EU researchers are helping policymakers reconcile competing demands in a region full of natural resources, beauty and tradition. By Bárbara Pinho Above the Arctic Circle in Finland’s municipality of Inari, the largest and most sparsely populated region of Finnish Lapland, leading sources of income are tourism and the cold-climate testing of cars, tyres and components. The … Read more
A group of European urban areas bordering seas and rivers is paving the way for climate neutrality by 2030. By Karen McHugh In the medieval Belgian city of Bruges, the urban administration has been seeking a new home and decided to move into an old hospital rather than construct a building. Elsewhere in Bruges, famous … Read more
New materials and designs can make a leading source of renewable energy both greener and cheaper. By Tom Cassauwers At first glance, the wind-turbine tower that rises from the green landscape in the Swedish municipality of Skara looks like any other. It reaches a height of 105 metres and, at the top, supports a familiar … Read more
Upgrading social housing is a central part of EU projects to make city life healthier and happier. By Gareth Willmer In the northeastern Italian city of Trieste, a construction project intended as a model for Europe is getting underway. On the southeastern outskirts of the city, eight buildings with social housing dating from the early … Read more
Understanding how climate change affects livelihoods and industries is an EU research priority. By Tereza Pultarova No roads lead to Iquitos, a Peruvian port city surrounded by the Amazon rainforest and reachable only by river. The city’s diverse communities and ways of living – including fishing and farming – were what drew Heidi Mendoza. She’s … Read more
Cellulose fibres are emerging as a sustainable option for wrapping everything from foods to electronics. By Helen Massy-Beresford Attention supermarket shoppers in Belgium, France and Luxembourg: a test to cut waste from plastic packaging of foods is coming to nearby stores. Retailers Carrefour and U-Group plan to sell yoghurts, cheeses, fruit juices, biscuits and other … Read more