Category Archives: News

49% of New Buses in EU Were Zero-Emission Models in 2024

Posted on by March 4, 2025

The transition to cleaner vehicles is progressing in Europe, where 49% of new city buses across EU countries in 2024 were zero-emission models instead of fossil fuel-powered vehicles, according to a new analysis from European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E).

The increase beat the previous year, which found that 36% of new city buses in the EU for 2023 were battery-electric. For 2024, battery-electric buses made up 46% of new EU buses, while fuel-cell models made up 3%, a faster increase than expected.

In June 2024, T&E estimated that the rate of clean vehicle adoption for city buses would reach 100% zero emissions in the sector by 2027. Based on the 2024 results, T&E reported, “At this growth rate, city buses are on track to reach fully ZE sales by 2027.”

The analysis determined two factors that have helped improve the transition toward more zero-emission buses: new European regulations established in 2024 as well as more local policies at the city-level. Fleet targets, low- and zero-emission zones, and similar actions have helped cities adopt more zero-emission vehicles. A small increase in sales, about 3% or double the rate sold in 2023, of fuel cell hydrogen buses also played a role.

Based on the rapid adoption of cleaner buses, T&E now predicts that the city bus sector will reach zero emissions faster than both the EU’s Clean Vehicles Directive — which mandates an average of about 32% zero-emissions procurement for heavy-duty vehicles for 2026 through 2030 – and the updated carbon dioxide standards for trucks and buses — which requires bus sales to be 90% zero-emission vehicles by 2030 and 100% by 2035.

“For city residents, that means quieter streets and cleaner air,” T&E reported.

Although the overall outlook for clean vehicle transition is positive, T&E noted that some countries are leading these efforts while others are falling short of targets. The Netherlands, Finland and Iceland already achieved 100% battery-electric city bus sales in 2024, while Spain, which sells more than 1,000 new buses per year, reached 57% of new bus sales as zero-emission models last year.

Other leading markets include the UK, with 56% of new bus sales in 2024 as zero emissions and Italy with 44%.

One of the most impressive improvements from the 2023 reports on zero-emission EU buses happened in Estonia. According to the T&E analysis, Estonia was at the bottom of the list in 2023 for percentage of new bus sales that were zero emissions. In 2024, however, the country reached 84% of all new city bus sales as battery-electric.

This example could serve as inspiration for other countries that fell lower in the rankings for 2024, including Slovakia, Austria, Czechia, Hungary and Croatia, all of which were also considered to be slower adopters of clean buses based on T&E data from 2021 through 2024.

Still, with increasing fulfillment of zero emission buses around Europe, T&E has predicted the adoption rates will also rise in countries that are lower in recent rankings.

“If, as we predict, 2025 marks the turning point where more than half of new city buses are zero-emission, we should see the transition accelerate accordingly in trailing countries,” T&E reported.

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Plants Are Losing Their Ability to Absorb Carbon Dioxide as Emissions Rise

Posted on by March 3, 2025

Our planet’s plants and soils reached the peak of their ability to absorb carbon dioxide in 2008, and their sequestration rate has been falling ever since, according to a new analysis by a father-and-son team in the United Kingdom.

At first, the added carbon led to warmer temperatures, vegetation growth and a longer growing season. Once a tipping point was reached, however, the combination of heat stress, wildfires, drought, flooding, storms and the spread of new diseases and pests led to a reduction in the amount of carbon plants can soak up.

“The rate of natural sequestration of CO2 from the atmosphere by the terrestrial biosphere peaked in 2008. Atmospheric concentrations will rise more rapidly than previously, in proportion to annual CO2 emissions, as natural sequestration is now declining by 0.25% per year,” the authors of the study wrote. “This effect will accelerate climate change and emphasises the close connection between the climate and nature emergencies. Effort is urgently required to rebuild global biodiversity and to recover its ecosystem services, including natural sequestration.”

Once the tipping point was reached, the chances of unchecked climate breakdown became more likely, reported The Guardian.

Former Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency James Curran, with help from his son Sam, took a detailed look at the world’s changing carbon concentration levels. Their analysis revealed that, since 2008, plants have been absorbing an average of 0.25 percent less carbon dioxide each year.

“The findings are very stark. Emissions now need to fall by 0.3% per year, just to stand still. That’s a tall order since they typically increase by 1.2% per year,” James Curran said, as The Guardian reported.

