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Present in several products, including fire extinguisher foam, fluoride-based pollutants, so-called PFAS or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are extremely difficult to dispose of. Photo: Brett Clashman, U.S. Air Force Public domainPhoto: Brett Clashman, U.S. Air Force Public domain

Ball milling cleans soil of persistent fluoride

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Researchers in New Zealand are testing a solution against fluoride pollution. The technique has made it possible to degrade per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at the molecular level with 99.9 percent efficacy
The application of cover crops under the vines allows the plants and soil protection by reducing the use of herbicides. Photo: ד "ר יהודה מלמד עין הוד Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)ד "ר יהודה מלמד עין הוד Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Cover crops are a sustainable solution for vines

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In vineyards, competition from cover crops can be used to limit the exposure of vines to disease, a study by Penn State University says. In this way the use of herbicides is reduced
The figure emerges from an analysis released together with the proposed Soil Directive presented by the EU Commission in early July. Photo: Sébastien Bertrand Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)Sébastien Bertrand Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

A sustainable soil pays off as enefits exceed costs by 1.7 times, EU says

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The figure is included in the Impact Assessment accompanying the proposed EU Soil Directive. Between now and 2060, the sustainable management of the continent's land will generate a positive balance of EUR 320 billion
In the EU, says the European Environment Agency, the economic benefits from the restoration of continental ecosystems amount to approximately EUR 1,860 billion. Photo: Jacek Karczmarz Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)Jacek Karczmarz Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Environment restoration in the EU is worth almost 2 trillion euro

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This is reported in a briefing by the European Environment Agency, which also calculates the return on investment for terrestrial ecosystems: every euro spent guarantees an economic return of between 8 and 38 euros
According to a British research, the impact of the war could cost Ukraine crop damage for at least a century. Photo: Heulwolf Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)Heulwolf Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Ukraine, soil damage already amounts to $15 billion

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La FAO e il programma Alimentare Mondiale hanno lanciato un’iniziativa per sminare i terreni agricoli in Ucraina. Nel frattempo gli esperti lanciano l’allarme sulla contaminazione di guerra
By 2022, forest destruction in Ghana increased by 71%, the highest figure on the planet. Photo: Maite Knorr-Evans, World Resources Institute Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)Maite Knorr-Evans, World Resources Institute Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Destruction of tropical forests increased by 10% in 2022

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Despite formal commitments made in Glasgow in 2021, the loss of primary rainforests in the tropics is increasing, says Global Forest Watch. Brazil tops the list. The cases of Congo R.D., Ghana and Bolivia are also worrying
The 34 per cent decrease recorded between January and June this year in the Amazon comes after a 54 per cent increase from August to December 2022 under the previous government. Photo: Lubasi Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)Photo: Lubasi Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)

It’s the Lula effect? Amazon deforestation falls by 34% in six months

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The numbers, which have not been verified by an independent authority, would mark a turnaround for the Amazon after a particularly bad 2022. Fines and bans are increasing. But fires are also on the rise, having never been so extensive since 2007
Thanks to artificial intelligence, deforestation can be prevented by detecting the presence of key variables. Photo: Bruno Kelly/Amazônia Real from Manaus AM, Brasil Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)Bruno Kelly/Amazônia Real from Manaus AM, Brasil Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

Artificial intelligence challenges deforestation in Brazil

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The PrevisIA system uses artificial intelligence to rapidly analyze satellite imagery detecting critical variables that can promote deforestation. "Its predictive ability is fantastic," according to its creators
U.S. Geological Survey researchers have developed a new remote sensing system to detect deforestation on large geographic and temporal scales. Photo: Cecilio Ricardo United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. Public Domain Mark 1.0 No CopyrightCecilio Ricardo United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. Public Domain Mark 1.0 No Copyright

New developments in deforestation remote sensing in the U.S.

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By combining old deforestation survey methods, U.S. Geological Survey researchers have developed a new large-scale representation which increases efficiency and accuracy. The hope for the future is real-time mapping
Phytoremediation represents an opportunity for Alaska, which has always struggled with contamination problems. Photo: Kenneth John Gill Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)Kenneth John Gill Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Microbes give new hope for soil remediation in Alaska

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Alaska, which has always struggled with cases of oil contamination, may find new solutions in phytoremediation. According to researchers at the University of Fairbanks, grasses and fertilizers shape microbial communities responsible for disposing of toxic substances

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