GLOBALCHANGE-TV

Desert of EuropeLow precipitation, erosion, urbanization, changes in agricultural methods or intensive farming… Mediterranean countries are facing a desertification process that translates into a degradation of cultivable land, pastures and forests, as well as a noticeable loss of biodiversity. (Jan. '08)

Green Housing EstateHouseholds and cars currently contribute to more than 50% of all energy consumption in the EU. Innovative energy-efficient architecture can help to bring this percentage down. (Feb. '08)

London below Sea Level

London planners should prepare for the possibility that the sea level rise will be up to 94 centimetres by the end of this century. But policymakers must be on their marks and keep a watchful eye on the polar ice sheets melt rate, which might further raise the sea level up to 2 metres. (Oct. '08)

No Bees No FruitsScientists achieved an alarming result: pollinators and insect-pollinated plants in Britain and the Netherlands are declining, while the number of wild bees dramatically increases.(Dec. '07)

Palms Conquer the NorthThe Chusan palm started to spread and regenerate outside the gardens in forests in Southern Switzerland and Northern Italy. (Jan. '08)

Preventing DiseasesInsect or rodent borne human diseases have recently been reappearing in Europe. These diseases have serious health, ecological and political consequences. (Dec.'07)

Safe Drinking

Clean drinking water is a basic requirement for a healthy life and the drinking water demand of an adult person is two litres a day. But worldwide over one Billion people do not have access to clean water. (Dec. '07)

Saving our Cultural HeritageParchment, made from partially-tanned animal skin, has been used since the 2nd century B.C. and it undergoes the irreparable damage caused by time. (Dec. '07)

Vanishing LakesFreshwater ecosystems, already under stress from land-use change and pollution, now face additional pressures from climate change, either directly or through interaction with other drivers. (Dec. '07)