Important factors in the creation and maintenance of effective Environmental Enforcement Networks (EENs) have been shared by the International Network on Environment Compliance and Enforcement (INECE), one of the first EENs to emerge. By disseminating these ‘lessons learned’ the INECE hopes to facilitate the creation of effective EENs in emerging networks, such as those in Eastern Africa, Western Africa and South America.

How environmental agencies can best engage with, and reap the benefits of, Environmental Enforcement Networks (EENs) has been identified in new research. The study used questionnaires and interviews with senior figures from eight environment agencies, spanning seven countries, to identify the key themes of, and ways of improving engagement with, EENs, to extract the maximum benefits. The input was then used to perform a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis of engaging with EENs, from which options for improved engagement could be developed.

In a new study, Spanish researchers describe a method specifically designed for measuring and characterising noise from building sites. They claim the method could help shape future policy related to noise pollution caused by the construction industry and provide important information to help reduce construction noise.

Wind turbine noise can be detected at low levels, even when it is heard alongside motorway traffic noise, a study finds. It is possible for louder motorways to drown out turbine noise, however. The participants in this listening experiment could easily detect wind turbine noise, but only once they knew it was present in recordings of environmental noise.

A recent Spanish study has examined the implications of corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) related to sustainable development, as well as the role public administrations play in this process. The findings offer ideas that could be included in government policies aimed at promoting social responsibilities and sustainability, especially for SMEs.

The pressures facing Indian manufacturers to ‘green’ their supply chain have been explored by a recent study. Both international and national pressures from government and consumers were found to play an important role in whether a company adopts green supply chain management principles, with pressures varying to some degree depending on the business’s sector and size.

There is greater potential for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to influence the environmental responsibilities of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), suggests new research in Hungary. The study says that environmental policymakers should consider how they could enhance SME-NGO relations.

The factors enabling eco-innovation have been analysed across 19 European countries in a new study. Regulations and environmental subsidies were found to be more important factors in Eastern Europe than in wealthier Western European countries. External research and development (R&D) was also more relevant in Eastern Europe, demonstrating the need for specific technology transfers from other countries and competitors.

Researchers have developed a straightforward approach to help small to medium enterprises (SMEs) analyse their energy use and increase efficiency. They tested the methodology on 280 businesses in Europe, which, as a result, invested more than €10m in energy-saving measures. The measures reduced energy use by 6 500 toe (tonnes of oil equivalent) per year and avoided 13 500 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

Researchers have developed a methodology that allows the analysis of how an existing product design meets design guidelines required for the circular-economy perspective, and which guidelines would need to be incorporated to create a better circular-design product. The results, based on a case study of small electrical equipment in Spain, indicate that the most urgent priority is to incorporate circular-design guidelines related to extending life span and to product/components re-use, while there is a moderate need to include guidelines related to the use of simple removable connections or a modular product structure.

Adapting to climate change in coastal cities needs further development of the resilience approach as well as identifying how it can be practically used in local actions, according to a new study. The researchers present resilience as a flexible, practical way of dealing with climate change's impacts, such as coastal flooding, which can be easily built into adaptation measures.

New insights into the impact of dredging on the environment highlight the distinction between small, frequent deposits of sediments arising from maintenance dredging, and larger one-off capital deposits. Understanding this distinction is crucial for effective licensing and monitoring of dredging.

New EU-funded research from Finland has indicated that poor communication between producers of energy-efficient housing technologies and potential house-buyers is a major barrier to sustainable housing. It suggests that government bodies can encourage energy-efficiency innovations not only through regulations but also by improving information flow.

One method that has been proposed for removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere is to ‘fertilise’ the ocean to encourage phytoplankton (algae) blooms. A recent study has outlined the environmental, legal and social implications of large-scale fertilisation of the sea with urea in the Sulu Sea off the coast of the Philippines.

Tiny organisms called phytoplankton, which are crucial components of marine ecosystems, have been slowly disappearing over the last century, according to researchers. The decline is worrying because it may have profound effects on marine life, fisheries and carbon cycling. The study suggests the decline in phytoplankton could be linked to climate change.

