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Life under water faces serious threats

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Article Published 30 Aug 2018 Last modified 29 Aug 2023

8 min read

Photo: © Bojan Bencic, WaterPIX / EEA

Life in Europe’s freshwater bodies and regional seas is not doing well. The poor state of ecosystems has a direct impact on many animals and plants living in water, and it affects other species and humans, depending on clean water. The state of Europe’s seas is dire, mainly due to overfishing and climate change, while freshwater bodies suffer from excess nutrients and altered habitats. Chemical pollution negatively impacts both freshwater and marine environments.