At the end of June, the European Parliament announced that it had voted to support the revision of the European Waste Framework Directive. The decision came after months of debate, but it was not welcomed by everyone. Leonie Bennett reports

As Hilary Benn unveils plans for a zero waste nation, officials predict public sector spending cuts will lead to tough times for local authorities. Can Benn’s ambition be realised on minimal financing

Quality has been the watch word of the last year and WRAP’s recent MRF report has tried hard to quantify some of the quality issues. Carolyn Cross reports

A new report by the Audit Commission tells us it’s official: we should be worried about meeting our landfill diversion targets for 2013. Libby Peake reports

France is imposing a ‘picnic tax’ of 90 cents per kilogramme on plastic and paper throwaway cups and cutlery in an effort to drive down the average 360kg of waste generated per Frenchman (or woman) pe

A report by Ireland’s Institute of International and European Affairs, The Climate Change Challenge: Strategic Issues, Options, and Implications for Ireland, has admitted meeting the EU target for cut

A joint EEA, JRC and WHO report, Impacts of Europe’s Changing Climate, shows “how temperature is increasing, sea levels are rising, glaciers, ice sheets and sea ice are melting, precipitation is chang

Naples’ rubbish crisis is over, according to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, though he warns a permanent solution to Campania’s waste woes could take years.

Massive solar panels in the Sahara could supply all of Europe’s electricity needs, according to EU scientists.

The German part of the North Sea will soon be awhirl with wind power, as construction on the first of 30 offshore wind powerplants gets underway.