Overview of news items 2011
Here you will find the news items of the selected year listed in chronological order.
PBL Christmas Card
Newsitem | 21-12-2011
Making the Netherlands and the rest of the world a cleaner place that is more accessible, prettier and more prosperous, is quite a challenge, especially in times of economic recession and shrinking government budgets.
... read moreThe Netherlands could save billions of euros as well as aid the environment
Newsitem | 20-12-2011
Environmentally harmful subsidies are subsidies or tax exemptions that have an unintended negative effect on nature and the environment. If the Netherlands were to focus on abolishing these environmentally harmful subsidies it could achieve substantial ... read more
Resource Efficient Europe: many synergies, notorious exceptions
Newsitem | 12-12-2011
In many cases, resource efficiency in one area also helps to mitigate problems in another. For example, energy efficiency also saves water, and sustainable yield improvements also lead to a more efficient use of agricultural land. This may help to ... read more
Only a mix of technologies can realise a clean economy by 2050 in the Netherlands
Newsitem | 02-12-2011
The Netherlands is capable of achieving an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This is possible by implementing a mix of reduced energy demand, use of biomass, carbon capture and storage, and clean electricity generation accompanied ... read more
Political courage in Durban needed to combat climate change
Newsitem | 28-11-2011
Global greenhouse gas emissions are projected to double over the next 40 years. This could result in a 3 to 6 °C increase in the average global temperature by the end of the century. The economic costs and environmental consequences of political inaction ... read more
Bridging the emissions gap to meet the 2 °C target is doable
Newsitem | 24-11-2011
Cutting emissions by 2020 to a level that could keep a global, 21st century temperature rise under two degrees Celsius is technologically and economically feasible, according to a comprehensive study by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), to which ... read more
Alternative routes for international climate policies
Newsitem | 18-11-2011
Alternative routes for international climate policies, such as have been proposed in recent years by several parties, may benefit societal support for these policies. The Netherlands could make clever use of these proposals for its own international ... read more
Implication in 2020 of the 2 degree target
Newsitem | 26-10-2011
A large number of published climate scenarios have been analysed in order to identify if the 2020 emission levels are consistent with the 2 degree Celsius target. It is concluded that there are significant risks that the 2 degree Celsius target is ... read more
Special issue of Climatic Change journal on the Representative Concentration Pathways released
Newsitem | 26-09-2011
A new Special issue of the journal Climatic Change describes four new key scenarios for the climate research community: the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCPs). The RCPs describe a wide range of potential futures for the main drivers of climate ... read more
Steep increase in global CO2 emissions despite reductions by industrialised countries
Newsitem | 21-09-2011
Global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) – the main cause of global warming – increased by 45% between 1990 and 2010, and reached an all-time high of 33 billion tonnes in 2010. Increased efficiency, nuclear energy and the growing contribution ... read more
More innovation, better education and a greener economy are required to maintain prosperity
Newsitem | 15-09-2011
Quality of life is high in the Netherlands compared to other European countries, but it seems impossible to retain this level of prosperity, in the long run. More innovation, better education and a greener economy are required to maintain prosperity, ... read more
Greening of EU agricultural subsidies will slow down decline of biodiversity
Newsitem | 18-08-2011
‘Greening’ the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), as proposed by the EC, will slow down the decline in farmland biodiversity, most notably in intensive farming areas. Extensively farmed areas are better served by policies preserving their rich ... read more
New government role needed for clean economy
Newsitem | 21-06-2011
The existing powers of creativity and innovation within society offer opportunities for ‘green growth’. Mobilising this energetic society demands adjustment of the way national government thinks and acts. The PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment ... read more
Environment and poverty require a global perspective
Newsitem | 16-06-2011
Climate change, overexploitation of fish stocks, land erosion and resource scarcities are examples of environmental issues that require globally coordinated solutions. This is in the interest both of developing countries and of the Netherlands.
... read moreImpact of Effort Sharing Decision on Dutch targets for greenhouse gases 2013-2020
Newsitem | 08-06-2011
As a result of the European Effort Sharing Decision, the Netherlands faces annual declining caps for emissions not included in the Emission Trading System (ETS), for the 2013–2020 period. Non-ETS emission levels are expected to be around the cap ... read more
Worldwide increase in fertiliser surpluses
Newsitem | 07-06-2011
Fertiliser surpluses are expected to increase, globally, over de next fifty years. This is mainly due to increases in livestock farming, the manure of which is causing ever increasing amounts of nutrients to end up in groundwater and surface waters. ... read more
Follow PBL on Twitter
Newsitem | 12-05-2011
Would you like to stay informed about our publications concerning the environment, nature and spatial planning? From now on you can follow us via Twitter.
... read moreMeat, dairy and fish: options for changes in production and consumption
Newsitem | 28-04-2011
Average consumption of meat, dairy and fish has increased strongly over the last fifty years in the European Union. Today’s consumption is twice the world average. Current preferences of European consumers lead to a range of negative impacts, ... read more
Accelerated progress required to achieve target on child mortality
Newsitem | 26-04-2011
Achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on access to food, safe drinking water and basic sanitation, and the use of modern energy are key to achieve the MDG target on child mortality, and may close the child mortality gap with the MDGtarget ... read more
Strong decrease in labour force expected for large parts of Europe
Newsitem | 31-03-2011
Under unfavourable demographic and economic circumstances, the European labour force is expected to decrease by 20% up to 2050. This causes an increase in pressure on the working population to provide financial support for those without work. Under ... read more
Resources: not depleted, but expensive
Newsitem | 14-03-2011
Current high prices of food, oil and many other resources are indications of increasing scarcity. This scarcity, however, has little to do with stock depletion. Badly functioning markets and wrong policy reactions play a particularly important role.
... read more
