Here you will find the news items of current year listed in chronological order.

Roads from Rio+20: pathways to achieve global sustainability goals by 2050

Sufficient food for the entire world population while conserving biodiversity. Universal access to modern energy sources while limiting global climate change and air pollution. The report Roads from Rio+20, which was published on May 15 2012 by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency PBL, shows that the potential exists for achieving international sustainability goals on hunger, food production, biodiversity, and energy and climate in the next few decades.

15-05-2012

Higher expected greenhouse gas emissions from pledges

Many countries have pledged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Due to upward revisions of greenhouse gas emission projections in many developing countries higher emission levels from the pledges are expected, and therefore, achieving the 2 degree Celsius climate goal becomes more difficult.

26-04-2012

Survey on the opinions on climate change

PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, in conjunction with the Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute (KNMI) and the University of Queensland (Australia), is investigating the range of scientific opinions about climate change. The objective of this study is to gain insight into how climate scientists perceive the public debate on the physical scientific aspects of climate change.

22-03-2012

Climate Adaptation in the Dutch Delta

In ‘Climate Adaptation in the Dutch Delta – Strategic options for a climate-proof development of the Netherlands’, PBL offers answers to questions, such as: Which options would be most effective to reduce flood risks? How could freshwater supplies be secured and the climate-resilience of nature and urban areas be improved?

21-03-2012

Environmental policy needs more decisive action

Based on joint modelling by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency the Environmental Outlook to 2050 looks ahead to the year 2050 to ascertain what demographic and economic trends might mean for the environment.

15-03-2012

Maarten Hajer appointed Honorary Professor in Copenhagen

Maarten Hajer, Professor of Political Science at the University of Amsterdam and Director of PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, recently was appointed Honorary Professor of Political Science at the University of Copenhagen. He will hold his acceptance speech in Denmark on 26 April.

12-03-2012

Evaluation of the Dutch policy document on sustainable crop protection

Water quality has improved due to legislation on crop protection. However, policy objectives for ecological quality of surface waters and drinking water, as set in the Dutch policy document on sustainable crop protection, have not been achieved.

29-02-2012

Proposed greening of the CAP: only small gains

The impact of the proposed greening measures of the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) on the sustainable development of agriculture appears to be relatively small. Member States must assign 30 percent of their Pillar I budget to these measures, a total annual amount of 13 billion euros. Greening measures could be made more effective by tailoring the proposed ecological focus areas to local conditions and by promoting the formation of a green infrastructure.

22-02-2012

Sustainability of biomass in a bio-based economy

The conversion of the present European economy based on fossil fuels into a more bio-based economy will probably be restricted to about 10 per cent of final energy and feedstock consumption in 2030.

09-02-2012