Impeding Europe Energy Crisis

A report by the Global Sustainability Institute said shortages would increase dependency on Norway, Qatar and Russia.There should be a "Europe-wide drive" towards wind, tidal, solar and other sources of renewable power, the institute's Prof Victor Anderson said.

The report says Russia has more than 50 years of oil, more than 100 years of gas and more than 500 years of coal left, on current consumption.By contrast, Britain has just 5.2 years of oil, 4.5 years of coal and three years of its own gas remaining..

However,France fares even worse, according to the report, with less than year to go before it runs out of all three fossil fuels.The report has painted a insight and varied picture across mainland Europe and the UK, with Germany having 250 years of coal, however less than a year of oil and this well mean that Europe will face a major energy crisis if they don't move their focus to more sustainable and renewable energy source 

The government recently announced it was cutting subsidies for large-scale solar energy and the Conservatives have said there will be no funding for new onshore wind farms if they win the next election.Many ministers are hoping that enough shale gas - extracted by fracking - will be obtained to make a difference,

EU worries over pig virus

The EU Commission has agreed new rules to limit the spread of a deadly swine disease that has  killed millions of piglets n the US.





Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea virus (PEDv) has wiped out around 10% of the American herd in a year.
While the EU rejected an outright ban on live pig imports, it has restricted blood products used in pig feed.

However a Canadian minister said measures were "disappointing" and not based on science. While the virus isn't harmful to humans or food, concern has grown in Europe over its potential economic impact PEDv is spread in faecal matter and attacks the guts of pigs, preventing them from absorbing liquids and nutrients they need to survive .

Older animals can survive, but fatality rates among piglets run between 80% and 100%.
Deadly spoon. So virulent is the agent that one expert estimated that a spoonful of infected manure would be enough to sicken the entire US herd.

France announced last week that it was set to suspend imports of live pigs and sperm from the US, Canada, Japan and Mexico.However the French have delayed their ban to allow the EU Commission to consider a pan-Union response.

At a meeting in Brussels, experts from member states reviewed the most recent scientific information on PEDv and decided against a ban on imports of live pigs. They argued that live imports aren't a major problem, with around 250 animals being brought in from Canada and the US last year. No live consignments are scheduled to be sent to Europe at present.

EU officials did toughen up the rules on the imports of blood products from countries where the virus is active.