The findings suggest that a one-fifth reduction in potential carbon sequestration can lead to a 25 to 37 percent annual increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide.

“This analysis confirms that the rate of natural sequestration of CO2 from the atmosphere by the terrestrial biosphere is now declining, having reached a peak in 2008. Previous to that date, sequestration had been increasing by as much as 0.8% per year in the 1960s and, if the trend had continued, would have reduced current annual increments in CO2 concentration in the atmosphere by over 30%,” Curran and Curran wrote in the study. “However, this ameliorating effect has been lost and sequestration is now declining by 0.25% per year. Atmospheric CO2 concentration will now rise more rapidly than previously in proportion to annual global CO2 emissions.”

The study, “Natural sequestration of carbon dioxide is in decline: climate change will accelerate,” was published in the journal Weather.

“This growing and very damaging effect will further accelerate climate change and serves, yet again, to emphasise the close connection between the climate and nature emergencies,” Curran and Curran wrote.

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In Milestone for Nature Recovery, England to Reintroduce Beavers to the Wild

Posted on by March 3, 2025

In a new program launched on Friday, England will soon release beavers into its waterways. The return of the “ecosystem engineers” to the wild signals a renewed respect for an animal that was once hunted to extinction.

Eurasian beavers have been extinct in Britain since the 16th century, when they were killed for their meat, fur and castor sacs — glands that secrete castoreum, an oily, strong-smelling substance that was widely used in the making of perfumes, reported AFP.

“After centuries of absence, beavers are beginning to reclaim their rightful place in the English landscape,” a press release from Natural England said. “The beaver’s ability to transform and revitalise our degraded landscape is extraordinary. Natural England believes that their successful reintroduction will play a vital part in restoring rivers and wetlands, addressing the nature crisis and contributing to the delivery of national biodiversity targets including the creation of wildlife-rich habitats and halting the decline in species abundance.”

The United Kingdom’s government said the release of the industrious rodents would be carefully managed, AFP reported.

In recent years, smaller populations of beavers were reintroduced in enclosures as part of a more extensive “rewilding” effort. Following some illegal releases and escapes, roughly 500 are thought to already be living in England’s wildlands.

Beavers are considered a “keystone species” by biologists for their ability to reshape the surrounding environment by building dams and pools, which benefit other wildlife while helping to prevent drought and flooding.

“Restoring nature means restoring whole ecosystems, and few can beat the beaver in helping bring landscapes to life,” said Richard Benwell, chief executive of Wildlife and Countryside Link, as reported by The Guardian. “Their eco-engineering creates diverse habitats that are great for local communities and for wildlife. It’s high time for wild releases and excellent that the government is making progress.”

A beaver-created wetland. Beavers create and restore wetland habitats, providing a haven for many species to thrive. Alan Puttock / University of Exeter

The reintroduction efforts have been controversial in Britain, as farmers worry about how the beavers will impact their land, AFP reported.

Tom Bradshaw, head of the National Farmers’ Union, made the argument that landowners need to have the right to use “lethal control” if beavers “end up in the wrong place.”

The new program specifies that “as a last resort, beavers may be trapped and translocated or lethally controlled.”

“Reintroducing beavers is a complex process that requires careful planning and collaboration. Natural England’s licensing approach and criteria aim to achieve a measured pace of reintroduction, and prioritise areas where beavers can thrive without causing significant conflicts with people, agriculture and infrastructure,” the press release said.

Each beaver rewilding proposal is required to provide a 10-year plan in support of their return. The government has pledged to help farmers who make space for the animals on their land.

“The first project that we have licensed for wild release is the National Trust’s Purbeck Beaver Project in Dorset – where beavers are expected to deliver many benefits across the Purbeck Heaths National Nature Reserve including increasing biodiversity, restoring lost wetland habitats and improving the condition of the protected sites across the area. The project was assessed against beaver wild release criteria which have been developed through extensive engagement with stakeholders, in particular with the Environment Agency staff in our integrated project team,” Natural England said.

One of the most nature-depleted areas on the planet, the UK has lost nearly half of its wild species in recent decades, a 2021 parliamentary report said.

Dr. Roisin Campbell-Palmer, head of restoration at the Beaver Trust, called for the widespread granting of licenses, saying the reintroduction effort was a “landmark moment,” reported AFP.

