europe
Heatwaves: how can Europe make its cities healthier and be better prepared?
Extreme weather events such as heatwaves are no longer merely an environmental concern; they are recognised as a global public health emergency. According to the WHO, approximately 175,000 deaths annually in the European region are linked to extreme heat. As these harmful events become more frequent, affecting both our health and our healthcare system, the ...
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Prof. Roel Vermeulen on extreme weather and the impact on our health
“We should treat extreme weather events as an important health issue in Europe,” says Prof. Roel Vermeulen, professor of Environmental Epidemiology and Exposome Science at the Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences at Utrecht University, the Netherlands. Across Europe, we’re seeing more extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, floods, droughts, and wildfires. What are the main ...
Interview with Dr Maura Hiney on the future of research integrity in Europe
How can we keep our trust on science in a world where research integrity is increasingly challenged? Experts are discussing different paths to ensure the continued integrity of the scientific process. One of them, Dr. Maura Hiney is an Adjunct Professor at University College Dublin Institute for Discovery and chair of the ALLEA Research Ethics ...
Can digital tools revive European democracy? Interview with Bjørn Bedsted
Online discussion platforms, digital deliberation tools, and - more recently – tools using artificial intelligence are increasingly being explored as ways to involve citizens more directly in policymaking processes. But can technology truly improve democratic participation? And what risks come with handing more of these processes over to algorithms and digital platforms? The European Parliament’s ...
Solutions to make Europe more resilient to raging wildfires
Fuelled by climate change and a shift in land-use practices, wildfires are increasing in number and intensity across Europe. In fact, last year was the worst year for wildfires in Europe in 20 years, according to an EUMETSAT report. Its authors contribute the intensity of the fires to factors like increasingly dry vegetation, low soil ...
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Théo Wittersheim from the Shift Project on their report about Europe’s energy exposure
Could you elaborate on the technical foundations of your methodology, particularly what makes it novel compared to existing approaches, and which data sources were used to validate your approach? Théo Wittersheim: Our methodology is based on two core principles: analysing dependencies from the perspective of physical flows (for instance, barrels of oil, tonnes of steel, ...
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Ugnė Keliauskaitė from Bruegel on Europe’s energy dependency
The views expressed here are from Ugnė Keliauskaitė and do not necessarily reflect those of the think tank Bruegel. Do your findings suggest that Europe is shifting from fossil fuel dependency towards new forms of dependency, for example on critical materials or external clean energy supply chains? Ugnė Keliauskaitė: China dominates global production of the ...
Assessing EU’s direct and indirect energy dependencies
Europe is highly dependent on fossil fuels, and 97% of the EU’s oil consumption is imported as well as 90% of its fossil gas consumption. How can Europe address this issue, especially at a time of geopolitical tensions that have a significant impact on energy and the economy? Assessing EU's direct and indirect energy dependencies ...