Aircraft noise is more annoying now than in the past

Aircraft noise has become more annoying for European citizens in recent years, according to new research. The research found that annoyance with road traffic noise had not increased, suggesting attitudes to aircraft noise have changed. The researchers call for changes to the standard procedure used in the EU to predict aircraft noise annoyance. (more...)

Using maximum sustainable yield for multiple fish stock management

Recent research on fish stocks in the Northeast Atlantic has demonstrated that maximum sustainable yield (MSY) practices can be used to help sustainably manage multiple fish stocks under conditions of environmental change. The MSY concept is usually applied to single fish species under unchanging environmental conditions.(more...)

Climate change to reduce crop yields and increase child malnutrition

Adverse effects of climate change on agriculture will counteract any improvements in reducing levels of child malnutrition in the developing world, according to a new report, which calculates that twenty-five million more children will face malnutrition by 2050.(more...)

New economic models needed to curb 'consumption explosion'

A new report has indicated that, despite global recession, there is little evidence that our consumption is falling. It provides further evidence for large inequalities in consumption levels and calls for new economic models.(more...)

Sinking deltas could increase risk of flooding worldwide

73 per cent of the world's 33 major river deltas are sinking, according to new research. Results indicate that the sinking is worsened by the impacts of human activity, such as upstream sediment collection caused by reservoirs, dams, accelerated sediment compaction, and control of river channels.(more...)

Driving forces for chemical risks to biodiversity

A new framework has been developed to examine the chemical risks to European biodiversity. It analyses the driving forces that trigger chemical pressures on biodiversity in the context of REACH (Regulation on the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals).(more...)

Opinions expressed in this News Alert do not necessarily reflect those of the European Commission.

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FULL ARTICLES

Aircraft noise is more annoying now than in the past

Aircraft noise has become more annoying for European citizens in recent years, according to new research. The research found that annoyance with road traffic noise had not increased, suggesting attitudes to aircraft noise have changed. The researchers call for changes to the standard procedure used in the EU to predict aircraft noise annoyance.

Major sources of noise annoyance include air, road and rail traffic. Social factors play a significant role in the perception of noise, with the loudness and persistence of noise only partly explaining the level of annoyance.

In the EU, annoyance curves1 are used to predict the number of people who are annoyed by specific sources of noise, such as aircraft or road traffic, and illustrate the relationship between exposure and response to noise. Many of the studies that were used to develop these curves were developed over 25 years ago and newer investigations suggest that the perception of aircraft noise and attitudes to towards it have changed.

Between 2003 and 2005, a consortium of European researchers from the EU-funded HYENA project2, interviewed 4861 people, aged between 45 and 70 years, who lived near major airports in Amsterdam, Athens, Berlin, London, Milan and Stockholm. The health status, socio-economic background, lifestyle, behavioural, annoyance and personality factors, including sensitivity to noise, of all the participants were examined.

Modelled noise exposure levels to road traffic and aircraft traffic noise were linked to the location of the participants' homes. The researchers identified the associations between noise levels from aircraft and road traffic noise with annoyance ratings for the participants and compared these results with the EU-annoyance curves.

The study suggests that annoyance with aircraft noise has increased over the years in the vicinity of the six airports. For example, citizens in both northern and central Europe became highly annoyed with aircraft noise at a volume that is 5-7 dB(A) lower than predicted by the annoyance curves used by the European Commission.

However, responses to road traffic noise agreed with the predictions of the annoyance curves for road traffic. The results imply that the relationship between exposure levels and response to aircraft traffic noise has changed, while responses to road traffic noise have not. One possible explanation is that people's attitudes towards aircraft noise have changed, although it is not clear why this change might be.

Since the EU reference curves refer to older studies, the researchers suggest that the prediction curve for aircraft traffic noise should be modified.

1. See: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/noise/pdf/noise_expert_network.pdf

2. HYENA (Hypertension and Exposure to Noise near Airports) is supported by the European Commission under the Fifth Framework Programme. See: www.hyena.eu.com

Source: Babisch, W., Houthuijs, D., Pershagen, G. et al. Annoyance due to aircraft noise has increased over the years - Results of the HYENA study. Environment International. 35: 1169-1176.

Contact: wolfgang.babisch@uba.de

Theme(s): Noise

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Using maximum sustainable yield for multiple fish stock management

Recent research on fish stocks in the Northeast Atlantic has demonstrated that maximum sustainable yield (MSY) practices can be used to help sustainably manage multiple fish stocks under conditions of environmental change. The MSY concept is usually applied to single fish species under unchanging environmental conditions.

