Transitioning to a waste-free economy requires cities and regions across Europe to properly collect, recycle and reuse waste. Unfortunately, this is not the case in many places. Thanks to the EU-funded COLLECTORS project, policymakers have access to the information they need to implement fully integrated waste collection systems, making life cleaner and greener for EU citizens.
Europe needs more bio-based products to ensure future generations inherit a sustainable society, but the success of such products can only be built on trust. The EU-funded STAR-ProBio project are conscious of the challenges ahead. They built a new framework to help create better labels, standards and certifications that will allow for that trust to be built, ultimately benefiting all EU citizens.
While cement and lime are essential to modern life, unfortunately the manufacturing process unavoidably releases large amounts of CO2. The EU-funded LEILAC project has been developing cutting-edge technology to efficiently capture these emissions at a low cost. This will help to decarbonise a critically important industrial sector and contribute towards cleaner air for all citizens to enjoy.
The diesel ferries used to transport people and vehicles from point A to point B produce a lot of air pollution. But a new all-electric, pollution-free car ferry designed by the EU-funded E-ferry project has proven capable of effectively replacing these diesel models. As a result, passengers across Europe could soon be commuting via sustainable, quiet, and smog-free electric ferries.
People love tomatoes so much that they are now the most important vegetable crop worldwide. But as world temperatures rise, the risk of losing this vital source of food has become very real. The EU-funded TomGEM project has identified new varieties with better heat tolerance to ensure citizens can continue to enjoy all the tasty tomato-based foods they adore for a very long time still to come.
Methanol has been touted as a potential climate-friendly ‘fuel of the future’ since the late 1980s, but its use in the transport sector remains limited. The possibility of generating it from CO2 has recently rekindled interest. An EU-funded project explored this option to decarbonise the steel industry and power cargo ships that would benefit both the environment and, subsequently, citizens.
Heavy industry is often associated with giant chimneys releasing large quantities of dense, polluting smoke. The EU-funded CLEANKER project has developed new CO2 capture technology for cement plants, challenging this age-old industrial perception. Their technology will boost the EU’s plans for a greener economy that will ultimately benefit all citizens, wherever they live.
Islands are an ideal research ground for those willing to test out energy grid improvement solutions. Local communities usually favour renewable energy and face a wide range of challenges. The EU-funded SMILE project has been testing various combinations of new technologies to take these challenges on, for the benefit of island communities.
The steel industry is one of the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitters. To change this, the EU and industry-funded H2Future project is showing how a steel production plant can operate using green hydrogen made from renewable electricity. Once finalised, this new technology could play a key role in helping Europe meet its goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2050.
Farmers need access to suitable organic seed but there is a lack of high-quality organic seeds in Europe. The EU-funded LIVESEED project addressed this by developing a new organic seed quality strategy, a Europe-wide seed database and sustainable breeding techniques that target specific farming conditions. By strengthening the EU’s organic agriculture, these results will benefit all citizens.