During heatwaves, forests initially have a warming effect on surrounding air temperatures. However, in the longer-term they have a cooling impact, according to a recent study. This new information about plant contributions to temperatures will help further improve climate modelling.

Scientists have calculated carbon budgets for croplands in Europe, based on field measurements from nine sites across Europe. They found that significant soil carbon losses occurred from cropping even though some farmers used measures to enhance carbon-sequestration. These results may challenge findings from some other modelling studies if they turn out to be typical for all EU croplands.

Land cleared in the tropics loses nearly twice as much carbon and produces less than half the annual crop yield as land in temperate zones, according to researchers. Their analysis of the trade-off between crop production and the loss of carbon stored in vegetation highlights the need to target reforestation in the tropics.

A new study has combined measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes with estimates of other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from farming operations for 15 European crop sites over several years. It estimated that the sites lost on average 138g of carbon per m2 per year. The total GHG balance (including non-CO2 emissions) was equivalent to an average carbon loss of 203g of carbon per m2 per year.

New research identifies important influences on the energy and environmental performance of biofuels made from agricultural crops. Type of land use change, type of biofuel crop and the by-products from the conversion process all influence performance.

As wind power becomes more important in the energy mix, so too does the need to manage its variability. A new study has reviewed the options and indicates that, although state-of-the art technologies exist to maximise gains from wind power, they need proper and insightful management.

New research has compared the hot summers of 2003 and 2010 in Europe. The results indicate that the extreme temperatures in 2010 affected an area that was about twice as large as the area affected in 2003. Climate change projections for Eastern and Western Europe suggest that such mega-heat waves will become more frequent in the upcoming decades.

Higher atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and temperatures under climate change are likely to increase the rate of corrosive damage in reinforced concrete structures, according to a recent study. This could result in costly repairs in the future, unless structures are suitably adapted.

Satellite data from the Torres Islands in the southwest Pacific suggest that rising sea-levels in the region widely attributed to climate change is also partly caused by sinking of the islands following earthquakes in the 1990s, according to recent research.

A different picture of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can be achieved if responsibility for emissions from different economic sectors is placed with the end energy users, according to a new report from the European Environment Agency (EEA). This approach makes sectors such as households responsible for many emissions that would otherwise be attributed to the energy industry.

A recent study has highlighted the potential of one form of solar power, Concentrating Solar Power (CSP), to make a significant contribution to meeting future electricity demands from renewable sources in Europe.

A new study has explored how cities can create a low carbon future by presenting an approach to stakeholder engagement that develops scenarios of an ideal city. Rather than projecting towards a low carbon target for the future, the study suggests that ‘backcasting’ to the present day from these scenarios may provide a useful goal-orientated approach to environmental planning in cities.

In a recent experiment in Norway, electrical appliance stores increased their sales of energy-efficient tumble driers when consumers were made aware of their cheaper lifetime operating costs by shop staff and a new product labelling system.

Relatively simple, low-cost measures, such as insulating walls and installing solar collectors and efficient heaters for hot water can significantly reduce energy consumption in housing developments, according to a recent study from Portugal. Energy-efficient homes not only benefit the environment, but were found to potentially reduce residents’ energy bills by over half in an apartment block studied by the researchers.

Denmark aims to develop an energy system based only on renewable energy sources by 2050. Energy saving buildings are an essential part of this plan, according to new research, which investigates how excess heat production from net zero energy buildings (NZEBs) can benefit district heating systems and reduce reliance on combustible fuels.

Implementing energy efficiency measures in existing housing stock could save 10% of current heating consumption by 2020 and 20% by 2030, according to a recent study of nine European countries. Planning authorities can play a major role by providing support and unbiased information to all stakeholders involved in the renovations.

Climate change may increase the risk of outbreaks of infectious diseases, such as salmonella or tick-borne encephalitis. A new study has outlined five main steps in assessing policies to ensure that they can respond effectively to this challenge and highlights the importance of involving stakeholders at every stage of policy assessment.