Roisin said England was “generations behind the rest of Europe,” where countries like France, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain and Germany have come up with plans to help beavers reestablish themselves.

“Reintroducing beavers to the wild is a critical milestone for this government’s plan to protect and restore our natural world,” said Minister for Nature Mary Creagh.

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Microplastics Found in Birds’ Lungs in New Study

Posted on by March 3, 2025

While previous research has revealed the presence of microplastics in human lungs, a new study confirms that microplastics are making their way into bird’s lungs as well.

The study, published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, is the first to confirm microplastic presence in birds’ lungs. The researchers focused on analyzing potential microplastics in birds, as bird health can provide insights and warnings about potential impacts on the surrounding environment.

“Birds serve as important indicators of environmental conditions,” Shane DuBay, co-author of the study and an assistant professor of biology at University of Texas at Arlington, said in a statement. “They help us understand the state of the environment and make informed decisions about conservation and pollution control.”

To complete the research, the team, including collaborators from Sichuan University and Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, collected lung samples from 56 individual birds representing 51 different species. The birds were collected from the Chengdu Tianfu International Airport.

In testing the lung samples, the scientists used laser direct infrared technology to count the microplastics present along with pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass-spectrometry to detect for nanoplastics. The team was also able to use these two methods to determine what types of plastic particles were present in the birds.

They found microplastics present in all 51 species. The results showed an average of 221.20 microplastic particles per species and 416.22 microplastic particles per gram of lung tissue, revealing an alarming amount of plastics in the birds’ lungs. In the study, the scientists detected 32 different types of plastics, with the most common types being chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) and butadiene rubber (BR), a pollutant found in vehicle tires. The particles found in the lungs were mostly in film or pellet form.

The identification of butadiene rubber particles adds to growing research on the pollution coming from vehicle tires. In a separate study published in February 2025, researchers revealed that vehicle tires were the top source of nanoparticle pollution in the Alps. An analysis published in 2022 determined that particle pollution from vehicle tires was even worse than tailpipe exhaust pollution.

The researchers warned that the high levels of microplastic and nanoplastic particles in the lungs of birds could be a canary in the coal mine for environmental and public health. The team concluded that their findings show that birds can be a bioindicator of the level of airborne plastic particle pollution, which could affect other wildlife and humans.

With increasing plastic and plastic particle pollution, scientists are concerned over how these pollutants could impact human health. According to the American Lung Association, the amount of plastic waste is expected to triple by 2040, and research has suggested that inhaling plastic particles and their related chemicals can damage lungs, although research is ongoing to determine how long-term exposure affects lung health.

“Our research highlights an urgent need to address plastic pollution in our environments, as these contaminants can have far-reaching impacts on ecosystem health, as well as human health,” DuBay said. “Our findings call for further research, funding and action to mitigate the harmful effects of plastic pollution and ensure a healthier environment.”

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Trump’s NOAA Firings Could Be ‘Dangerously Risky’ to Americans’ Well-Being, Experts Warn

Posted on by March 2, 2025

The Trump administration fired roughly 800 employees of the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA) on Thursday, with more layoffs possible.

An email from the U.S. Department of Commerce Thursday afternoon informed employees that they would lose their jobs the same day, reported The Guardian.

“The majority of probationary employees in my office have been with the agency for 10+ years and just got new positions,” said a worker who was still employed and spoke to The Guardian under condition of anonymity. “If we lose them, we’re losing not just the world-class work they do day to day but also decades of expertise and institutional knowledge.”

Many recently terminated employees of NOAA and other United States government agencies had years of tenure, but were on probationary status due to having worked as contractors before recently becoming federal employees, The Washington Post reported.

In many cases, fired employees had years of tenure working with the agencies, but they were on probationary status because they had been working as contractors and had only recently become federal employees.

Andrew Hazelton, a physical scientist with the National Weather Service (NWS), is a veteran of NOAA Hurricane Hunters missions, during which he flew through dangerous storms to collect data for improved forecasting.

“Unfortunately I can confirm the rumors going around today since I received ‘the email,’” Hazelton wrote on X. “I don’t want to make any comments other than I am exploring legal options in a couple of avenues.”

Most NOAA divisions, which employ specialists in weather, biodiversity, climate, oceans and other research and monitoring fields, were affected, reported CNN.