The maximum sustainable yield (MSY) is the largest annual catch that can be removed from the stock of a single species of fish without damaging the reproductive process of that stock and causing the stock to collapse. This represents a balance between the growth and death rate of a stock.

Under the European Union's Common Fisheries Policy1, restrictions are placed on the type and annual number of fish that can be caught in specific areas. MSY is widely used in the sustainable management of fish stocks to determine the number of each species that can be caught, whilst ensuring long-term sustainable returns.

The proportion of total fish stocks caught annually has increased since the 1950s and many stocks, especially in the Northeast Atlantic, are overfished. However, some fishers have questioned whether catch quotas should be based on the MSY.

In general, the MSY is calculated for a single species of fish and ignores interactions with other species. For example, saithe and cod are predators of their own and other species. Additionally, other factors, such as changes in environmental conditions which contribute to dwindling fish stocks, are not accounted for when estimating MSY. Some stakeholders therefore consider MSY to have little practical value.

The researchers modelled the optimal harvest rates for stocks of five species, cod, haddock, saithe, plaice and sole, in order to determine if MSY can be used to manage of multiple stocks under conditions of environmental change. They used data from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES)2, for the years 1950-2003. These species are frequently caught together in mixed trawl fisheries in the Northeast Atlantic.

The results corresponded well with observations of the historical trends of the fishing yields, the proportion of stocks killed each year by fishing and the mass of reproductive adults in a stock. The study estimated that fishing activity which is reduced to take around 45 per cent of the total mass annually will achieve an MSY of 2.6 million tonnes.

This implies that the modelling captured the interactions between fish species and known environmental changes, including, for example, periods of warming and cooling. In particular, the study suggests that MSY is an achievable target for fishery management on a regional scale if fishing rates are reducing to late-1960s levels. These reductions would ensure greater yields and save resources currently expended on overfishing.

1. See: http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/cfp_en.htm

2. See: www.ices.dk/indexfla.asp

Source: Sparholt, H and Cook, R.M. (2009). Sustainable exploitation of temperate fish stocks. Biology Letters. Doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2009.0516

Contact: henriks@ices.dk

Theme(s): Marine ecosystems

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Climate change to reduce crop yields and increase child malnutrition

Adverse effects of climate change on agriculture will counteract any improvements in reducing levels of child malnutrition in the developing world, according to a new report, which calculates that twenty-five million more children will face malnutrition by 2050.

Climate change will reduce crop yields, which in turn will increase the price of food. This will change production and consumption patterns and directly affect human well-being and welfare through reduced calorie intake and increased child malnutrition. The study investigated the most important agricultural crops in developing countries - rice, wheat, maize and soybeans.

The researchers calculated the number of children facing malnutrition in 2050, with and without climate change. They modelled crop growth under projected climate change to estimate agricultural production, consumption, prices and trade of the crops. The costs of adaptation were also estimated for six regions.

The results suggest that climate change will have a negative impact on agriculture and human well-being, with crop yields and production falling more in developing countries than in developed countries. Irrigated wheat yields will fall by about 30 per cent and irrigated rice yields by about 15 per cent in developing countries.

South Asia will be the worst affected region for almost all crop yields, but particularly for wheat and rice. Sub-Saharan Africa is especially vulnerable to adverse climate change with many people dependent on rainfed agriculture. By 2050, average rice, wheat and maize yields will all have dropped.

Even without the influence of climate change, population growth, better standards of living and the demand for biofuels will cause the prices of important food crops to rise. These will increase the price of rice by 62 per cent, maize by 63 per cent, soybeans by 72 per cent and wheat by 39 per cent. With the added influence of climate change, prices will rise even further: an extra 32 to 37 per cent for rice, 52 to 55 per cent for maize, 11 to 14 per cent for soybeans, and 94 to 111 per cent for wheat. Expensive feed and increase in demand (fuelled by many more people having higher incomes, in particular in the more economically advanced developing countries) will also push up the price of meat.

If climate change were not to occur, it is likely that calorie availability would improve in all countries by 2050. However, under climate change, the cereal consumption and calorie intake will fall and child malnutrition will rise. Calorie availability will not only be lower than 2050 levels without climate change, but will decrease below 2000 levels in all countries around the world. With climate change, average consumption in developing countries will drop by over 15 per cent, and child malnutrition will increase by over 20 per cent relative to 2050 levels with no climate change.

