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• 25 tonnes of small combustible waste were sampled in Denmark. • More than half of the small combustible waste was recyclable material fractions. • Recycling these recyclable fractions would increase national recycling rate by 12%. • These recyclable fractions would contribute to saving 27 kg CO 2 -eq/capita/year. Europe is currently adapting its waste management strategies towards the increased recycling of waste materials, motivated by ambitious recycling targets. This requires correctly sorting and recovering of all relevant waste flows. In Denmark, a considerable share of residential household waste is collected at recycling centres, 16% of which is sent to energy recovery in the form of "small combustible waste". Although essential in order to enhance the management of household waste, very little information exists on its composition. In this study, 25 tonnes of small combustible waste were sampled from eight Danish recycling centres and classified according to material fraction, application and physical properties. On this basis, the potential contribution to the overall recycling rate was evaluated together with estimation of the potential environmental savings associated with recycling of these fractions. Less than half of the sampled waste comprised combustible materials, whereas recyclable fractions accounted for 47–64%, mainly including textiles, plastics and paper waste. Assuming this composition applicable to the national level, recycling these waste materials collected as small combustibles increased national recycling rates for households by 12%, calculated as waste received at recycling processes. Moreover, the potential climate change savings associated with recycling of Danish household waste increased by 30% compared to the current level. Plastics, textiles and paper were the main contributors to this increase, suggesting that improved sorting practices for these materials should be prioritised. The study demonstrates that detailed compositional data for waste materials has paramount importance when estimating recycling potentials and quantifying the associated environmental benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper tries to answer two questions related to the implementation of one of Europe''s most influential EU-directives, the Water Framework Directive. First, it describes how three Member States, Denmark, the Netherlands and France, actually struggle and cope with this ambitious Directive. Second, it discusses existing theories of EU implementation and questions whether they are able to deal with the overwhelming diversity in national responses to this open-ended and flexible ‘new generation’ EU-directive. Denmark, the Netherlands and France were selected because they represent a fair degree of diversity. Denmark started out the implementation process with high ambitions and a relatively formal approach, whereas the Netherlands from the outset chose to follow a more pragmatic course. France is an interesting case because this country already had a mature system of river basin management in place before the WFD came into force. Compared to existing implementation theories, the paper offers a more differentiated way of describing and structuring the implementation processes that contemporary EU-directives are producing in a world coloured by multi-actor, multi-level and multi-sector governance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

There have been a number of indications of strong negative impacts of Covid-19 and the preventive measures associated with the pandemic for all food sectors. However, there is increasing evidence that the picture is quite nuanced where the Covid related measures are creating challenges for some and opportunities for others. In this paper we investigate the impacts of Covid-19 on the aquaculture sector in the European Union using two approaches; a survey where industry representatives and experts assess the impacts on key economic indicators allowing for positive as well as negative impacts, and recently published aquaculture production data for Denmark and Spain. Our findings show that surveys' results indicate that, on average, the impact of Covid-19 is negative on the income side, increasing cost and therefore negative with respect to profit. However, in every category the average covers both positive and negative answers suggesting that what was a challenge for some was a window of an opportunity for others. The production data for Denmark and Spain also indicate moderate to no impacts of the Covid-19. The strongest impacts appear on the turbot prices, a species where highly dependent on higher end restaurants. The lower price is a clear indication that there was a significant opportunity cost associated with getting access to other supply chains, particularly as the quantity was also moderately down. • This study point towards a more nuanced picture of the effects of Covid-19 lock downs on EU aquaculture. • Increasing evidence show that Covid-19 have created challenges for some but also created opportunities for others. • A survey assess the impacts on key economic indicators show on average a negative impact on the economy. • However, in every category in our survey, the average covers both positive and negative answers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing interest in integrating climate change considerations into Programmes of Measures (PoMs) under the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) is being driven in part by the requirements of the next generation of River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs). However, so far most studies have focused on potential impacts of climate change on water bodies and the adaptation to climate change-related risks, whereas the relationship between RBMP's and mitigation of climate change -- through the reduction in emissions of greenhouse gasses (GHG) -- has only been touched upon. This paper investigates the potential for synergies between reduction of nutrient losses from agriculture and climate change mitigation in a case study of the Isefjord and Roskilde Fjord River Basin in Denmark. For this purpose, a map-based approach is applied to analyze the effects and cost-effectiveness of selected PoMs to reduce both nitrogen loads and GHG emissions from agriculture at the river basin scale. The results indicate a substantial potential for cost- effective integration of climate change mitigation into WFD action programmes with special emphasis on four agri-environmental N-GHG measures applied in combination: (1) manure treatment for biogas production and improved N utilization, (2) cultivation of perennial energy crops, (3) extensification of intensively farmed lowland areas and (4) wetland restoration. The particular PoMs investigated can ensure fulfilment of the WFD GES objectives for Isefjord and Roskilde Fjord in a cost-effective way and at the same time reduce GHG emissions significantly, corresponding to a 35--65% reduction of total agricultural GHG emissions within the river basin. This study suggests that a targeted and differentiated approach to the development of PoMs is necessary in order to attain the full potential of these kinds of win--win solutions in the context of the WFD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The international climate change negotiations leading to and including the Copenhagen and Cancun Conferences of the Parties in 2009 and 2010 have shown a very different balance of power from those of the 1997 Kyoto round. This “New World dis(Order)” is characterized by insecurity of the United States in the face of economic and political decline vis-à-vis China; fragmentation of the Group of 77 developing nations negotiating bloc; and weakening of the European Union, which was cut out entirely from the group negotiating the Copenhagen Accord. In addition to old alignments of developing countries based on solidarity, negotiating blocs have fractured along lines of responsibility for climate change, capability to address it, and national vulnerability to climate risks. This paper assesses whether, over the past two decades, negotiations have come closer to meeting basic criteria of international climate justice, and chronicles how environmental negotiations have come to reflect a different and shifting balance of power. Drawing insights from Giovanni Arrighi and Beverly Silver''s analyses of US hegemonic decline and the rise of China, the article argues that the roots of the worst stubbornness by the US in recent climate talks lie in growing insecurity about its ability to provide jobs for its workers in a future where all sorts of work is moving to China and India. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Healthcare in Europe is increasingly influenced by European Union (EU) regulation enacted to harmonise heterogeneous practices through common safety standards. In many instances directives on safety issues evade public debate because they are seen as merely ‘technical matters’. In this paper I analyse the implications at a national level in Denmark of one such piece of legislation: the EU Tissues and Cells Directive. The analysis is based on participant observation, interviews and document analysis conducted in the period from May 2007 to June 2009. I follow translations of the Directive from the level of the EU text into national legislation and further into everyday practices. From a biopolitical perspective, I explore the implications of this so-called technical directive that appear necessary for policymakers and yet remain strangely detached from the everyday experiences of people for whom and on whom it is supposed to work. The Directive has serious implications for the allocation of funds, for patients and for healthcare professionals. These implications need to be discussed. Even more basically, the analysis points to a need for discussing what makes so-called technical directives necessary. This article is intended to facilitate this type of debate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: On the eve of the long awaited debate on reforming the CFP, Making Fisheries Management Work offers a new perspective on why some systems succeed and others fail. The authors contrast the smooth transfer between policy formulation and implementation in Norway with the weaknesses inherent in a two-tier governance system involving Denmark and the EU where implementation drift can subvert the original policy intention. The Commission''s Green Paper on reforming the CFP recognises the symptoms but not the causes of poor implementation. Rather than seek to bring discipline to the implementation process, the main thrust of its proposals is to rebalance management responsibilities by devolving decision making to the regions and in effect creating a three-tier system of governance. An interesting debate is likely between those who favour a relaxation of central management and those who fear its consequences. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the frame of the EU - based GeoCapacity project 1 [1] EU/EC Contract # 518318 under the 6th Framework Programme, Assessing European Capacity for Geological Storage of Carbon Dioxide, EU GeoCapacity. Start -up date: 01 January 2006. Coordinator : Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Copenhagen, Denmark. , the capacity for CO2 geological storage is being estimated for 23 countries of Europe. This project supplements the FP5 GESTCO project covering the whole area of E urope and the countries under study have been classified in three (3) groups for easy of work. The Central - East group of countries comprises Greece (update of GESTCO estimates), Albania, FYROM, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary. The paper give s an overview o f the work and results of which - since January 2006 - has been focussing on mapping large CO2 point sources, infrastructure and potential for geological storage in this group of European countries. From up today results it is evident that the annual emis sions, the type of sinks, suitable for CO2 storage, and the estimated potential varies largely between the countries of the group. The annual CO2 emissions from large point sources (> 0. 