Andrej Vizjak is new Slovenian Environment and Spatial Planning Minister
New Slovenian Environment and Spatial Planning Minister Andrej Vizjak has officially taken over the office and replaced Simon Zajc. Andrej Vizjak comes from the state-owned power producer Hidroelektrarne na Spodnji Savi (HESS) where he was a chief of the investment and development department sector and director of its subsidiary Partner. Vizjak comes from power producer […]
March 21 is International Day of Forests: Home to 80% of all terrestrial species
The global celebration of forests – March 21 has been declared to be the International Day of Forests by the United Nations General Assembly. The theme of the 2020 International Day of Forests celebration is “Forests and Biodiversity”. This year’s celebration had a very sad introduction because Kenya’s only female white giraffe and her calf […]
European Green Deal suffers delays over COVID-19 impact: report
Unnamed officials from Brussels claim pushing back the agenda by a few weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic won’t have much significance. The EU is struggling with legislative work including the European Green Deal as the COVID-19 disease is hampering movement. The European Commission has just claimed it is keeping its European Green Deal as […]
ContourGlobal abandons Kosova e Re project, exits coal altogether
The foreign investor has faced a setback with regulatory hurdles and financing drying up for the planned lignite-fired thermal power unit. ContourGlobal told shareholders it wasn’t able to meet deadlines and that it is scrapping Kosova e Re as it exits the coal sector. The emphasis has shifted to clean technologies and there will be […]
How biodiversity loss is hurting our ability to combat pandemics
The increasing frequency of disease outbreaks is linked to climate change and biodiversity loss. The past 20 years of contained outbreaks may have led to complacency. New technologies offer hope in the search for countermeasures – but protecting the natural world must play a part, too. The frequency of disease outbreaks has been increasing steadily, […]
Serbia to subsidize electric vehicles, hybrids, citing air pollution
The Ministry of Environmental Protection said the Government of Serbia issued a decree on subsidizing the purchases of new all-electric vehicles – including motorcycles and three-wheelers – and hybrids, following a decision in January to fight air pollution. The move is a part of measures to directly support environmentally friendly transportation as well, the statement […]
Sourcebook on sustainable financing of biodiversity, ecosystems, protected areas coming soon
The sourcebook with real-world cases studies lays out why, how and which financing mechanisms can be used to strengthen biodiversity conservation while contributing to sustainable development. The sourcebook is tailored to the Western Balkans context and conditions and offers a selection of suitable mechanisms for the region. In addition, the glossary is aiming to further […]
European Commission unveils Clean Hydrogen Alliance initiative
The European Commission has announced plans to set up an EU-wide “alliance” to promote the production of clean hydrogen in an effort to speed up the decarbonization of industry. The European Clean Hydrogen Alliance initiative, unveiled as part of the EU’s new industrial strategy, could materialize this summer. The Clean Hydrogen Alliance, bringing investors together […]