US researchers have found that promoting the environmental benefits of energy-efficient products may actually deter some people from buying them. Since environmental issues have become politically polarised, those who hold more conservative views are less likely to purchase products that are marketed using environmental benefits, they argue.

Decision-making about complex environmental problems like desertification, which also have important social and economic implications, could be improved by employing methods outlined in a new study. The study outlines the steps taken by researchers on behalf of the Canary Islands government in devising a policy strategy for tackling desertification and describes a three-step methodology and participatory decision-making process.

There is a large potential to improve the global efficiency of energy, land and phosphorus use, finds new research which modelled the effects of four worldwide scenarios between 2010 and 2050. An ‘ambitious resource strategy’ could moderate the increases in energy use (+25% globally instead of +80% in the baseline scenario), phosphorus use (+9% instead of +40%) and arable land (-9% globally, instead of + 4%).

Modern technologies have provided new ways for communities to engage with climate change. This study investigated the role of Internet-based tools in disseminating the findings of a climate change research project in Canada and provides insights on how best to use the Internet to communicate the outcomes of scientific research.

Over half of a low-energy building’s environmental impact occurred before it was even occupied, a new case study from Italy calculates. The researchers recommend expanding the environmental assessment of buildings from just the operational stage of a building’s life, when it is in use, to include production and transport of materials, construction activities and building maintenance. A wide range of environmental impacts should also be considered, they argue, and not just energy use.

A recent study investigated the environmental impact of the disposal of construction waste in Catalonia, Spain. The study suggests that the best options are to recycle construction waste where possible, incinerate the rest and landfill when there is no other option. These findings are in line with the waste hierarchy specified in the Waste Framework Directive.

Manufacturing solid state lighting (SSL) with light emitting diodes (LEDs) for easy disassembly at end-of-life will facilitate potential end-of-life uses, thereby reducing life cycle costs and environmental impacts, according to a recent study.

A better understanding of the social factors that affect market-based environmental policies could enhance their success, according to researchers. An analysis of reactions to a proposed waste disposal system in Greece indicated that both trust between citizens and trust in institutions could be highly influential in its implementation.

Consumers, manufacturers and government all need to take responsibility for managing the increasing number of waste mobile phones, according to new research. Results indicated that levels of copper, lead, arsenic and mercury released through the disposal of waste phones are potentially toxic to health and the environment.

New research has identified major drivers of food waste around the world. For example, in developing countries a lack of refrigeration technology is a major driver of food waste, and in the developed world low prices and increased choice encourage wasteful behaviour from consumers. Experts predict that drivers such as these will continue to increase food waste.

Spanish medical and public health researchers have found no clear evidence for increased heavy metal levels in adults living near a recently-built urban solid waste incinerator over two years of operation. Concentrations of lead, chromium and mercury in blood and urine samples taken around the plant were not significantly higher than for populations who lived further away.

A recent study has examined how ships no longer economical to run are broken apart, reassembled and made into goods of new value, such as furniture, in Bangladesh. There are strong concerns about working conditions for those who work in this industry and ship breaking yards have recently been closed as they are considered hazardous. However, this study draws a valuable lesson from ship breaking in that 'things are but temporary configurations of material', which can, potentially, be endlessly reassembled, under safe conditions.

Biodegradable plastics that break down in the environment can be used instead of traditional plastics to reduce the problem of plastic waste disposal. A new study highlights large differences in the rates of decomposition of these polymers, which can affect decisions on disposal methods.

A recent international analysis of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) management has indicated that current practices will not be able to deal with future increases in WEEE. It calls for rapid, co-ordinated and bold responses that are both technical and non-technical to deal with this ever-increasing global issue.

Vast resources are required to extract speciality and difficult-to-recycle metals that are often only used once before disposal. Researchers argue in a new analysis that more must be done to improve metal recycling rates in order to secure our material needs for the future.