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The «plastic paradox»: Some clean-up technologies do more harm than good
The ever-increasing problem of plastic pollution has prompted widespread efforts to combat it through innovative clean-up technologies. These advancements, however, often seen as the silver bullet to solve our plastic crisis, sometimes do more harm than good.
Marica
MARICA carries out the first systematic, multi-scale assessment of spatial patterns and drivers of marine resource conflicts across sub-Saharan Africa and in 3 focal case studies in Ghana, Kenya and South Africa.
Policy briefs
Is Europe ready to restore its nature?
Early 2024, the European Parliament will have a final vote on the Nature Restoration Law (NRL). An international team of scientists has investigated the prospects of the new regulation and published an article about it in the journal Science.
Susanne Claudia Schneider
Benthic algae and heterotrophic growth
UPRISE
UPRISE will produce a holistic management tool for municipalities that can be used to identify the most appropriate areas for peatland restoration.
Framework agreement with the Ministry of Climate and Environment for climate and environmental expertise
NIVA is part of a CICERO-led consortium that has won an exclusive framework agreement for climate and environmental knowledge for the Ministry of Climate and Environment (KLD) for 2023-2025. Together with our partners, we will contribute tools and expertise to the development of climate and environmental policy both nationally and internationally.
FAIRWAY - Farm systems management and governance for producing good water quality for drinking water supplies
The FAIRWAY project aims to review approaches for protection of drinking water resources against pollution by pesticides and nitrate, and develop innovative measures and governance approaches for effective drinking water protection.
New research informs about environmental effects of pharmaceutical discharges from hospitals
A comprehensive Norwegian study has investigated the environmental effects of pharmaceutical discharges via wastewater from hospitals. Some drugs may pose a hazard to the environment, while for several drugs we lack knowledge about the effects on aquatic life.
EU Water Framework Directive and ecological water quality
We need a better definition of nature positivity
Nature positivity is a popular buzz word for those engaged in the offshore wind industry. But a recent study concludes that a scientific definition of what it really means, is missing.
Sonja Kistenich
SusWater
SusWater (Sustainable governance of river basins with Hydropower production) focuses on water management in regulated rivers. The project looks at various avenues towards a more unified water management that is accepted both locally and nationally, while international obligations are met.
MULTISOURCE
MULTISOURCE is an EU-funded project that will facilitate the systematic, city-wide planning of nature-based solutions for urban water treatment, storage, and reuse. Through seven technical pilots across Europe and USA, a wide range of urban waters will be treated throughout the project, while decision support tools will be co-designed together with local, national, and international stakeholders. NIVA and the City of Oslo together with 18 other partners are working on the treatment and reuse of urban stormwater using nature-based treatment solutions. The Norwegian pilot treats road runoff from Tåsenveien.
PROLAND - Protecting agricultural lands from plastic pollution
PROLAND addresses the sources of plastic pollution in agricultural soils. In the project, four important sources that may add plastic pollution to farm soils will be investigated: sewage sludge, compost and biogas digestate, the use of agricultural plastics, and atmospheric deposition. Concentrations of plastic, the types of plastic polymers, and plastic-associated chemicals will be quantified in agricultural soils from different areas of Norway. Assessments of what risks the microplastics, plastic additives, and pesticides may pose to soil ecosystems will be considered. Various exposure and mobility studies will be carried out in the laboratory.
Water and society
The Water and Society section engages in research on the interactions between people and nature, and how different values and knowledge can be better integrated in environmental policy, regulation and management. Understanding these interactions is essential for relevant, inclusive and holistic water and environmental governance.