Launch webinar on Biodegradable Plastics

Launch webinar on Biodegradable Plastics


The first SAPEA webinar on Biodegradable Plastics attracted a large international audience of almost 170 on 4th February.  The webinar brought together panellists from the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors, SAPEA and the European Commission, to respond to the question, ‘Tackling plastic pollution: are biodegradable plastics the answer?’

The webinar was chaired by Professor Ole Petersen, Vice-President of Academia Europaea and Director of the AE Cardiff Hub.  He outlined the role and purpose of the European Scientific Advice Mechanism, and its two principal elements, the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors and the SAPEA consortium.

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Taking action on plastics pollution: are biodegradable plastics the answer?

Taking action on plastics pollution: are biodegradable plastics the answer?


Webinar: 4th February, 15:30 CEST, 14:30 BST UK

Introduction

Every year, more and more plastics end up in our oceans and rivers, and on the land. Once there, they pose risks to our environment and the health of living creatures. Conventional plastics persist for centuries, but biodegradable plastics are designed by scientists to break down in a few weeks or years. Could biodegradable plastics help us solve the pollution problem, or are they are a problem in themselves? 

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Cardiff Hub oversees completion of Evidence Review Report on Biodegradability of Plastics in the Open Environment

Cardiff Hub oversees completion of Evidence Review Report on Biodegradability of Plastics in the Open Environment


A major new Evidence Review Report entitled ‘Biodegradability of Plastics in the Open Environment’ has been published today by SAPEA. Academia Europaea led the coordination of the Evidence Review Report, with responsibility for management and delivery of the work given to the AE Cardiff Hub.

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Nicole Grobert MAE elected Chair of EU Group of Chief Scientific Advisors

Nicole Grobert MAE elected Chair of EU Group of Chief Scientific Advisors

Nicole Grobert, Professor of nanomaterials at the University of Oxford and Member of Academia Europaea, has been elected Chair of the European Commission’s Group of Chief Scientific Advisors.

The role of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors (GCSA) is to provide independent scientific advice to the European Commission across a diverse range of topics to inform policymaking and to provide recommendations to improve the interaction between policymaking and scientific advice.

Professor Nicole Grobert will succeed Professor Rolf-Dieter Heuer, also a member of Academia Europaea.

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SAPEA call for nominations on the topic Biodegradability of Plastics in the Open Environment

SAPEA call for nominations on the topic Biodegradability of Plastics in the Open Environment

Call for nominations for an international working group to conduct the evidence review

Biodegradability of Plastics: Plastic bottle in a beach


The European Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) provides independent and transparent scientific advice to the European Commission, working with a Group of Chief Scientific Advisors and the European Academies (SAPEA). SAPEA (Science Advice for Policy by European Academies) comprises the five European Academy Networks: 

SAPEA represents over 100 Academies in more than 40 European countries, and spans all the major disciplines (including engineering, humanities, medicine, science and social sciences).

The Group of Chief Scientific Advisors intends to produce a policy-based Scientific Opinion on the topic of Biodegradability of plastics in the open environment. 

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