general outcome of the scientific research has been increased awareness of the significance of wetlands in delivering goods and services important for human welfare including quality of life, biodiversity conservation and maintenance or enhancement of environment quality. Despite this wetlands continue to be degraded and lost throughout Europe without adequate consideration of the wider benefits to be achieved from this management. The new Water Framework Directive (WFD) promotes a unique opportunity to redress this problem by means of the holistic, integrated approach to water management. There is currently in preparation horizontal guidance on Wetlands as part of the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) process. There is however work still to be done on providing more specific scientific and technical guidance on the effective implementation of the Directive with respect to wetlands. This is particularly the case in relation to Integrated River Management, the CIS cluster within which wetlands are being considered in the WFD.

CO2 market; Report: Pathways to a global CO2 market

The project investigates barriers and opportunities for establishing a global carbon market by linking future emission trading schemes to the European Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS). Applying an explorative model comprising international trade it explores the economics of linking emission trading schemes. Crucial design issues and institutional aspects of linkages are analyzed as well as the possibilities of linking the EU ETS to emerging regional emission trading schemes in the USA.

FP6-POLICIES, Methodology Development towards a Label for Environmental, Social and Economic Buildings (LENSE)

LEnSE is a research project that responds to the growing need in Europe for assessing a building's sustainability performance. The project draws on the existing knowledge available in Europe on building assessment methodologies. LEnSE aims to develop a truly holistic methodology that addresses the overall, integrating concept of sustainability. The main objective of LEnSE is to develop a methodology for the assessment of the sustainability performance of existing, new and renovated buildings, which is broadly accepted by the European stakeholders involved in sustainable construction. This methodology will allow for future labelling of buildings, in analogy with the Energy Performance Directive. The work should result in increased awareness of the European stakeholders and will allow adequate policy implementation on sustainable construction. The project consists of three main themes. The first theme is the identification and scope of the issues which need to be included in a sustainability assessment. This has to be wide enough to be acceptable and limited enough to be practicable. A broad consensus on these issues will be reached through strategic consultation of the relevant stakeholders. The second theme is the actual development of the assessment methodology. The content of the assessment will be developed for a limited, but representative range of key issues. Guidelines on how to address local variations will be provided. This work will be validated by the development of a prototype tool and tested on case study buildings. The key stakeholders on the European and national level will be highly involved in the development of the methodology, to guarantee a wide acceptance and implementation of the project results. These consultations will include national meetings with stakeholders and trans-national expert workshops. Thematic -stepping stone- publications, will serve as strategic reference and discussion documents for the stakeholder consultation rounds. Prime Contractor: Centre Scientifique et Technique de la Construction; Bruxelles; Belgium.

Towards the Derivation of Quality Standards for Priority Substances in the Context of the Water Framework Directive - Identification of Quality Standards for Priority Substances in the Field of Water Policy

Article 16 of the Water Framework Directive (WFD, Directive 2000/60/EC) lays down the Community Strategy for the establishment of harmonised quality standards and emission controls for the priority substances and other substances posing a significant risk to, or via, the aquatic environment. In order to achieve the protection objectives of the WFD, the Commission shall (i) submit proposals for quality standards applicable to the concentrations of the priority substances in surface water, sediment or biota, and (ii) identify the appropriate cost-effective and proportionate level and combination of product and process controls for both point and diffuse sources. Proposals for environmental quality standards and emission controls for point sources shall be submitted within 2 years of the inclusion of the substance concerned on the list of priority substances (European Parliament and Council Decision No. 2455/2001/EC), i.e. in December 2003. This study is part of the preparatory work of the Commission and its overall objectives are: - The development and description of a concept which enables the European Commission to submit proposals for quality standards applicable to the concentrations of the priority substances of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) and those substances not on the priority list but regulated in the 'daughter directives' of Directive 76/464/EEC (on pollution caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment of the Community) in water, sediment and biota, as required by Articles 16(7) and 16(10) of the Water Framework Directive. - Elaboration of proposals for quality standards for the priority substances of the Water Framework Directive and recommended values for other substances of concern (see footnote 1) with regard to surface water, sediment, biota, and human health as objectives of protection. Conclusions: The elaboration of quality standards with the developed methodological framework clearly showed that the proposed approach is applicable for the derivation of specific quality standards addressing the particular objectives of protection as well as for the identification of the overall quality standard that finally may be imposed to safeguard the entire set of objectives of protection. Also, with regard to the effort required to work with the concept, it can be considered as economic. This is attributable to the fact that despite the comprehensive consideration of all relevant routes of exposure and objectives of protection the different quality standards for the specific objectives are normally only derived if certain pre-defined trigger values are exceeded. This avoids the assessment of irrelevant exposure routes and the calculation of unnecessary standards. Problems encountered during the elaboration of the standards were in general not attributable to the suggested methodological framework but mostly to the limited availability of data or to the limitations of the available data.