Probationary employees who had in most cases been on the job a year or less were fired, a NWS employee told CNN. The weather service employs from 350 to 375 people with that status, though it wasn’t clear how many of them had been impacted. The source had heard some exemptions were given to crucial positions, like those involved with forecasting life-threatening disasters such as severe thunderstorms and hurricanes.

The NOAA termination letters said, “The Agency finds you are not fit for continued employment because your ability, knowledge and/or skills do not fit the Agency’s current needs.”

An anonymous NOAA employee said Americans who rely on the climate data, forecasting and sustainably monitored fisheries of the agency would suffer, in addition to the laid-off workers, The Guardian reported.

“Words can’t describe the impact this will have, both on us at NOAA and on the country,” the employee said. “It’s just wrong all around.”

The mission of NWS is to “protect lives and property,” but the agency has long been understaffed, reported CNN.

As the accelerating climate crisis causes more frequent extreme weather, critics of the Trump administration’s plan to pare down the agency have said layoff would make it harder for the country to accurately forecast costly and often deadly events like tornadoes and hurricanes.

Former NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad said the cuts were “at best misguided and ill-informed,” The Guardian reported.

At worst, Spinrad said, they would be “dangerously risky to the lives and property of Americans all around the country.”

Craig McLean, former NOAA research director and an employee of the agency for four decades, called the terminations “callous, insulting, vengeful and offensive.”

“The nation will be compromised in safety, science and international standing,” McLean said. “This is not my America.”

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COP16: UN Talks End With Countries Backing $200-Billion-a-Year Biodiversity Conservation Plan

Posted on by February 28, 2025

The COP16 UN Biodiversity Conference in Rome has ended with a plan for nations to contribute $200 billion a year for the protection of the planet’s biodiversity by 2030, but critics say it’s not enough.

The countries came to an agreement on how to contribute the funds. The accord also includes a plan for raising $20 billion annually to finance conservation in developing nations starting this year, with the amount rising to $30 billion a year by 2030, reported The Associated Press.

Following hours of tense discussions, delegates at the conference applauded when the deal was finally reached.

COP16 President Susana Muhamad cried as she ended the meeting, calling it a “historic day,” The Guardian reported.

“We achieved the adoption of the first global plan to finance the conservation of life on Earth,” Muhamad said.

While progress was made at the summit, important issues were deferred, such as the creation of a fund to distribute the money, the existence of subsidies that destroy nature and reducing climate pollution.

Some leaders said the result of the meeting was a win for collaboration.

“Our efforts show that multilateralism can present hope at a time of geopolitical uncertainty,” said Steven Guilbeault, Canadian minister of environment and climate change, as reported by The Guardian.

Calling COP negotiations the “least bad” process, Jean-Luc Crucke, climate and ecological transition minister from Belgium, said the agreement showed that international cooperation on biodiversity was still possible.

“So there is a great significance to these negotiations,” Crucke added, saying that, if humans want to save nature, “there is no other solution than this one.”

The conclusion of COP16 came over two years following the landmark global initiative to safeguard 30 percent of the planet’s land and seas by the end of the decade.

Other summit participants expressed their frustration at a lack of determination concerning the climate crisis.

“Biodiversity cannot wait for a bureaucratic process that lasts [forever], while the environmental crisis continues to get worse,” said Juan Carlos Alurralde Tejada, negotiator from Bolivia. “Forests are burning, rivers are in agony and animals are disappearing.”

Alurralde Tejada expressed concern about the text of the agreement “diluting” biodiversity commitments and creating a path to “indefinite discussion” of who will fund conservation and how the money will be distributed.

The reality of halting biodiversity loss by 2030 is a daunting task, with wildlife populations worldwide having fallen 73 percent from 1970 to 2020, the most recent assessment said.

“Honestly, it’s almost impossible when you see the trends of where things are going,” said Max Fontaine, Madagascar’s environment and development minister. “We are not going in the right direction, we all need to strengthen efforts.”

Datuama Cammue, negotiator from Liberia, said five years was not enough time to implement the conservation targets.

“It will take a lot of financial input and expert input to get it done. With this type of spirit, I really don’t think that it’s possible,” Cammue said.

Wealthy signatories to the previous COP15 agreement had provided just $10.95 billion in funding for biodiversity as of 2022, a report from Campaign for Nature and the Overseas Development Institute said.

