Articles from Science for Environment Policy

Do offset schemes protect biodiversity in the face of development?
Biodiversity offset schemes do not always fully compensate for loss of habitat due to development, new research suggests. Of 66 development projects in France with offset schemes, it was found that numbers of species in offset sites was on average five times lower than in the land destined for development. Furthermore, even endangered species were not always protected by these offset sites.
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Recycled waste could be a valuable source of rare earth elements
Recycling offers a promising means of supplying the rare earth elements neodymium and dysprosium, used in computing and low-carbon technologies, research suggests. If recycling infrastructure and technologies are prepared now to deal with the larger volumes of high-tech waste expected in the future, 7-9% of global demand for these critical elements could be met by recycling by the year 2030.
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Impacts of roads on wildlife: a case study of moose in Sweden
Moose avoid roads during day when human activity is highest, new research suggests. Monitoring moose movements in Sweden, researchers have found that the probability of moose being near roads drops after 06:00 and only rises again at approximately 18:00.
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Diesel cars' climate impacts not as beneficial as believed, scientists conclude
The promotion of diesel-fuelled cars in Europe may not have had the beneficial environmental effects that were expected, research suggests. It has been assumed that they help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transport sector, but studies show that their fuel efficiency is lower than previously believed, while their black carbon and nitrogen oxides emissions are higher. The consequent reduction in global warming effects from diesel cars may therefore be negligible, perhaps even negative.
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Green behaviour encouraged through strengthened environmental self-identity
Campaigns which remind individuals of the environmentally-friendly actions they already perform may motivate them to even more pro-environmental behaviours, new research suggests. If people identify themselves as environmentally-friendly, they are more likely to carry out green actions, even in the absence of any incentive.
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