Methane has a global warming impact 25 times higher than that of carbon dioxide and is the world's second most emitted greenhouse gas. An EU-funded project is developing new strains of microorganisms that can transform methane into useful and bio-friendly materials.
Analysis by EU-funded researchers studying the cycle of nutrients in farms across Europe will help reduce pollution, improve energy efficiency and make the agricultural sector more sustainable and innovative.
Heat from the Earth is in plentiful supply - and innovation could help to reduce the cost and further improve the efficiency of technology for its extraction. An EU-funded project has set out to upgrade shallow geothermal systems and underground thermal storage. Part of the research is conducted in Turkey, where activities focus on the grouting.
Satellite data has great potential for detecting changes in ecosystems. An EU-funded project is combining space and ground data to develop an innovative method of monitoring ecosystems, to give early warnings of ecosystem change and biodiversity loss.
No more traffic jams. Safer roads. Less pollution. These are just some of the benefits promised as automated and connected vehicles take to the streets - but only if they can effectively communicate and cooperate. An EU-funded project is developing key network infrastructure technology to lead this revolution in transport automation.
Every year, around one-third of all food produced across the world is wasted before it even reaches the consumer. A team of EU-funded researchers is tackling the problem by turning crop and food-processing waste into high-value products.
Researchers across south-east Europe and the eastern Mediterranean are benefitting from a powerful new e-infrastructure developed in an EU-funded project, which enables diverse scientific communities to conduct groundbreaking cross-border research spanning climatology, life sciences and cultural heritage.
The European Union has established stringent requirements for the monitoring from space of man-made greenhouse gases (GHGs). An EU-funded project is developing a miniaturised spectrometer to be mounted on small satellites. This will enable scientists to meet the specifications for GHG monitoring and ultimately help us to better understand climate change.
Air quality in South East Asia is a major concern as the region further develops. European and Chinese scientists teamed up to develop space and ground-based tools and methods to monitor, model and forecast regional air quality and a growing list of emission types. Authorities can use the tools to plan for or prevent acute air-quality incidents, potentially saving thousands of lives.
As the Earth warms, it releases trapped carbon into the atmosphere. Just how much is likely to be released and the impact it could have on the planet has been the subject of much debate. EU-funded researchers can now offer new insights into likely soil activity in climate-change scenarios.