Norway’s minister for climate and environment Andreas Bjelland Eriksen said countries needed to “do everything we can” to achieve the 2030 finance goal.

Thursday’s decision presented two major goals: Putting together additional billions in biodiversity funding and deciding which institutions will deliver the money.

The Finance for Biodiversity Foundation, along with a collection of financial institutions, announced an initiative this week to better incorporate biodiversity loss into sovereign debt financing, Bloomberg reported. However, it is still an area financial institutions have a difficult time monetizing, saying they can’t act without profitable opportunities and clear government guidance.

The final text of the COP16 agreement called for contributions from all sources, including financial institutions and the private sector. It put an emphasis on “innovative schemes,” including debt-for-nature swaps, biodiversity offsets and carbon credits.

The global nature pact and new strategy are not legally binding.

Juliette Landry, senior research fellow at thinktank the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations, said the global accord didn’t amount to “perfect accountability, but it provides some blocks to build from.”

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Community Power Scorecard: Illinois Leads While Most States Receive ‘D’ or ‘F’ Grade

Posted on by February 28, 2025

Most states in the U.S. have a long way to go for improving community power, based on the results of a new scorecard by the Institute of Local Self-Reliance (ILSR).

The Community Power Scorecard evaluated each state based on 18 written policies, and each state could earn up to 87 total points. Policies could touch on net metering, third-party ownership, renewable energy interconnection, community solar, community choice energy, investments in inclusive utilities, and more. Some policies, like gas ban preemptions or right of first refusal, received negative points, as ILSR noted that certain policies could be worse for community energy goals than no policy at all. 

Based on the scores for the evaluated policies, the score was then converted into percentages, with an A being 90-100%, B being 70-89%, C as 50-69%, D for 30-49% and F for anything up to 29%.

For the 2025 scorecard, no states received an A grade, and only one state, Illinois, received a B. The state promotes making rooftop solar more affordable for residents through the Illinois Solar for All program and received high marks for net metering and community solar policies. In total, the state received 66 points out of 87.

“Illinois scores well across most of the elements in the scorecard,” John Farrell, co-director of ILSR told Inside Climate News. “All of these policies sort of create an environment to allow widespread ownership and development of clean energy at the local level. Illinois checks the boxes on those, and they do really well.”

Thirteen states were ranked as average for community energy with C grades, while the remaining 37 states received Ds and Fs. Fourteen states received Ds, while an F grade had the highest number of states, at 23.

Alabama received the lowest score at 3%, with a total of 3 points out of 87, followed by South Dakota with 4 points or a 5% score. Missouri received a 26%, but had a lower score than last year, when it earned a D with 34%.

However, actual efforts for community energy may be different from what these scores suggest, because ILSF evaluated written policies, not implemented policies. As Inside Climate News reported, this could explain why Illinois received a higher score despite implementation for its policies not always meeting expectations.

The results reveal that every state has plenty of opportunities to improve equitable, resilient and clean energy policies that offer better consumer protections and keep energy affordable.

The report has been published annually since 2018. The latest scorecard raises questions about how scores could change over the next year under an administration focused on fossil fuels. There are also concerns over whether Inflation Reduction Act funds, some of which are designated for clean energy projects, will be released to states.

“The work of advancing energy democracy requires continued advocacy, vigilance, and effort,” ILSR stated.

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Most Conservation Funding Goes to Large, ‘Charismatic’ Vertebrates Instead of Lesser-Known, Threatened Species: Study

Posted on by February 28, 2025

Larger, dynamic animal species like rhinoceroses and elephants get a lot of well-deserved attention. But they also get the lion’s share of global conservation funding, leaving threatened species that are not as well-known to fend for themselves.

A 25-year study led by researchers at University of Hong Kong (HKU) has found that, of the nearly $2 billion in funds allotted to projects globally, 82.9 percent was devoted to vertebrates.

Mammals and birds received 85 percent of the funding, while amphibians were assigned less than 2.8 percent.

Invertebrates and plants were each given 6.6 percent of the total resources, while algae and fungi only benefited from 0.2 percent.

“The extensive loss of biodiversity represents one of the major crises of our time, threatening not only entire ecosystems but also our current and future livelihoods. As scientists realise the magnitude and scale of ongoing extinctions, it is vital to ascertain the resources available for conservation and whether funds are being effectively distributed to protect species most in need,” a press release from HKU said.

