Moore, Amelia, 1981- author

Gaul, Gilbert M., author

Wenz, John, author

To keep Europe’s ecosystems healthy, we need to protect biodiversity. How can the ecosystem service approach help? And how can we capture people’s more deeply held values beyond mere money? Watch the video produced by Science for Environment Policy about the different tools in the ecosystem services toolbox.

Synthetic biology may propose solutions to some of the greatest environmental challenges, such as climate change and scarcity of clean water. However, the introduction of novel, synthetic organisms may also pose a high risk for natural ecosystems. Check out our infographics on some of the history and science behind synthetic biology.

The Spanish coast is a popular destination for tourists. A recent study has assessed the sustainability of tourism in these areas and the results can be used to guide future planning decisions.

A recent analysis of the barriers to eco-innovation has indicated that uncertainty about future market demand for innovation holds back commercialisation of eco-innovations. Policy could solve this problem cost-effectively by helping communicate future market needs to innovators, which could bring together public and private purchasers to indicate future demand.

Vulnerability to climate change is likely to rise faster in the least developed countries over the next two decades than it will do in the three decades after 2030, according to a new study. Researchers suggest that this signifies an imminent need for greater international financial assistance.

Subsidies support economic sectors and grant advantages to consumers, but can harm the environment. A new study has tested a number of existing tools for assessing environmentally harmful subsidies (EHS), developed a comprehensive methodology for identifying and analysing EHS and highlighted opportunities for reforming them.

Locally managed carbon budgets for housing and transport could be highly effective in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, according to researchers. They have suggested a policy framework with standardised methods to monitor city carbon budgets with local flexibility for remaining within these budgets.

Environmental regulation that is developed voluntarily within a company, for example through eco-management schemes, is more likely to lead to a competitive advantage than compulsory regulation, according to new research. The study of 208 Spanish companies suggests that command-and-control legislation tends to be perceived as a threat.

Researchers have developed a method to assess the sustainability of regeneration projects that could potentially be administered by a computer. The method tailors the universal goals of sustainability to specific local conditions.

High levels of waste production must be tackled as part of the move towards sustainable living. Recent research has used Sweden as a case study to assess the strength of suitable policies and strategies that are required to break the link between economic growth and waste generation.

Controlling energy demand instead of supply could help solve the problems of variability associated with wind power, according to new research. In the case of Portugal, it was estimated that measures to reduce electricity demand could reduce the peak consumption by 17.4 per cent in 2020.

A recent study has explored the role that renewable energy schemes can play in promoting sustainable development at the local level. It suggests that more must be done to encourage local investment and involvement in renewable energy projects if global sustainability objectives are to be met.

New research has found a consensus amongst experts on which environmentally friendly agricultural practices are most effective at protecting four endangered birds in Spain. Experts agreed that maintaining fallow land, preventing the use of agrochemicals and stopping agricultural practices that disrupted nesting were the most valuable measures.

Sustainable de-growth is the transition to a smaller economy with less production and consumption. A new study has explored its origins and compared it to sustainable development. The study found that to become a viable alternative to sustainable development, ‘de-growth’ needs to be more clearly defined, and its implications for employment need to be considered very carefully.

According to a new study, an average UK household could reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by around 37 per cent through lifestyle changes whilst maintaining an acceptable standard of living.

A new study has analysed four Scandinavian examples of public involvement in nature conservation and suggested that successful participation requires clear rules to enable public involvement and a process to resolve conflicts.

New research on sustainable forest management (SFM) initiatives in Russia and Sweden has indicated that the main challenges to SFM are combining top-down and bottom up approaches to management, coordinating the different sectors involved and including all actors and stakeholders.

Green Infrastructure (GI), or networks of areas with high ecosystem values, has an increasing presence on the environmental policy agenda. New research has investigated GI policy in urban fringe areas in Northern England and its relationship with the existing green belt policy. The shift towards an 'environmental economy', which values the role of ecosystem services, was found to have helped encourage the uptake of GI.

Firms that voluntarily adopt environmental policies appear to develop more innovative and proactive measures than firms where policies are imposed, according to new research. A study of 1151 Spanish firms indicated that those that self-regulate, especially in co-operation with other firms, seem to perform better environmentally.

Ambiguity arises in a decision-making process when there is more than one way of interpreting a problematic situation. A new study has explored five possible strategies to overcome ambiguity in natural resources management – rational problem solving, persuasive communication, learning through dialogue, negotiation and opposition. A case study of water management in Spain is given to illustrate how these strategies have been used.

