Europe’s most popular travel destinations are feeling the strain of their own success. From Paris to Dubrovnik, mass tourism brings overcrowding and pollution. Yet just beyond these hotspots lie regions eager to welcome visitors. EU-funded researchers believe they have found a way to channel tourism more sustainably. One such place is Trebinje, in southern Bosnia […]
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Michalis Genitsariotis, a former salesman turned olive grower from the northern Greek region of Halkidiki, is constantly learning in his “second life” as a farmer. Unlike many people with a traditional farming background, Michalis only turned to agriculture in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, at a time when many were pushed to change […]
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Red, white, or rosé, sparkling or still, dry or fruity, wine is deeply embedded in European culture. But so are attempts to counterfeit good wines. Except that researchers have now created a smart system that could put an end to such transgressions. Countering the counterfeits Counterfeiting spirits and wine costs European businesses €1.3 billion annually, according […]
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For 89-year-old Mercedes Alvarez from the northern Spanish city of Gijón, cataract surgery was more than a routine medical procedure, it was a life-changing experience. “At first, I didn’t want to do it, even though I had trouble seeing anything,” Alvarez said. “I spent sleepless nights worrying because, at my age, even a simple procedure […]
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In Catalonia there are 7.7 million residents and approximately 7.9 million pigs. That’s over one pig per person. Large-scale pig farming has led to an excess of nitrogen in the soil, a problem shared by many European regions. But just a few kilometres from Barcelona, a small revolution is turning this waste into a valuable […]
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On the plains of Crau in southern France, EU-funded researchers are pioneering a new approach to water conservation that allows local farmers to sell or buy their water rights during droughts and distribute water more efficiently. In the event of a water shortage, the new scheme encourages farmers to either reduce their water usage or […]
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For Zoe Lefkofridi, a professor of politics and gender at the University of Salzburg in Austria, there cannot be real democracy without gender equality. But past progress cannot be taken for granted. Despite significant steps in Europe towards gender equality, opposition seems to be on the rise. “The EU has been a pioneer in promoting […]
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