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Palm oil diesel factories in Europe

After devastation, Italians demand protection against air pollution

Italy has made many of the headlines during the coronavirus pandemic. In the early stages, it was Europe’s worst affected country, and the hot spot was around Milan, a city with a strong car culture and very poor air quality. Milan made other headlines too, announcing a supposedly ambitious plan to help cyclists and pedestrians, but like with most of Italy, the news is mixed as lockdown restrictions begin to ease.

Palm oil diesel factories in Europe

Coronavirus is transforming the transport landscape of the UK

The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word 'crisis.' One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. The UK is amongst the countries worst affected by the coronavirus pandemic, its lockdown started later and was less severe than most neighbouring countries but traffic was still reduced to early 1970s levels bringing both quiet streets and clean air.

Palm oil diesel factories in Europe

How to keep cities pollution-free after virus lockdowns lift

This op-ed was first published in English by EurActiv, in Spanish by El Pais, in Portugese by Publico , in German by Der Spiegel and in French by Le Soir and La Tribune.As authorities across Europe are preparing for a stepwise lift of the lockdown imposed in response to the pandemic, they’re facing a make-or-break moment for urban mobility. The decisions taken in the coming weeks will define how healthy, resilient and liveable our cities will be in the future. Without decisive action, the recent drop in air pollution would sadly remain a breeze of clean air, soon replaced by a rapid return of toxic fumes as already observed in China, with people switching to private cars and avoiding public transport. This risk is particularly worrying given the growing evidence indicating that air pollution probably makes us more vulnerable to the effects of the coronavirus.

Palm oil diesel factories in Europe

Eurobonds and the EU’s green recovery plan: a game changer?

The recession caused by COVID-19 could cost Europe as much as 10% of its GDP in 2020. There are few countries that can take a blow of that magnitude without getting into serious trouble. And as we have learned during the eurozone crisis, once a few big countries start to struggle, the entire Eurozone economy is at risk. The European Commission is preparing a recovery package - we’re campaigning to make sure it’s a sustainable recovery package - but the big question is how to finance the type of investment package needed to recover from such a momentous blow. 

Palm oil diesel factories in Europe

Plummeting pollution exposes transport’s role in air quality crisis

Evidence is emerging that air quality is improving as a result of the coronavirus restrictions. A study in Spain reported a fall of 55% in air pollution in the second half of March, and a series of satellite maps shows air pollution ‘falling dramatically’ across Europe. The figures have prompted new calls for stricter measures to control road traffic when the virus has cleared

Palm oil diesel factories in Europe

Les candidats à la Mairie de Paris Hidalgo, Belliard et Simonnet demandent à Uber d’arrêter de polluer

Après Londres, Uber est également au centre des débats à Paris. Les candidats à la Mairie de Paris, Anne Hidalgo, David Belliard et Danielle Simonnet ont annoncé leur soutien à la campagne #TrueCostOfUber menée par Respire, Transport & Environment [1] et Sum of Us pour réduire l’impact des VTC comme Uber sur la pollution de l’air. Une pétition qui a déjà recueilli plus de 22 000 signatures est liée à cette campagne.

Palm oil diesel factories in Europe

Paris mayor candidates Hidalgo, Belliard and Simonnet say Uber must go clean

First London - now Uber is coming under focus by officials in Paris. The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, and two of her opponents for re-election next week - David Belliard (Green) and Danielle Simonnet (Left) - are supporting the #TrueCostOfUber campaign to reduce the impact of private hire vehicles (PHVs) like Uber on air pollution and require them to go zero emissions. This campaign is led by clean air group Respire, European NGO federation Transport & Environment and citizens platform Sum of Us. A petition has already collected more than 22,000 signatures in support of the campaign.