New research suggests that reducing the value of clean development mechanism (CDM) emission credits according to a country’s wealth and their emissions could encourage advanced developing nations, such as China and India, to leave the CDM, but would not necessarily accelerate CDM projects in the least developed nations.

For a new green economy to be successful, governments should support the development of green skills in the labour market, according to a new report. This could be achieved by improving or adding to the existing core skills of workers, whilst mainstreaming environmental awareness into education and training.

The exact impact of environmental law on investment by EU industry is relatively unknown. A new study has explored the effects of regulation on four types of industry investment and the results indicate that, in general, regulation tends to encourage more investment, but if restrictions are too tight investment levels can start to fall.

The contribution of technical innovation to sustainable development requires integrated, long-term policy to unlock industry from previous business models and practices, according to a new analysis. The researchers suggest adopting a multi-purpose policy practice that integrates industrial policy, environmental policy and trade initiatives.

High levels of energy consumption and carbon emissions are not necessary for high standards of living, according to a new study. In recent decades, the same human needs have been met with ever decreasing energy and carbon levels, achieving a steady decoupling of human development from energy use and carbon emissions.

Resource productivity has become a popular indicator of environmental sustainability. However, new research has demonstrated that it is influenced by national income and its current use tends to support a simultaneous growth in economic productivity and resource consumption. In order to shape policy effectively, the study suggests that targets should directly emphasise resource consumption and emissions.

New research in Australia has investigated the impact of labelling groceries with their level of CO2 emissions. A convenience store that introduced these labels found that the share of green (low CO2 emissions) purchases increased by 5 per cent. If these products were also low priced, the share of green purchases from the store increased by 20 per cent.

New research has investigated the possibility of transferring policy between EU Member States. It studied the outcomes of an EU-funded project that aimed to integrate land use planning and transport management across Europe, and identified barriers to transfer, which included language, differing planning traditions and difficulties in systematically adopting a policy across a nation. The study also highlights a role for EU projects in beginning the process of policy transfer.

Rural areas are changing, with tourism playing an ever greater part in a multifunctional countryside. A recent study has looked at the role that sustainable rural tourism can play in rural development in Europe and some of the challenges to be overcome if a truly integrated approach to rural development is to be realised.

A new report highlights the connections between climate change risks and opportunities, sustainable development and climate change adaptation, to provide a useful guidance for business and policymakers in creating a green economy. It suggests that businesses are an essential partner in preparing for and responding to the impacts of climate change.

International agricultural development must broaden its scope to address food security issues, according to a new study. The research recommends removing boundaries between sectors to allow agricultural policy to account for impacts of macroeconomic trends, climate change and links between malnutrition and infectious disease.

A new EU-commissioned report has investigated the social value of biodiversity conservation, particularly in terms of its links to employment. It estimates that 35% of jobs in developing countries and 7% of jobs in the EU are dependent on ecosystem services.

UN-REDD+ programmes that promote the sustainable use of forests may support local conservation and poverty alleviation goals, in addition to achieving global climate change benefits, according to a recent study. Existing multilateral funding schemes can provide important lessons for the development of UN-REDD+.

New research has investigated how successfully two recently implemented EU directives embracing sustainability principles have been integrated into policies. Findings indicate that practices vary a great deal between Member States with trade-offs between different aspects of sustainability, and that no single type of governance guarantees an optimum level of integration.

Converting algae into bioenergy is one option being considered to meet future demand for transport energy. However, a recent study suggests that some combinations of cultivation processes and conversion technologies for algae-derived energy consume more energy than is produced, although water use and greenhouse gas emissions are lower for the most promising options compared with bioenergy sourced from switchgrass and canola.

Each person in the EU consumes the equivalent of 30% more global arable land than can be considered sustainable, according to a new study. As well as providing food for a growing population, the land is also increasingly used to grow biofuel crops.

A new report commissioned by UNESCO has reviewed several case studies of national progress in learning and education for sustainable development (ESD). There are a wide range of approaches but, at the heart of all initiatives, are multi-stakeholder and collaborative partnerships which aim to instigate social change towards a more sustainable future.

A recent study has analysed trade unions’ understanding of the relationship between environmental protection and jobs. It identified four reoccurring themes from interviews with union representatives, which provide insight into how trade union environmental agendas could develop under a greener economy.

Only three EU Member States – the UK, Germany and the Netherlands - have explicit legislation for monitoring the economic, social and environmental impacts of marine activities. This legislation embraces Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP), a promising tool to improve decision-making on the planning of human activities at sea.

New research has collated case studies of sustainable development in Poland. These indicate that there are a range of sustainability drivers and barriers, some of which are specific to transition economies in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). It is hoped that the collection will trigger the development of a CEE database of good sustainability practices.