We often hear about AI as a solution to the environmental crisis: modelling the climate, protecting biodiversity, detecting pollution, optimizing farming and water management, or planning a transition to circular economy systems. AI can support all of these things, but…
Targets are central to environmental policy. Governments regularly establish objectives for emission cuts, biodiversity recovery, water quality and pollution abatement, nature restoration, circular economy targets and climate adaptation. Such goals are important because they offer direction and foster accountability. But…
We are all reliant on the daily movement of raw materials in the supply chain: metals, minerals, timber, biomass, plastics, aggregates, chemicals, and construction materials. Materials are used to manufacture buildings, vehicles, electronics, packaging, energy systems, infrastructure and products for…
This century’s most crucial environmental policy challenges include freshwater protection. Fresh water is essential for everything from the supply of our drinking water and food to our ability to harvest and produce fisheries. Freshwater also supports our energy grids, biodiversity,…
The issue of pollution is often viewed through the lens of regulation. Governments establish the legal framework: emission limit values, licensing regimes, environmental permits, waste standards, restrictions on the use of hazardous chemicals, monitoring and reporting requirements. Without these, it…
Environmental policy now prioritizes nature restoration. From policy-makers to private-sector firms and communities, all over the globe are under pressure to remediate damaged ecosystems, restore habitats, restore water quality, reintroduce species, and enhance landscape-level resilience to climate change. However, targets…
Nature loss is frequently portrayed as merely an environmental issue. The dwindling of species, loss of habitats, deteriorating soil quality and riverine pollution are traditionally treated as problems of conservation policy. Biodiversity loss also constitutes an economic problem. Sound ecological…
We’ve entered a different era of environmental policy. Around the world, countries are making more ambitious pledges on climate, biodiversity, pollution, resources and clean energy. Green Deal-style strategies have contributed to heightened ambition for what environmental policy should deliver. However,…
Farming lies at the heart of the most pressing environmental challenges of our age. It feeds populations, sustains rural economies, and dominates vast tracts of land globally. Yet, its footprint extends deep into our soils, water bodies, biodiversity, carbon emissions,…
Clean energy is crucial for the world, and it is essential that we increase the pace of deployment for these types of energy. Expanding solar, wind, geothermal and hydropower is necessary to diminish reliance on fossil fuels and reduce the…