1 Mt) were recorded and in decreasing order are as follows per co untry: Romania 80 Mt, Greece 69 Mt, Bulgaria 52 Mt, Hungary 26 Mt, FYROM 4 Mt, Albania 0,3 Mt. The type of suitable sinks for CO2 storage and the estimated potential varies significantly. The largest potential has been estimated in saline and fresh aquifer s followed by hydrocarbon reservoirs and for some countries in coal seams. The storage capacity has been estimated by using the standard methodology developed for the project. The highest capacity occurs in Hungary in onshore aquifers and hydrocarbon and coal fields where the quality of storage is poor. Bulgaria has a high potential in aquifers, low in hydrocarbon fields and very low in coal seams. The same is true for Greece. Romania has a very high storage potential in aquifers and high in hydrocarbon fi elds (both offshore and onshore). FYROM has a high capacity of CO2 storage in one aquifer which can host the emissions (low in quantity) for many decades (under the present rate). Finally Albania presents a low potential in hydrocarbon fields and aquifers but a big one in the salt domes. Given the very low quantity of Albania’s annual CO2 emissions, this limited potential can accommodate the present emissions for many decades. For each of the six countries of the group, 1 -2 case studie s are under compilation and they will be studied under some scenarios of source - sink matching, using the Decision Support System (D.S.S.) developed for the project. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In 2004, the European Union legislation allowed to change meat inspection of finishing pigs, raised under controlled housing conditions, pending use of risk assessment of the effect of the proposed changes. This paper summarises the process undertaken in Denmark, where a series of national risk assessments and epidemiological investigations were undertaken, in a stepwise approach to address specific needs due to trade requirements. The initial focus was to examine the visual-only inspection (VOI) in lieu of the traditional inspection method, which involves incisions and palpations of various organs. The objective was to understand what would be missed, how often, and what the consequences might be, if incisions and palpations would no longer be undertaken routinely. Next, the microbiological burden of pigs previously suffering from generalised diseases was evaluated. The work was undertaken in collaboration among the academia, industry, and veterinary authorities. The OIE (Office International des Epizooties, now World Organisation for Animal Health) approach to risk assessment was used, which involves steps of hazard identification, release assessment, exposure assessment, consequence assessment, and risk estimation. To inform the results of assessment, samples were collected from abattoirs and subjected to laboratory investigation. Furthermore, slaughterhouse statistics, literature, and expert opinion were used. It was concluded that VOI could safely replace traditional inspection, although some cases of endocarditis and embolic pneumonia would be missed. Today, VOI is in place for finishing pigs that are raised indoors. The information collected in this study has resulted in an update of the mandatory septicaemia-inspection at the rework area. Moreover, the Danish legislation has been updated; replacing mandatory de-boning of prior septicaemia cases with an own-check program involving targeted focus on predilection sites for abscesses during cutting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy sustainability plays a significant role in ensuring energy security, improving environment and promoting sustainable development of economic and social. This paper focuses on assessing and analyzing the sustainability and influencing factors of 27 EU countries' renewable energy. By DPSIR-Four-Dimensional indicators system, four sustainability dimensions of energy, economy, society and environment are considered and integrated. To deal with the randomness and fuzziness of multi-dimensional metadata, and to conduct assessment without standard, we develop a nonlinear multi-factor assessment model (projection pursuit fuzzy clustering model with accelerated genetic algorithm based on real coding). The results show that the CO 2 emissions, energy productivity, non-renewable energy emission intensity, energy dependence, electricity price and policy support are closer related to the renewable energy sustainability. The strongest sustainability countries are Denmark and Sweden. From the overall analysis, time-series analysis shows that general sustainable level is a wave of growth. The geographical analysis shows that the countries with better sustainable development are mainly located in the central region, showing a belt distribution from north to south. The Sustainability decreases from the middle to the sides. Image 1 • Applying a composite assessment model to analyze sustainability of renewable energy in 27 EU countries. • The model includes DPSIR, RAGA, projection pursuit and fuzzy clustering iterative analysis. • The model integrates energy, economy, society and environment aspects. • Denmark and Sweden rank highest in the renewable energy sustainability of EU. • The main influencing factors are CO 2 emissions, energy productivity and energy dependence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]