Photo shows a false-colour mosaic of satellite images. Red and brown colours represent different mixtures of visible and infrared reflections from the ground.
Source: Earth Satellite Corporation/Science Photo Library
One of the main goals for this report given by the ministers at the Dobris Castle conference was to inform the public and raise awareness about environmental problems. Most environmental problems are interrelated. The flows of energy and the cycling of materials in the environment implies that most major problems appear not only in one natural medium, but may also have consequences for water, air, soil and living organisms.
Since there are no absolute criteria on which to base a selection of most relevant or prominent environmental problems, a method was sought which would combine the concerns of environmental ministers, expert international opinion as well as public perception of environmental risks. Thus work began by making a wide survey of the literature and analysing international initiatives by, among others, the EU, UNECE, UNEP, OECD and the US Environmental Protection Agency. Combining these results with the findings of the unfolding assessment itself, resulted in a list of 56 environmental problems or issues (see Appendix 1).
To identify the most prominent European environmental problems from out of this list of 56, reference was made to the original mandate and objectives of the report from which nine selection criteria were derived (see Chapter 1).
A questionnaire was sent to more than 50 correspondents, mainly in public or independent environmental lines of work, which asked respondents to make scores against the nine criteria for each of the 56 problems in the consolidated list.
Overall, the results showed fairly consistent priorities among the various groups of respondents, but with NGOs being more preoccupied with local and ecological questions, and international groups giving more weight to global problems.
While recognising the relevance of all criteria used in the selection process, particular emphasis was given to the threat to sustainability, prominence of a European aspect, and long term character.
These results were analysed and compared with lists of priority problems made by the organisations mentioned above. The following 12 problem headings which are not presented in any order of priority were identified, over which there was widest agreement as to significance:
These problem headings were chosen to best represent composites of closely related or interconnected issues which combine to form prominent European environmental problems. This composite approach, combined with the selection process adopted, are the reasons for considering this list to be a robust representation of the 12 most significant environmental problems of concern to Europe. It is recognised, however, that other issues, particularly at regional level, may be considered by some of equal or even greater significant than these. The next most significant issues identified which were not chosen to be presented separately in this part of the report were soil and resource contamination, riverine inputs into seas and desertification, (see appropriate chapters for further details).
The systematic three-step presentation of environmental conditions, pressures and human activities presented in Parts II, III and IV of this report, has covered the basic facts of all of these problems. The aim of the following 12 chapters is to integrate these different components into clearly understandable stories of cause, effect and response for the 12 prominent problem headings selected. The presentation of each environmental problem therefore inevitably refers back to several previous chapters of the report, but the treatment of each problem can be read independently. The focus is on describing the problem, its origins and consequences. To the extent that observed trends are held to be a reliable guide for the near future, they are also presented. In a few cases, scenarios of the 'if-then' type are used. These are not forecasts of what will happen but instead, based on knowledge of natural or economic laws, describe possible consequences if such a course of action were to be followed. Even non-action, 'business-as-usual', is often the reference scenario making it clear that this choice ofstrategy also has its consequences like any other decisions.
For each problem presented, goals and strategies are indicated. Goals describe a future state of affairs, and strategies are the highways proposed or taken to reach these goals. Along the strategic roads lie the many concrete policy measures necessary in practical terms.