Europe community activism news/2014-2021

France announces fruit and veg packaging ban from 2022, Oct 12^[1]

• We must take a holistic approach to climate and biodiversity, KRAV, Oct 12...^[2]
• Cities should be for experiment - Hamburg putting digitality at the service of citizens, Oct 4...^[3]
• As Bikers Throng the Streets, 'It's Like Paris Is in Anarchy' Oct 4^[4]
• A big, straightforward idea that shifts us to greener transport: Go anywhere in Austria for €3 a day, Oct 2^[5]

Berlin's vote to take properties from big landlords could be a watershed moment, Alexander Vasudevan, Sep 29^[6]

• 'Amazon of Europe' is first UNESCO biosphere to cover five nations, Sep 16...^[7]
• Wildfires rage across Europe, Aug 19^[8]
• EU unveils sweeping climate change plan, Jul 14^[9]
• EU to cut CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030, Apr 21^[10]

References

Climate Resilience Needs Community Roots, Mar 11^[1] "One message is clear: cities can better address climate challenges by embedding democratic principles, such as collaboration, power-sharing and transparency in their climate action work."

• Landscape of subnational and non-state climate action in the EU: what science tells us today, Feb 2^[2] Subnational and non-state initiatives play an important role in climate action, and the number of net-zero emissions pledges is increasing rapidly among subnational and non-state actors. A new report looks into the current landscape and emission reduction potential of such initiatives in Europe.

Alongside targets and action at national level, action by subnational and non-state actors is increasingly significant in the EU. Data shows that in 2016, around 40% of EU greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were covered by short- to mid-term targets (2020-2030) of individual actors, including cities, regions and companies.

The number of net-zero emissions pledges is also increasing rapidly among EU sub/non-state actors. As of October 2020, 36% of the EU's total population live in cities or regions with a net-zero emissions target. In addition, over 130 international cooperative initiatives focus on reducing GHG emissions across all sectors in the EU with ambitious, aspirational targets.

The high emission reduction potential shows that there is willingness to act on the ground and that more ambition is possible, but enhanced collaboration between sub/non-state actors and national or EU-level policymakers is needed.

• Cargo bikes play a big role in avoiding motorised transport of goods. Many European cities operate successful cargo bike subsidy schemes. Commercial use, private ownership, sharing— all forms of cargo bike use are on the rise. Prof. Dr. Sophia Becker and Arne Behrensen, Feb 3^[3]

References

• Children's climate change case at the European Court of Human Rights: what's at stake? Dec 4, 2020^[1]
• Portuguese children sue 33 countries over climate change at European court, Sep 3, 2020^[2]
• Extreme droughts in central Europe likely to increase sevenfold, Aug 6, 2020^[3]

Fast-growing mini-forests spring up in Europe to aid climate....^[4] Jun 13

• Clean air in Europe during lockdown 'leads to 11,000 fewer deaths'.^[5] Apr 30
• France, Germany join group of 10 EU countries calling for green recovery.^[6] Apr 11
• Covid19 Emergency Is a Green One. The only emergence from the Covid19 Emergency is a green one: A message to European finance ministers to double down on European Green Deal as the economic response to the Corona-pandemic. By Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Hunter Lovins, Kate Raworth, Hans Joachim Schellnhuber. Club of Rome.^[7] Mar 20
• This winter in Europe was hottest on record by far, say scientists.^[8] Mar 5
• Car 'splatometer' tests reveal huge decline in number of insects.^[9] Feb 12
• A European tour of climate solutions^[10] date not found

References

Barcelona to open southern Europe's biggest low-emissions zone...^[1] Dec 31, 2019.

• From compostable diapers to recyclable building material: meet the 30 semi finalists challenging plastic waste.^[2] Jun 27, 2019.
• Lahti becomes the European Green Capital in 2021.^[3] Jun 24, 2019.
• Oslo starts its year as European Green Capital 2019.^[4] Jan 3, 2019.
• Climate change talks lead to heightened pledge to cut emissions.^[5] EU, Canada, New Zealand and developing countries to keep global warming below 1.5C. Dec 12, 2018.
• Shared Spaces: New Paper on Urban Commons, Nov 16, 2018...^[6]

References

• The European cities leading the way in car-free living, Oct 14, 2017...^[1]
• How Food Assembly Created a Sustainable, Community-driven Food Sharing System in Europe, Aug 1, 2017...^[2]
• Mapped: How 'embodied' footprints compare across Europe, May 31, 2017...^[3]
• The consideration of food as a commons rests upon its essentialness to human life and the revalorisation of the different food dimensions relevant to people, Feb 1, 2017...^[4]
• Could intercity cycle highways revolutionise the daily commute? Jun 30, 2016...^[5]
• EU smashes 2020 emissions target six years early, Jun 21, 2016...^[6]

References

• The Other Market! October 15

Last week I sat down with Pablo Calderon Salazar to talk about a great new project that bridges art with social design. In order to start a debat about 'work' in local communities initiator Calderon intervenes into daily life: he goes into dialogue with passers-by, challenging them to propose personal skills that would be usefull in a differently structured society and/or economy. Afterwards these conversations, opinions and proposals get documented with directly made posters, video's, podcasts, drawings and photo's. Let's talk about The Other Market!^[1]

• European Project Recruits Smartphone Users to Collect Pollution Data, September 1^[2]
• New rules to dramatically reduce use of environment-damaging bags get all-clear, April 28^[3]
• Three European countries have already hit their renewable energy goals, March 10^[4]
• EU power emissions fell by more than 8% in 2014, January 14^[5]

References

• Community energy deserves Europe-wide support, October 16^[1]
• More than 3,300 clean-up actions implemented via European Clean-Up Day, May 12^[2]

Europe's young democracies learn to speak less and listen more. Amid volatility, governments in south-east Europe are starting to use technology to involve people in policymaking, April 29^[3]

• European Parliament votes to slash plastic bag waste, April 17^[4]
• Scandal of Europe's 11m empty homes, Febraury 23^[5]
• EU to cut carbon emissions by 40% by 2030, January 22^[6]

References