Overview of news items current year
Here you will find the news items of current year
13 July 2010
More particulate matter from sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and ammonia than previously assumed
Emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and ammonia are mainly from anthropogenic origin: traffic, energy production and agriculture. It was found that contributions to particulate matter from the conversion of these atmospheric compounds appear 50 per cent larger than were measured and calculated in the past. Consequently, the currently policy measures could be more effective to lower particulate matter levels than was initially projected.
5 July 2010
Key findings of IPCC on regional climate-change impacts found to be robust
PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency has found no errors that would undermine the main conclusions in the 2007 report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on possible future regional impacts of climate change. However, in some instances the foundations for the summary statements should have been made more transparent. The PBL believes that the IPCC should invest more in quality control in order to prevent mistakes and shortcomings, to the extent possible.
1 July 2010
China and India nullify global reduction in CO2 emissions
Despite the continued economic crisis, global emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, have remained constant in 2009, as strong increases in CO2 emissions from fast-growing developing countries, such as China and India, have completely nullified CO2 emission reductions in the industrialised world.
1 July 2010
Announcement: PBL will present Assessing an IPCC assessment to minister of Environment
On Monday July 5th, Minister Huizinga of the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM) will be presented with the analysis report Assessing an IPCC assessment, by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL). In its report, the PBL presents results from an investigation into possible errors in one of the scientific reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) of 2007: the IPCC Working Group II contribution to the Fourth Assessment Report on Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, dealing with the impacts of climate change.
22 June 2010
Research confirms correct measurement of wet nitrogen deposition
In the Netherlands, nearly all wet nitrogen deposition occurs in the form of ammonium and nitrate. Such is the main conclusion from a study of non-routinely measured forms of nitrogen in precipitation. This means that contributions to total nitrogen deposition from substances other than those related to nitrogen oxides and ammonia are likely to be negligible.
31 May 2010
Serious indirect effects of some biofuels on global biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions
Many biofuels that are presently sold on the European transport market need agricultural land for their production. Effects from indirect land-use change (ILUC) have a negative impact, not only on greenhouse gases as has been reported earlier, but also on global biodiversity. The overall emission reductions for biofuels based on energy crops can be low or even negative. These are some of the conclusions from a series of brief reports published by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) on the issue of indirect effects of bio-energy.
28 May 2010
‘Copenhagen’ target is coming closer
The Copenhagen Accord has proven beneficial to the efforts of achieving the target of limiting global warming to two degrees Celsius. Since the climate conference was held, countries have pledged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. These pledges could realise up to 70 per cent of the greenhouse gas reduction that is needed. However, the risk of the actual reductions being less, is substantial.
27 May 2010
The land use effects of biofuels lead to biodiversity loss
The objective of using biofuels is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In the long term, this can reduce the negative impact of climate change on biodiversity. Several biofuels are grown in existing agricultural areas. This will indirectly lead to loss of natural area on the short term through transfer of current production to other world regions. Assessing the balance between short-term losses and long-term gains for biodiversity shows that it may take decades to centuries before losses are compensated for by long-term gains.
25 May 2010
Models of limited value to determine indirect land use change (ILUC) factors for biofuels
Biofuels have the potential to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Besides direct emissions from the production chain emissions from indirect land use change (ILUC) can reduce this potential. Therefore, the possibility to include an ILUC-emission factor in the EU sustainability criteria is investigated. Integral global models can be used to explore these emissions. However, the complexity of the system and its related assumptions introduce significant differences in the results of different models. Moreover, the ILUC-emission of biofuels vary in time due to a changing context.
20 May 2010
CPB and PBL have analyzed election platforms
At the request of nine political parties, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis and PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency have mapped out the effects of the respective election platforms on the economy and the environment. The analysis shows that each of the proposed policy measures included in the platforms has both advantages and disadvantages. The platforms thus reflect the diverse choices that have been made by the parties.
7 April 2010
Documentation of shipping emissions of particulate matter in the Netherlands
Proper estimation of shipping emissions is essential for an impact assessment of shipping on air quality and health in port cities and coastal regions. In the Netherlands shipping is an important source of particulate matter. This report provides an internationally accessible and transparent summary and description of the methodologies used in the Netherlands Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) to estimate PM emissions from shipping, including recently implemented updates.
2 April 2010
By-products of biofuels reduce indirect land-use change
The cultivation of energy crops on arable land may lead to the displacement of food crops and to indirect land-use change (ILUC) with biodiversity loss and extra greenhouse gas emissions. Some of the energy crops for biofuels deliver feed as by-products, reducing the land use for feed production elsewhere, and thereby substantially reducing these negative indirect effects.
2 April 2010
Agricultural intensification may restrict indirect effects of bio-energy
Agricultural intensification has the potential to reduce indirect land-use change from biofuels. If such intensification is realised only by applying more fertiliser, this may lead to substantial indirect greenhouse gas emissions. Improvement of fertiliser-use efficiency is essential to prevent these emissions.
22 March 2010
Website GLOBIO model fully renewed
The GLOBIO model is a tool to assess past, present and future human impact on biodiversity. As a policy tool, it is regularly applied in global, regional and national assessments. The GLOBIO model is the result of a collaboration between the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL), the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and UNEP/GRID-Arendal. The renewed website provides information on the workings of the model and its applications.
18 February 2010
Indirect effects of bio-energy worrisome
Bio-energy has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Indirect effects might partly or even completely undo this advantage. Indirect land use change (ILUC) – leading to emissions and loss of nature – is an important example, but there are other indirect effects, as well.
15 February 2010
New generation climate scenarios also focus on policy targets
Currently, a new generation of climate scenarios is being developed to enable a better understanding of the influence that greenhouse gases have on our climate. For the first time, these scenarios will focus on the various objectives of climate policy, varying from ‘no climate policy’ to ‘very ambitious climate policy’. In addition, knowledge is being integrated into these scenarios from various disciplines in the field of climate science. The scenarios are being developed by a team of international scientists, including from the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL).
5 February 2010
Correction wording flood risks for the Netherlands in IPCC report
In the 2007 IPCC report by the Working group 2 (Climate change 2007: Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability) a mistake has entered the text that was supplied by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, regarding the risks of flooding for the Netherlands. In the chapter on Europe, on page 547, it says that 55 per cent of the Netherlands is below sea level (‘The Netherlands is an example of a country highly susceptible to both sea level rise and river flooding because 55% of its territory is below sea level’). This should have read that 55 per cent of the Netherlands is at risk of flooding; 26 per cent of the country is below sea level, and 29 per cent is susceptible to river flooding. Examples of the latter are the near floodings, in the mid-1990s, of areas along the rivers Meuse and Waal – areas that are well above sea level. The incorrect wording in the IPCC report does not affect this conclusion.