Perspektiven des Linking von Emissionshandelssystemen (ETS) - Überführungsmöglichkeiten nationaler Klimaschutzprogramme in ein ETS, Methoden zur Beurteilung der Chancen und Risiken eines Linking des EU-ETS mit anderen Emissionshandelssystemen

Nach der Abschaffung des australischen Emissionshandelssystems durch die neue australische Regierung ist zwar das für 2018 geplante Linking des europäischen mit dem australischen Emissionshandel unwahrscheinlich geworden. In anderen Ländern werden aber weiterhin Emissionshandelssysteme ausgestaltet und implementiert. Das Linking verschiedener Kohlenstoffmärkte bleibt somit ein relevantes zukunftsweisendes Thema. Aufbauend auf bestehende Arbeiten sollen die Kriterien für ein erfolgreiches Linking von Emissionshandelssystemen weiterentwickelt werden (z. B. ökologische Wirksamkeit bzw. Integrität und Stringenz, Abbau von Wettbewerbsverzerrungen, Verteilungswirkungen, Investitionsanreize). Im weiteren Verlauf des Projekts sollen ökonomische Kennzahlen bestimmt werden, mit deren Hilfe anhand von vorhandenen bzw. zu ermittelnden Daten (z.B. Baseline der Emissionsentwicklung, Wirtschafts-/Bevölkerungsentwicklung, Vermeidungspotenziale und -kosten, Handelsintensität zwischen den Linking-Partnern, etc.) eine Analyse der ökonomischen Auswirkungen des Linkings zweier Emissionshandelssysteme vorgenommen werden kann. Zudem sollen ergänzend zu den Arbeiten laufender UFOPLAN Projekte die aktuellen Entwicklungen in anderen relevanten Themenfeldern (z.B. Cap Bestimmung, Register, Allokationsregeln, Marktaufsicht, Marktregulierung, Umfang Offsetnutzung) untersucht und insbesondere die Ausgestaltungsmerkmale identifiziert werden, die vor einem Linking harmonisiert werden müssten bzw. langfristig konvergieren sollten. Aus diesen grundsätzlichen Arbeiten soll anschließend eine Methode zur strukturierten Bewertung eines Linkings entwickelt werden, die praxisorientiert und einfach in der Handhabung ist und als Orientierungshilfe in Form eines Handbuchs oder excel-basiertem Tool dokumentiert werden sollen. In einem weiteren Arbeitsschritt sollen die Kriterien und die Bewertungsmethode exemplarisch an ein bis zwei im Laufe des Projekts festzulegenden Beispielen überprüft werden.

