Carbon footprint of solar panels under microscope

(07 November 2016) – As the COP22 opens this week in Marrakesh, recent news about solar power has been positive, with record-breaking tariffs reflecting the fast-declining price of solar electricity. But even solar plants can come with a heavy environmental footprint, writes Andreas Wade of First Solar. Concentrated Solar Power

Caprio film, Brexit, getting stoned, doing fun stuff and more in the Transition Network Newsletter

(04 November 2016) – The Transition Network Newsletter opens this month with a review of an irony free film about Climate Change by the owner of a $200m yacht, an award for a film, a new inspiring French film and two pieces on Brexit. It really isn’t time for everybody

Paris Agreement enters into force

(04 November 2016) – The Paris Agreement legally enters into force today; 30 days after the EU’s ratification pushed it past the threshold to take effect. The event comes less than a year after the landmark agreement was adopted and just days ahead of the UN climate conference in Marrakech,

Towards an integrated rural development policy 2.0

(03 November 2016) – In an article published by ARC 2020, rural sociologist Jan Douwe van der Ploeg (Wageningen University, the Netherlands) outlines his vision for what he calls integrated rural development. In recent years, European agriculture has effectively moved from a highly protected system towards a liberalized sector, with

A LIFE-line for 144 innovative projects investing for a better environment and climate action

(03 November 2016) – The European Commission has approved an investment package of €222.7 million to support Europe’s transition to a more sustainable and low-carbon future. The EU funding will spur additional investments leading to a total of €398.6 million to be invested into 144 new LIFE projects in 23

Organic farming on the rise in the EU

(25 October 2016) – At the end of 2015, 271 500 organic agricultural producers were registered in the European Union, an increase of 5.4% compared with 2014. With more than 11 million hectares of certified area or area under conversion in 2015, organic farming made up 6.2% of the EU

ECOLISE launches the ‘European Day of Sustainable Communities’

(17 October 2016) – Registration is now open for the first European Day of Sustainable Communities, which will take place on the 23 September 2017, showcasing some of the many groundbreaking initiatives in communities across Europe that are leading the way towards a low-carbon, ecological future. Ecovillages, Transition initiatives, permaculture

REALS policy recommendations

(14 October 2016) – Partners of REALS, a transition cooperation project between Sweden, Russia and Belarus which ended in August 2016, developed a set of policy recommendations. You can find the document here. The work has really been a learning journey for a few of us in the project group

Bruce Charles ‘Bill’ Mollison (1928-2016)

(13 October 2016) – A moving tribute to Bill Mollison, who died 24 September in Tasmania, a true pioneer who gave up a promising academic career to challenge the status quo and establish the global Permaculture movement. A few people are born who are world class heroes to those who

Video: Design for Sustainability & Organic Food Systems Learning Journey

Gaia Education in partnership with the University of Catania is conducting of series of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) courses to address the convergence of humanitarian and economic crises in Sicily by supporting the professionalisation of migrants and unemployed youth in the context of the rich agricultural legacy of the