Mammals like kangaroos, wallabies, rodents and bats were greatly underfunded.

“Conservation efforts are largely concentrated on a narrow subset of species, some nonthreatened, while most species in urgent need of protection are largely ignored,” the authors of the findings wrote. “Both governments and nongovernmental stakeholders urgently need new approaches to help tackle the biodiversity crisis, including realigning funding priorities to ensure representative funding across taxa toward vulnerable and currently neglected species.”

Lead author of the study Benoit Guénard, an associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences at HKU, said that no financial support was given to almost 94 percent of the species that were identified as threatened.

“Protecting this neglected majority, which plays a myriad of roles in ecosystems and represents unique evolutionary strategies, is fundamental if our common goal is to preserve biodiversity,” Guénard said, as The Guardian reported.

The researchers analyzed nearly 15,000 conservation projects from 1992 to 2016. They looked at the allocation of funding based on specific groups of organisms or species based on an assessment of their conservation needs by the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List.

“Based on previous literature-based studies, we expected biases towards vertebrates and, whilst this was true, we found the situation much worse than previously estimated. Even within vertebrates, many of the most threatened groups, like amphibians, were largely underfunded with declining funding trends over time,” Guénard explained in the press release.

Reptiles, especially snakes and lizards, were another example of funding bias. More than a thousand reptile species are identified as threatened, but 87 percent of reptile conservation funding was devoted to seven marine turtle species.

“This highlights an important mismatch between scientific assessment of conservation and allocation of funding by conservation stakeholders, which appears to rely on the ‘charisma’ of species. This leads to nearly a third of the funding directed to non-threatened species while almost 94% of threatened species have not received any support,” Guénard said.

The study, “Limited and biased global conservation funding means most threatened species remain unsupported,” was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

“Our traditional view of what is threatened often does not align with species genuinely at threat, leaving many smaller, or ‘less charismatic’ species neglected. We urgently need to reframe this perspective and better allocate funding across taxa if we want any hope of redressing widespread population declines and the continued loss of biodiversity,” said the study’s co-author Alice Hughes, an associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences at HKU, in the press release.

Based on the findings, the researchers said a new approach needs to be taken to funding conservation. Not only does species conservation need additional funding, a more careful approach must be taken in the selection of projects and species that are to receive the limited funds available.

“Conservation agencies and NGOs need to modify their philosophy towards conservation to protect all species, and not just a subset based on subjective criteria of charisma or beauty,” Guénard said.

The research team has hope that their database will be expanded to make funding allocation information more easily accessible and transparent. This would help with planning future conservation efforts worldwide, evaluating existing gaps and reducing funding redundancy for species that are already receiving most of the financial support.

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EU Announces Clean Industrial Deal, but Green Groups Say ‘There’s Little to Turn Ambition Into Action’

Posted on by February 27, 2025

The European Commission has announced a new Clean Industrial Deal it says will help industries like steel and cement make the transition to net-zero emissions. The commission says the sweeping legislative package will boost clean technology companies such as those making electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.

However, the EU executive has also weakened environmental reporting requirements for small- and medium-sized businesses, reported The Guardian.

The commission has said it will stay on target with its climate goals, but NGOs are seeing a different picture.

“EU policymakers seem increasingly detached from the triple planetary crisis we are facing. The so-called ‘Clean’ Industry Deal focuses on decarbonisation but overlooks broader pollution and environmental responsibility, failing to show how the EU can lead by example. Meanwhile, fossil-fuel-reliant industries that resisted change for decades have secured a front-row seat in shaping this deal,” said Christian Schaible, European Environmental Bureau (EEB)’s head of zero pollution industry, in a press release from EEB. “It’s alarming that the Commission claims the deal is ‘directly tailored’ to the ‘needs’ outlined in the Antwerp Declaration — a manifesto written by polluters, for polluters. EU industry is far more than just energy-intensive sectors, yet their interests are being placed front and centre.”

The Clean Industrial Deal reaffirms the goal set out in the 2020 European Green Deal of slashing emissions 90 percent by 2040. It contains 40 measures designed to speed up the transition to clean energy, including faster permits for infrastructure like wind farms, and altering public procurement rules so that they favor European-made clean technology, The Guardian reported.