Weiterentwicklung des europäischen Emissionshandels nach 2012

Ausgangslage / Zielstellung / Methodik des Vorhabens: Das europäische System für den Handel mit Treibhausgasemissionen stellt einen Eckpfeiler der europäischen Klimaschutzanstrengungen dar. Aufbauend auf den Erfahrungen der ersten beiden Handelsperioden sollen für die Zeit ab 2013 weitreichende Änderungen am System vorgenommen werden. In der Novelle der Emissionshandelsrichtlinie 2003/87/EG, die bis Ende 2008 beschlossen werden soll, zeichnen sich u.a. folgende Änderungen ab: Einführung eines EU-weiten Caps mit festgelegtem jährlichen Minderungspfad; Auktionierung als grundlegende Zuteilungsmethode; kostenlose Zuteilung nur noch als Übergangslösung, vorauss. auf Grundlage von europaweit harmonisierten, produktspezifischen Benchmarks; Einbeziehung weiterer Sektoren wie Flugverkehr und (perspektivisch) Schifffahrt; stärkere internationale Einbindung und ggf. Verknüpfung mit anderen EH-Systemen (linking). Hinzu kommt die Frage, in welchem Umfang der EH zu Verlagerungen von Produktion und Emissionen außerhalb Europas führen kann (Leakage), und wie diesen Tendenzen begegnet werden kann. Auch von Belang ist die Frage nach Wechselwirkungen zwischen EH und anderen Instrumenten. Das Forschungsvorhaben dient der wissenschaftlichen Unterstützung des BMU als federführender Stelle innerhalb der BReg und der DEHSt als vollziehender Behörde. Darin sollen wissenschaftlich fundierte Vorschläge erarbeitet werden, wie die oben beschriebenen Änderungen in der EH-RL praktisch umgesetzt werden können. Zudem soll die Bundesregierung im Komitologie-Verhandlungsprozess zur Ausgestaltung einzelner Regelungen durch Analysen unterstützt werden.

Supporting SME driven olive industry to comply with EU directives directives by turining olive oil waste water into energy through innovative bioreactor biotechnology, and extraction of olive oil industry by-products (EN-X-OLIVE)

Technical scenario: Olive production is a significant economic sector in southern Member States, especially in Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal. However, the extraction process involved in olive oil production generates non biodegradable phytotoxic waste, and is therefore a significant source of pollution. Despite the introduction in the 90s of improved separation systems such as 2-phase centrifugation system, that reduce both water use and the quantities of liquid residues produced, the problems of waste toxicity, high energy consumption and the disposal of final residues remain. Olive oil production gives a final waste consisting in a solid and very humid by-product called alperujo (AL) or Olive wet cake. The problem of AL disposal has not been fully resolved and research into new technological procedures that permit its profitable use is needed. In addition, these wastes also contain valuable resources such as phenolic compounds, (approximately 53Prozent in olive oil mill waste waters), characterised by different biological activity properties which could be of interest in industry (i.e. their strong antioxidant activity). Current extraction of these compounds is not available from olive oil waste water, since technology is not fully developed and optimised to get large scale prototyping such as Pilot plant stage. Proposed solution: We propose a method focused on both treatment of olive waste waters with by anaerobic digestion transforming biomass into biogas, basically Methane, and extraction from liquid fraction of valuable products, such as polyphenols. vSynergy between these technologies will allow overcome technical barriers such as polyphenol inactivation of the digestion process, making more efficient the process and letting a higher purity of the waste water product.

FP6-POLICIES, Science-policy inferfacing in support of the Water Framework Directive implementation (SPI-WATER)

Many current water-related RTD projects have already established operational links with practitioners, in several catchments / river basins, which allow the needs of policymakers to be taken into account. However, experience has shown that this interrelationship is not as efficient as it could / should be. Often, RTD results are not easily available to policy oriented implementer (policymakers) and, vice versa, research scientists may lack insight in the needs of policymakers. This project proposes a number of concrete actions to bridge these gaps in communication by developing and implementing a science-policy interface, focusing on setting up a mechanism to enhance the use of RTD results in the Water Framework Directive (WFD) implementation. As a first action, existing science-policy links will be investigated. RTD and LIFE projects that are of direct relevance for the implementation of the WFD will be identified and analysed. The results of these projects will be extracted, translated and synthesised in a way that can efficiently feed the WFD implementation. Secondly, an information system (WISE-RTD Web Portal) will be further developed to cater for an efficient and easy to use tool for dissemination as well as retrieval of RTD results. The Web Portal will be tested in 4 selected river basins to better tune the product to the needs of WFD stakeholders, policymakers and scientists. In parallel, the Web Portal will be disseminated to WFD stakeholders. This dissemination will focus on how to better access and use the RTD results and practical experiences. As third action, this science-policy interfacing of WFD related topics will be extended to non-EU countries taking into account their specific needs. An assessment of recent practices and needs of non-EU countries, together with an in-depth analysis of the operational needs in two Mediterranean pilot river basins, will allow to prepare recommendations for an efficient transfer of knowledge. Prime Contactor; Hydroscan NV; Leuven; Belgium.