Increased investments of around seven billion U.S. dollars a year in adaptation programmes would be needed to avoid such serious consequences of climate change on food prices. More funding is needed to boost productivity, particularly for agricultural research, building rural roads and expanding irrigation, to help farmers adapt to the effects of climate change.

Source: International Food Policy Research Institute report. (2009). Climate Change: Impact on Agriculture and Costs of Adaptation. The report can be downloaded from: www.ifpri.org/publication/climate-change-impact-agriculture-and-costs-adaptation

Contact: g.nelson@cgiar.org

Theme(s): Agriculture, Climate change and policy

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New economic models needed to curb 'consumption explosion'

A new report has indicated that, despite global recession, there is little evidence that our consumption is falling. It provides further evidence for large inequalities in consumption levels and calls for new economic models.

In August 2009, the EU released the Communication 'GDP and beyond: Measuring progress in a changing world', which outlines the need to develop a comprehensive environmental index to complement the current measure of economic activity - the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)1. A pilot version of this index is due to be presented in 2010.

A new report supports the above efforts, indicating that the recession has done little to change consumption levels and we need to change how we value the world’s resources. It provides a novel way of understanding the 'consumption explosion' by calculating a 'World Ecological Debt day' - the day the world pushed the planet into ecological debt. This was the 25th September in 2009, and means that for the remainder of the year we are consuming environmental resources that cannot be replaced. The date was only 24 hours later than last year, suggesting the recession is having little impact on consumption.

The report highlights several concerning trends that contribute to this. Although these are reported mainly for the UK, they also occur in other European countries. So-called 'boomerang trade' is particularly environmentally wasteful. This is where identical goods are both imported and exported from a country. For example, the UK exports 4,400 tons of ice cream every year to Italy and then re-imports 4,200 tons back again.

Energy security is also a major issue. Dependence on imported energy in the UK has been steadily rising since 1999. In 2004 it was no longer able to meet energy demands from domestic resources and its dependence on imported energy since has increased five fold.

Similarly, the developed world has also become far less self-sufficient in terms of food. Climate change and extreme weather events place pressures on food resources and increase general concerns about food secutiry. For example, crop yields in southern Europe fell by 30 per cent after the European heat waves in 2003.

The report also suggests that population growth and migration should not be blamed for environmental problems, and the problem lies with overconsumption. To support this argument, the report calculates that by 4am on 2 January, one person in the US will already be responsible for the equivalent in carbon emissions that a Tanzanian would take a whole year to generate. A UK citizen would reach the same point by 7pm on 4 January, needing thus roughly 4 days.

Additionally, the report suggests that the ecological footprint should be adopted as an official measure of the impact on global resources. The ecological footprint of a population is the total area of land and water that it requires to produce the resources it consumes and absorb the waste it generates. Alongside this, the report recommends a timetable and policies for shrinking the footprint. For example, year on year decreases in GHGs and commitment to greater energy and food security.

1. To see the Communication: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/Notice.do?checktexts=checkbox&val=499855 For further information, see www.beyond-gdp.eu

Source: New Economics Foundation and Open University Report. (2009). The Consumption Explosion: the third UK Interdependence Report. The report can be downloaded from: www.neweconomics.org/sites/neweconomics.org/files/The_Consumption_Explosion_1.pdf

Contact: andrew.simms@neweconomics.org

Theme(s): Sustainable consumption and production, Sustainable development and policy analysis

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Sinking deltas could increase risk of flooding worldwide

73 per cent of the world's 33 major river deltas are sinking, according to new research. Results indicate that the sinking is worsened by the impacts of human activity, such as upstream sediment collection caused by reservoirs, dams, accelerated sediment compaction, and control of river channels.

About 500 million people live in or near river deltas, which are formed when rivers deposit sediment as they flow into the sea. The 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change1 report concluded that many deltas will experience sea level rises due to climate change. The effects of twentieth century development and population growth will also increase the risk of deltas flooding. The EU's Floods Directive aims to assess and manage areas at risk of flooding, including coast lines2.

The research analysed high resolution satellite data, historical maps and infrared images of 33 world river deltas. Four of these were EU deltas, in Italy, France, Poland and Romania. The results indicated that 85 per cent of deltas experienced severe flooding in the past decade, causing 260,000 km2 of land to be temporarily submerged.

The study investigated the possible role of compaction of sediment in the increase in flooding, particularly compaction caused by human activities, such as removal of gas and water, trapping of sediments upstream in reservoirs and floodplain engineering. For example, the Po Delta in Italy subsided 3.7 metres in the twentieth century; 81 per cent of this is attributed to methane mining. This research is the first to estimate the volume of sediment delivered to the deltas both before and after substantial human activity.

