Issue 18 of Government addresses the recent rise in terrorist activity in Europe, and offers a number of perspectives on the role international policy can play in tackling this urgent challenge. This edition’s energy and environment sections look to the future of fuels, and examine how renewables might interact with the EU’s ambitious circular economy strategy and climate change targets. Finally, it concludes with a special focus on recent controversy surrounding the use of performance enhancing drugs in sport.
How is international policy developing?
- European Commissioner Neven Mimica details new, fundamental revisions to the EU’s international development agenda;
- Elmar Brok MEP talks about his role as chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs;
- Petya Nestorova, of the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings discusses the challenge irregular migration poses to the group’s work; and
- Slovakia’s minister for foreign affairs, Miroslav Lajčák, sets the scene for the country’s Presidency of the Council of Europe.
What does the future of energy look like?
- Jean-Marc Jossart of the European Biomass Association talks about the EU’s strategy for heating and cooling;
- KIC InnoEnergy chief technology officer Antoni Martínez assesses the role of carbon capture and storage in Europe’s energy transition; and
- James Watson of SolarPower Europe discusses the role of industry in creating a sustainable future based on renewables.
How is environment policy changing?
- Director of the European Environment Agency Hans Bruyninckx offers his thoughts on the circular economy;
- Beat Späth of EuropaBio explains the controversy around the use of genetically modified crops in EU agriculture; and
- Renowned economist Professor Jeffrey D Sachs emphasises the need for new action to tackle today’s food and agriculture challenges.
How can doping in sport be prevented?
- The World Anti-Doping Agency’s Ben Nichols spoke about the organisation’s new powers to combat performance enhancing drugs;
- Pedro Branco of European Athletics emphasises the role of an athlete’s biological passport in tackling doping in sport; and
- Professor Dr Mario Thevis of the German Sport University Cologne explains how testing for performance enhancing drugs actually works.
