European seafood retailers are warning fishing nations to agree on sustainable, binding quota management for North Atlantic mackerel. Although scientific advice suggests a higher possible catch following population gains, mackerel stocks remain precarious, and catches have repeatedly exceeded scientific recommendations. NAPA says Norway, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, the U.K., the E.U. and Russia must reach an agreement; retailers including Waitrose have already dropped or replaced mackerel products. Scientists and fisheries organizations warn that climate-driven shifts complicate management and that stock collapse would damage marine ecosystems. Similar caution applies to herring and blue whiting, while upcoming negotiations could determine whether mackerel remains available on European supermarket shelves.

The World Resources Institute’s Coolfood initiative reports that participating food providers have lowered per-meal emissions, with cities leading reductions and New York City public schools achieving nearly 40% since joining in 2019. Yet the cohort reduced per-plate emissions by only 12% by 2025, missing its 25% target, while absolute emissions rose 3% as meal volumes and operations grew. Plant-based menus and reduced ruminant meat are central to the progress, but implementation varies across sectors and is slower for restaurants, catering and healthcare. The report points to consumer demand, affordability concerns, geopolitical pressures on food costs and changing dietary preferences as factors shaping adoption; providers are more likely to expand plant-rich options when diners choose them.

A historical account of blue baby syndrome shows how evidence linking nitrate-contaminated well water to infant illness helped produce the U.S. drinking-water nitrate standard, after hundreds of cases and dozens of deaths. The disease has since been eliminated in Iowa, but agricultural fertilizer and manure continue to contaminate water, while research raises concerns about cancer and birth outcomes even below the federal limit. Experts call for stronger standards and better testing, especially for unregulated private wells and disproportionately exposed communities. EPA review efforts have stalled, and officials say the current limit is not slated for revision, leaving regulatory costs, scientific uncertainty, and political will as major obstacles.

The VDVA’s anniversary book, Tramways in the 1970s, examines the decade’s tramway closures and surviving systems in West Germany, developments in the GDR, the transition toward light rail, and changes in rolling stock. Written by Axel Reuther, the 128-page volume contains 195 colour photographs from the VDVA archive and tables, documenting the shift from older two-axle trams to modern articulated and high-capacity vehicles. It is published by SBB-Verlag and priced at €29.

A consumer class-action lawsuit filed in federal court in Illinois alleges that Mama Bear’s “sustainably farm-raised” Atlantic salmon claims mislead buyers because its sole supplier, Australis Seafoods, farms in Chilean waters where the complaint alleges pollution, permit violations, fish welfare problems and wildlife entanglements. The case seeks damages for consumers who paid a premium, and advocates say it may prompt greater scrutiny of seafood marketing. The article notes that sustainability terms lack clear legal definitions in the United States and questions whether third-party certifications reliably verify practices; legal researchers suggest the FDA clarify and require substantiation of such claims. Australis and its North American sales arm did not respond to requests for comment.

FIAA, Spain’s bus and coach trade fair, took place from 22 to 24 September 2026 at Madrid’s IFEMA exhibition centre. The 16th edition brought together manufacturers, transport operators, public officials and other industry participants. The overview highlights urban transport exhibits, with a strong focus on electric buses and their battery capacities, alongside hybrid and CNG/biogas models from manufacturers including Irizar, Solaris, Karsan, BYD, Daimler Buses, IVECO and others.

Warsaw’s Annopol tram depot, commissioned in 2024, is the city’s largest and was designed as an integrated system linking infrastructure, energy management and operations. Peak Mobility’s PEAK.DMS coordinates vehicle dispatch, maintenance, track allocation and technical systems. Using data from an extensive network of sensors and track equipment, it automates vehicle localisation and routing, coordinating about 2,000 route settings daily. The depot is presented as a reference project supporting more efficient operations and future digital development in Warsaw’s tram network.

The HÜBNER Group plans to present a range of public-transport products at InnoTrans 2026 in Berlin, including transparent holographic passenger displays developed with ZEISS Microoptics, SensIQ door anti-trap systems, articulation and bogie components, integrated HEFES vehicle fronts, aerodynamic gangway fairings and automated gangway coupling. The company highlights passenger comfort and safety, reduced maintenance and operating costs, and more sustainable materials and manufacturing. Pilot applications of HOLO IQ are underway with European transport operators, and HÜBNER is seeking a pilot project for its AutoCouple system.

A UK study of 71 plant-based alternatives found nearly twice as many food additives in those products as in comparable meat and dairy foods, while the variety of additives was relatively similar. Researchers stress that the study measured additive counts, not whether the products were healthy. Additives can provide plant-based foods with familiar texture, color and stability, while animal products also use additives for preservation and texture. Ingredient-list length alone is therefore a poor measure of nutrition. Shoppers may also prioritize cost, taste, environmental impact or animal welfare; people focused on nutrition are encouraged to assess food quality rather than rely on plant-versus-animal labels, with beans and lentils cited as minimally processed options.

Researchers are developing wildlife studies that let animals choose whether to participate, including treat-filled puzzle boxes for raccoons, remote saliva collection from free-roaming dogs in Morocco, and voluntary weighing of pied babblers in the Kalahari. Advocates argue these methods improve both animal welfare and scientific accuracy, while critics caution that voluntary interaction does not constitute human-like informed consent. The article highlights the limited use of non-invasive methods in conservation research and calls for ethics to shape scientific questions from the outset rather than merely approve them after the fact.