The results demonstrated that sediment delivery has been reduced or eliminated at the majority of the deltas. Much of this can be attributed to upstream damming, e.g. in the Ganges (India) and the Mekong (Vietnam). Another factor is the reduction in the number of side channels. The number of distributary channels has dropped for 13 of the major deltas, including the Vistula (Poland) and the Nile (Egypt) which both suffered a 70 to 80 per cent reduction in distributary channels.

This reduction in sediment delivery has caused deltas to sink and makes them more vulnerable to flooding from sea level rises. A few deltas have remained largely unchanged over the twentieth century, such as the Amazon (Brazil) and the Congo (Western Africa).

The research also identified three categories of delta, listed in order of increasing risk of flooding:

1. Those with decreasing sediment deposition that can no longer keep up with local sea level rise, e.g. the Vistula (Poland), the Brahmani (India) and the Godavari (India)

2. Those with decreasing sediment deposition plus accelerated compaction of sediment, e.g. the Ganges and the Mekong.

3. Those with virtually no sediment deposition or very high compaction of sediment, e.g. the Po (Italy), the Rhone (France) and the Nile (Egypt).

Altogether, the surface area of delta that is vulnerable to flooding could increase by 50 per cent under IPCC projections for sea level rise in the twenty-first century. The flooding will increase further if sediment continues to be trapped upstream by reservoirs and other human activities.

1. See www.ipcc.ch

2. See http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/flood_risk/index.htm

Source: Syvitski, J.P.M., Kettner, A.J., Overeem, I. et al. (2009). Sinking deltas due to human activities. Nature Geoscience. Doi: 10.1038/NGE0629

Contact: james.syvitski@colorado.edu

Theme(s): Natural hazards, Water

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Driving forces for chemical risks to biodiversity

A new framework has been developed to examine the chemical risks to European biodiversity. It analyses the driving forces that trigger chemical pressures on biodiversity in the context of REACH (Regulation on the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals)1.

REACH has streamlined over 40 existing directives and regulations to manage the risks of chemicals to human health and the environment. Although this should indirectly reduce the negative effects of chemicals on biodiversity, REACH does not include direct risk assessments for biodiversity.

The study was conducted as part of the EU project ALARM2 and applied the DPSIR (Driving forces-Pressures-State-Impacts-Responses) framework to the case of chemical risks for biodiversity.

The researchers focused on driving forces. This is because pressures, state and impacts are difficult to measure on a large scale. For example, chemicals originate from a wide range of sources and can transform in the environment, producing unforeseen pressures.

The framework identifies three types of driving force that lead to the production and release of chemicals that represent a risk. Primary drivers are the accidental and deliberate release of chemicals, in intensive agriculture and chemical waste management, for example. Secondary drivers are the policies and regulations that govern the use and release of chemicals. Tertiary drivers are social and economic processes that shape policy.

The research examined the secondary and tertiary levels of driving forces. It evaluated the potential influence of REACH on chemical risks to biodiversity using several criteria such as its technical merit, its methodological merit, the quality of the risk assessment process and the quality of the policy itself. It analysed official documents, stakeholder consultations, as well as national policy programmes and reports.

The results indicated that REACH provides significant improvements compared with earlier regulation. However, although REACH represents a major step in the right direction, there are some criteria that could be improved. For example, REACH does not require field monitoring for chemical risks on biodiversity or risk assessments of interactions between chemicals and other pressures such as climate change. Neither is there sufficient opportunity for stakeholders and consumers to consult risk assessment information.

The analysis also highlights the importance of tertiary drivers. Consumer attitude has a strong influence on the production of chemicals, and public concern about their environmental impact is increasing. In addition, the economic value of the chemical industry has a strong influence. In 2007 it contributed 1.2 per cent of the total EU GDP.

The research suggests that with sufficient pressure from society and policymakers, the chemical industry could develop strategies to assess and reduce the risk to biodiversity. This is in line with the REACH framework where responsibility for risk assessment and management is with industry.

1. See http://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/reach/reach_intro.htm

2. ALARM (Assessing Large Scale Risks for Biodiversity with Tested Methods) was supported by the European Commission under the Sixth Framework Programme. See www.alarmproject.net

Source: Maxim, L. & Spangenberg, J.H. (2009). Driving forces of chemical risks for the European biodiversity. Ecological Economics. 69:43-54.

Contact: lauramaxim2002@yahoo.com

Theme(s): Biodiversity, Chemicals, Risk Assessment

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News Alert is edited by SCU, The University of the West of England