Overview of news items
Here you will find the news items of selected year.
30 November 2005
Europe feels the heat as climate change tops the list of environmental challenges
‘The European environment: state and outlook 2005’, a five year assessment across 31 countries, provides an overview of Europe’s environment and points to challenges of which climate change is just one. Other areas of concern include biodiversity, marine ecosystems, land and water resources, air pollution and health. For the first time, the report has a country by country analysis with performance indicators and comparisons for all countries.
25 November 2005
Aviation in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme: A step forward in climate policy
The European Commission’s proposal of September 2005 to include the aviation sector in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) can be seen as a step forward in including the aviation sector in climate policy. The environmental impacts of including aviation in the EU-ETS will depend fully on the design of the trading system, especially on the total of CO2 emission allowances that will be determined. Kerosene tax and emission charges are instruments worthwhile considering as well.
28 September 2005
Countries' historical responsibility for climate change
This paper analyses the impact of scientific uncertainties and of policy choices on the contribution of countries’ historical responsibility for climate change. This approach has been suggested in the climate negotiations as a key for allocating the greenhouse gas emission reductions amongst countries (‘Brazilian Proposal’), and it is also suggested as being useful for assigning financial contributions to an adaptation fund for to climate change. Applying this approach with the historical emissions over the period 1890-2000 for the countries’ allocation of emission reduction leads to high emission reductions for Annex I regions by 2050, in particular for Europe and Japan.
5 September 2005
Water for near half the world's population under threat at the roof of the world
The next few decades will see a large scale threat to water sources and biodiversity in the Himalayas and surrounding low lands. Nearly half of the world population depends on these water sources. This is the conclusion of a study written by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in conjunction with a number of organisations, including the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (MNP).
2 September 2005
Global 2000 emissions: non-CO2-greenhouse gases now 4% higher
The trend since 1995 in global emissions of methane and nitrous oxide is about 4% higher than estimated previously using a much more aggregated method. However, the uncertainty in the emissions remains large. This was concluded from a new dataset compiled by the EDGAR consortium with global emissions in 2000 of greenhouse gases and air pollutants. The EDGAR consortium consists of the Climate Change Units of MNP and Joint Research Centre (JRC-IES) of the European Commission in Ispra (I) and the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (MPIC) in Mainz (D).
23 August 2005
Effectiveness of the EU White paper 'European transport policy for 2010'
Modal shift proposals in the EU White paper are not an effective environmental policy. Pricing policy proposals in the White paper seem to be more effective, but progress in the implementation of pricing policy is slow.
26 July 2005
Summary of Dutch Environmental Balance 2005 published
The Environmental Balance 2005 describes the Dutch state of the environment and also provides an evaluation of environmental policy measures. The pressure on the Dutch environment is presently higher than European standards allow, due to the fact the Netherlands are densely populated and very open for pollution from abroad. The additional required national measures to comply with the European environmental standards show the dilemma between a level playing field for producers and equal environmental protection levels for all citizens.
1 July 2005
Coalition size determines costs post-Kyoto policies after 2012
Abatement costs of post-Kyoto policies after 2012 are relatively modest in the case of a global coalition with unrestricted emissions trading. Costs will rise considerably if the coalition becomes smaller. In the case of smaller coalitions, the use of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) will lower abatement costs. Yet, carbon leakage may produce an outcome with less emission reductions than intended.
29 June 2005
Climate change and a European low-carbon energy system
Several technical options are available to reduce European emissions of greenhouse gases. The most cost-effective way to achieve a substantial reduction is by implementing more than 50% of the reductions by actions inside the EU, combined with international emissions trading providing the remaining reductions.
16 June 2005
'Dutch Dikes and Risk hikes', evaluation of the Netherlands' Policy on Flood Protection
Flood defences in the Netherlands are stronger than ever due to extensive improvement programs the past decades. However, flood risks have increased because the number of people and the economic values to protect have increased at a higher rate than the strength of the dikes. Compared to the risks associated with other hazards (external risks) flood risks are much higher. At the moment protection levels have hardly a relation with the values to protect. Other options than present policy can be much more cost effective.
15 June 2005
What global and regional emission reductions are needed to meet the EU 2°C climate target?
Meeting the EU climate policy target with more than 50% certainty implies that greenhouse gas concentrations need to stabilise at 450 (400) ppm CO2-equivalent. Global emissions need to peak around 2015, followed by substantial overall reductions by 30% (50%) compared to 1990 levels in 2050. Industrialized countries will need to reduce their emissions by 15-30% below 1990 levels in 2020. It also requires the USA to participate in significant reductions soon and major advanced developing countries within the next 10-15 years.
9 June 2005
New look MNP while still associated with RIVM
On 1 May 2005 the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (MNP), associated with the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), took on a new look. Communications are now characterised by a distinctive MNP logo and house style. The MNP website was launched early in June, replacing the international environmental research pages at the former address "www.rivm.nl/ieweb". From now on all the environmental MNP information can be found at "www.mnp.nl/en".
What has changed?
12 May 2005
National climate report greenhouse gas emissions in the Netherlands 1990-2003
This report, that is compiled annually by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (MNP) of RIVM in cooperation with Statistics Netherlands (CBS), TNO and SenterNovem, has been produced to comply with commitments under the UN’s Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the European Union’s Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Mechanism. The National Inventory Report 2005 was commissioned by the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM) for submission under the Climate Change Convention of the UN and to the European Union.
3 May 2005
"Quality and the future - sustainability outlook" now available
In 2004 the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (MNP) published the national Sustainability Outlook in Dutch. The summary of this report is now available in English. The analysis combines scientific insight on sustainability with an overview of normative worldviews and values on quality of life and sustainability. to report more information
14 April 2005
Release of interactive population model PHOENIX
The population model PHOENIX provides a population user support system to explore, develop and analyze different demographic scenarios at various geographical aggregation levels (global, regional, national and grid-cells).
11 April 2005
Safeguarding the ozone layer and the global climate system
After 20 years of protecting the ozone layer with a new generation of chemicals, governments are confronting the fact that these ozone-friendly substitutes for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) also happen to be greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Taken together, the various solutions identified by the report could cut the global warming contribution of CFCs and their replacements in half by the year 2015.
30 March 2005
Release of Synthesis Report Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
A landmark study released today reveals that approximately 60 percent of the ecosystem services that support life on Earth – such as fresh water, capture fisheries, air and water regulation, and the regulation of regional climate, natural hazards and pests – are being degraded or used unsustainably. Scientists warn that the harmful consequences of this degradation could grow significantly worse in the next 50 years. MNP contributed to this study in the Scenario Working Group by applying the IMAGE model.