FP6-POLICIES, FuncTional tOOls for Pesticide RIsk assessmeNt and managemenT (FOOTPRINT)

FOOTPRINT aims at developing a suite of three pesticide risk prediction and management tools, for use by three different end-user communities: farmers and extension advisors at the farm scale, water managers at the catchment scale and policy makers/registration authorities at the national/EU scale. The tools will be based on state-of-the-art knowledge of processes, factors and landscape attributes influencing pesticide fate in the environment and will integrate innovative components which will allow users to: i) identify the dominant contamination pathways and sources of pesticide contamination in the landscape; ii) estimate pesticide concentrations in local groundwater resources and surface water abstraction sources; iii) make scientifically-based assessments of how the implementation of mitigation strategies will reduce pesticide contamination of adjacent water resources. The three tools will share the same overall philosophy and underlying science and will therefore provide a coherent and integrated solution to pesticide risk assessment and risk reduction from the scale of the farm to the EU scale. The predictive reliability and usability of the tools will be assessed through a substantial programme of piloting and evaluation tests at the field, farm, catchment and national scales. The tools developed within FOOTPRINT will allow stakeholders to make consistent and robust assessments of the risk of contamination to water bodies at a range of scales relevant to management, mitigation and regulation (farm, catchment and national/EU). They will in particular i) allow pesticide users to assess whether their pesticide practices ensure the protection of local water bodies and, ii) provide site-specific mitigation recommendations. The FOOTPRINT tools are expected to make a direct contribution to the revision of the Directive 91/414/EC, the implementation of the Water Framework Directive and the future Thematic Strategy on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides. Prime Contractor: Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières; Paris; France.

FP6-POLICIES, Assessment of Air Pollution Effects on Cultural Heritage - Management Strategies (CULT-STRAT)

CULT-STRAT will establish a scientific reference for developing strategies for policy and decision-makers on European and national levels within the CAFE Programme and for heritage managers for strategic decisions at local level. It will do this through a choice of material indicators and pollution threshold levels based on best available scientific data including deterioration models, spatial distribution and mapping of pollutants and of stock of materials at risk, cost estimates, comparison studies off different conservation approaches. Damage caused to objects of cultural heritage belongs to the most serious among the detrimental effects of anthropogenic air pollutants as it endangers a vital part of the European identity. There is therefore an urgent need to include the impact of pollutants on cultural heritage alongside the human health and parts of the ecosystem that are already concerned in the EU Directives on urban air quality. This is especially relevant for the CAFE (Clean Air for Europe) programme of the Commission and the Community interventions through the 'Culture 2000' framework programme and the structural funds. The overall aim is to identify material indicators and threshold levels of pollutants to be used for development of strategies for sustainable maintenance and preventive conservation of European cultural heritage and air quality policy to reduce damage. The models will permit ranking of the effects of pollutants on corrosion and soiling of materials. The air pollution models will be related to local fluxes, including indoor concentrations. The stock of cultural heritage materials at risk in selected areas (Paris, Rome, Florence, Prague, Madrid, and Berlin) will be used for assessment and mapping of areas where cultural heritage objects are endangered. Prime Contractor: Korrosionsinstitutet Sci AB, R&D Department Atmospheric Corrosion, Stockholm SE.

1 2 3