next
previous
items

Data and maps

Climate change in Europe: Responding to disasters and preparing for an uncertain future

Floods, strong winds, heatwaves, droughts… Climate change and climate-change related extreme weather events are a cause of a growing concern not only in Europe but everywhere in the world. Many communities are affected by such extreme events and have to take measures to prevent and minimise the harm. How can communities adapt to a changing climate and prepare for and respond to climate-related disasters? We interviewed Sergio Castellari, EEA expert on climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation.

Read more

Unsustainable land use threatens European landscapes

Accelerating rates of construction, changing demographics, technological changes, and climate change are some of the key drivers influencing the use of Europe’s vast landscapes. A European Environment Agency report published today says that the continent’s land use increasingly sees striking changes and conflicts over land demand which will require reconciling place-based management and macro policies to foster responsible land use.

Read more

Shaping the future of energy in Europe

In many ways energy powers our lives and we depend on a reliable supply of energy at an affordable price, but at what cost to our environment? The European Environment Agency’s (EEA) Signals 2017 published today looks into Europe’s energy system and its transition towards clean, smart and renewable energy.

Read more

Air pollution from agriculture: ammonia exceeds emission limits in 2015

Ammonia (NH3) emissions in Europe have fallen since 1990, but not as much as emissions of other air pollutants tracked under an internationally agreed United Nations Convention. According to a European Environment Agency (EEA) report published today, ammonia emissions increased in 2015 and several European Union Member States as well as the EU as a whole exceeded their respective NH3 emission limits under the Convention.

Read more

European Union emission inventory report 1990–2015 under the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP)

This document is the annual European Union (EU) emission inventory report under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) (UNECE, 1979). The report and its accompanying data constitute the official submission by the European Commission on behalf of the EU as a Party to the Executive Secretary of UNECE.

Read more

Rapid action needed on climate financing to meet low-carbon targets

European countries need to rapidly step up efforts and define their investment needs and plans to match their objectives in shifting to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy. This is the key finding of a stocktaking briefing published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) today, which also stresses the need for clear information on investment needs and priorities to attract private finance.

Read more

Water management in Europe: price and non-price approaches to water conservation

European Union (EU) water policies encourage Member States to implement better water demand management practices. This is a response to the pressures on water resources that are continuously increasing. Management practices on water demand are being revised to improve the existing supply-demand balance and ultimately to bring about a more water-efficient society.

Read more

Better mix of measures including pricing and awareness campaigns key to improving sustainable water use

In the face of challenges like drought and growing demand in many European Union countries, managing water supplies will require a better mix of pricing and non-pricing measures to ensure efficient household water use, according to a new European Environment Agency briefing published today.

Read more

Air pollution in Europe: Countries struggle to meet emission limits due to emissions from agriculture and transport

Eleven EU Member States breached air pollution ceilings in 2015 mostly due to high emissions from agricultural and transport sources, according to new data and a briefing released today by the European Environment Agency (EEA). The briefing includes information on countries’ 2015 emissions and national ceilings for different pollutants.

Read more

Circular economy in Europe: we all have a role to play

To most people the idea of a circular economy remains an abstract if not far-off concept. While ‘going green’ is a growing popular theme around the world, many people are not yet aware of the greater changes to our way of living that will have to be made to ensure a sustainable future, and secure our long-term well-being.

Read more

Foundation for Environmental Education

A world-renowned eco-label trusted by millions around the globe, the Blue Flag programme is operated under the auspices of the Foundation for Environmental Education and is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark. In order to qualify for this prestigious award, a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety-related and access-related criteria must be met and maintained. Through close collaboration with our members on any and all issues they may have, the Foundation for Environmental Education works tirelessly to ensure the programme's expansion, and that the unrivalled standards of the Blue Flag are maintained internationally.

Read more

More European sites meet excellent bathing water quality standards than ever before

More than 85 percent of bathing water sites monitored across Europe in 2016 met the most stringent ‘excellent’ quality standards — meaning they were mostly free from pollutants harmful to human health and the environment, according to the annual bathing water quality report published today. Over 96 percent of bathing water sites met minimum quality requirements set out under European Union rules.

Read more

Data and reporting obligations

The query returns all data connected or not with a reporting obligation

Read more

Road traffic remains biggest source of noise pollution in Europe

With an estimated 100 million Europeans affected by harmful levels, road traffic is by far the largest source of noise pollution in Europe, according to a new assessment published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) today.

Read more

Noise pollution in the spotlight

In April, the European Environment Agency will help raise awareness of the growing problem of noise pollution across Europe. We discussed with Colin Nugent, an EEA noise pollution expert, the very real health impacts of noise which are often underestimated.

Read more

Effective policies are based on a robust knowledge base and solid science

At all governance levels, public policy making entails making decisions between different options and approaches. Some decisions, such as to invest in fossil fuels or renewables, might involve selecting one option over the other. Others might address the ‘how’ question – we will invest in renewables but which ones are the best for the society? Each policy decision results in outcomes, some of which might be unforeseen, unexpected or even detrimental to those whose lives it is supposed to improve. In the long term, the overall harm can be much larger than gains in the short term. To achieve the positive and lasting results on the ground, policy makers need to be able to make informed decisions, after assessing the benefits and costs of each available option.

Read more

Permalinks

Topics

Document Actions