“We think that the clean industrial deal is Europe’s business plan to tackle the climate crisis,” said Teresa Ribera, the European Commission’s executive vice-president in charge of the green transition. “We are not deregulating. On the contrary: we are coming to the implementing phase.”

The commission is planning to start an industrial decarbonization bank with approximately $104 billion in public funds, which could then leverage $416 billion indirectly from the private sector, it said.

Experts have pointed out that a global investment of hundreds of billions will be needed to build the networks of electric grids necessary to reach the world’s climate goals.

Ribera promised changes would be made to EU state aid rules to speed up industrial decarbonization and renewable energy.

“The 2040 climate target is the only cookie in the jar. The rest of the package crumbles under scrutiny. While the Clean Industrial Deal claims to put decarbonisation at the center, the devil is in the detail, and the high-level ambitions do not match the actual proposals. This is not what the Commission promised during the hearings last autumn. With the deregulation push and no concrete plan to mobilise genuine additional finance, there’s little to turn ambition into action. The only real urgency in the deal seems to be weakening the reporting rules, not ensuring companies contribute to a fair, competitive and climate-proof economy,” said Director of CAN Europe Chiara Martinelli in a press release from the NGO.

Business groups expressed broad support of the plan, while the European Sustainable Investment Forum said it created “legal uncertainty,” harming those who had already taken steps to comply or prepared reports, reported The Guardian.

German Green MEP Anna Cavazzini, chair of the internal market committee, said the directive on due diligence was being watered down and that “environmental crimes and human rights violations won’t be prevented.”

An “affordable energy action plan” with a goal of providing savings of roughly $270 billion annually by 2040 was published alongside the Clean Industrial Deal.

Lorelei Limousin, climate campaigner with Greenpeace EU, said the new proposal neglected actions like reducing energy waste that could bring down fossil fuel imports more quickly.

“This commission is vague on cutting energy waste while, to appease Trump, wants to invest in polluting gas infrastructure overseas that will keep Europe hooked on this expensive and dangerous fuel for decades,” Limousin said.

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Scientists Develop Open Database With 500+ Potential PFAS Alternatives

Posted on by February 27, 2025

With increasing concerns regarding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and their potential impacts on human health, scientists from the Department of Environmental Science at Stockholm University have compiled a comprehensive database with potential alternatives to these “forever chemicals.”

According to the European Environment Agency, PFAS exposure has been linked to risks of liver damage, thyroid disease and certain types of cancer. It may also impact reproductivity, the immune system and fetal and child development, as reported by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

However, these chemicals are particularly effective for waterproofing, stain-proofing, grease-resistance and durability, which is why PFAS are commonly used in food packaging, outdoor recreational gear, firefighting foam and equipment, electronics, non-stick cookware, industrial equipment and more.

To reduce the risks associated with these chemicals, a new study published in Environmental Science & Technology compiles information on potential alternatives to different types of PFAS that could help lead the way to safer substitutions with similarly beneficial properties.

As part of their research, the authors developed a public database called the ZeroPM alternative assessment database that lists out all known uses of PFAS, from cookware to clothing to pharmaceuticals, alongside at least 530 alternative substances that could replace PFAS for specific uses. 

“Our new online database of alternatives for the uses of PFAS highlights 530 potential alternatives and reveals where more innovation is needed,” Ian Cousins, co-author of the study, said in a statement.

So far, the authors have found promising alternatives for 40 use cases, such as for food packaging coatings, and industries can use the database to guide updates to industrial processes using alternatives. Each listing includes the availability for switching to the alternative, making it easier to find the most suitable substitutes for certain applications.

But the authors noted that there are still 83 PFAS applications, namely for plastic- and rubber-related industrial processes, without known safer alternatives, so more research is needed for these cases. Some alternatives currently have no known concerns but will also require further research to confirm there are no safety or environmental risks.

“At this point, the main goal of the database is to provide an open platform on which information on the availability of PFAS-free alternatives is freely available,” the authors wrote. “Such efforts could be useful for companies willing to phase out their uses of PFAS by providing them with information on the types of alternatives that are already in use. Furthermore, the information in the database can help the authorities to identify uses of PFAS where alternatives are still lacking and should be the focus of their time and resources for further research.”

“Proper alternative assessments for specific uses should still be performed to evaluate the potential trade-offs of phasing out PFAS,” they concluded.

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