5 years on, EU accession scores some wins for nature conservation
Five years after the EU’s “big bang” enlargement to the East and South, some wins have been scored for nature conservation in the new member states.
Europe’s new buildings get welcome push to produce as much energy as they use
WWF has welcomed a European Parliament vote today that proposes a 2019 deadline for all new houses, offices and shops built in the European Union to produce the same amount of energy they consume. The deadline will be 2016 for all new public buildings.
Illegal wood soon excluded from EU markets
WWF has welcomed today’s decision by the European Parliament to support strict rules to eliminate illegally harvested wood from the European market.
Proposed Bulgarian Energy Strategy Needs Overhaul
The energy strategy recently proposed by the Bulgarian government needs a complete overhaul according to WWF and other Bulgarian NGOs. Rather than respond to new opportunities and challenges, including EU priorities for energy and climate, the proposed strategy is backward looking, with many elements based on plans from as far back as the 1950s.
WWF gives Europe a roadmap to Copenhagen
With a series of critical European Union meetings on a new global climate deal about to begin, WWF has set out what Europe needs to do to grow in a green way while contributing to helping the world avoid passing the 2 degree threshold of warming that presents unacceptable risks of catastrophic climate change.
Alpine Ski World Cup to take place in a Bulgarian ski resort built with violations
Local environmental organizations criticize development of Bansko Ski Zone
Climate Witness: Maya Radeva, Bulgaria
Maya Radeva is the director of Balgarka Nature Park, in Gabrovo, Bulgaria and over the past 15 years she has witnessed an episodic increase in temperature in the region that has been affecting forests. In 2007 the high temperatures made it difficult for the trees to fill their seeds.
Climate Witness: Boyan Petrov, Bulgaria
Boyan Petrov, is a zoologist from the National Natural History Museum in Sofia, Bulgaria. He is also a mountaineer. As well as witnessing changes in the local climate since his childhood, a recent mountaineering trip to the Himalayas opened his eyes to changes taking place there.
Slippery slope ahead for ski resorts in Central and Eastern Europe
New research suggests that ambitious plans for dozens of new ski resorts in Central and Eastern Europe could be constructed on slippery financial slopes.
Earth Hour sparks global unity
71 cities in 62 countries including Kyiv and Odessa in Ukraine have committed to switch off lights for one hour on Saturday, March 28 at 20:30 to create a platform of support for action on climate change. The campaign aims to reach 1 billion people and 1,000 cities around the world.