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Preliminary data published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA) show that new passenger cars registered in the European Union (EU) in 2010 are emitting 3.7 % less CO2 per kilometre travelled than new cars from 2009. A new data viewer with confirmed data will be available in October allowing consumers to compare the carbon efficiency of cars from different manufacturers.
Knowledge base for Forward-looking information and services (FLIS) is a platform to support long-term decision-making. The aim of FLIS is to introduce forward-looking components and perspectives into existing environmental information systems and to expand the knowledge base and its use.
The report brings together a review of available scenarios studies relevant to environmental assessment and decision-making at the European (or sub-European) scale (263 studies), and facts sheets of selected 44 studies using common description categories, which enables the user to review existing scenario studies that may be of relevance to their particular interest and benefit from them. It is also a contribution to the evolving knowledge base for Forward-Looking Information and Services (FLIS).
Demand for land in Europe is high. Food and biomass production, housing, infrastructure and recreation all compete for space, with impacts on our climate, biodiversity and ecosystem services. In a recent assessment, the European Environment Agency (EEA) analyses land use change in Europe, concluding that we need an integrated policy approach based on reliable data to balance sectoral demands and manage land sustainably.
Our demand for water and wastewater discharges, often have a substantial impact on the quality and quantity of freshwater resources. On World Water Day, 22 March, the European Environment Agency (EEA) and partners presented a new and improved version of the web portal Water Information System for Europe (WISE).
Transformation towards a greener European economy will ensure the long-term environmental sustainability of Europe and its neighbourhood. In this context, shifts in attitudes will be important. Together, regulators, businesses and citizens could participate more widely in managing natural capital and ecosystem services, creating new and innovative ways to use resources efficiently and designing equitable fiscal reforms. Using education and various social media, citizens can be engaged in tackling global issues such as meeting the 2 °C climate target.
Increased resource efficiency and security can be achieved, for example, using extended life cycle approaches to reflect the full environmental impacts of products and activities. This can reduce Europe's dependence on resources globally and promote innovation. Pricing that takes full account of resource use impacts will be important for steering business and consumer behaviour towards enhanced resource efficiency. Clustering sectoral policies according to their resource needs and environmental pressures would improve coherence, address shared challenges efficiently, maximise economic and social benefits and help avoid unintended consequences.
The notion of dedicated management of natural capital and ecosystem services is a compelling integrating concept for dealing with environmental pressures from multiple sectors. Spatial planning, resource accounting and coherence among sectoral policies implemented at all scales can help balance the need to preserve natural capital and use it to fuel the economy. A more integrated approach of this sort would also provide a framework for measuring progress more broadly and underpin coherent analyses across multiple policy targets.
In recent decades, the EU has introduced a range of policies to improve air quality by controlling pollutant emissions. A new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) evaluates three key instruments and finds that they have significantly improved Europe's air quality and reduced pollution-induced health effects. There is scope for even more progress, however, if countries achieve all their binding commitments to reduce emissions.
This bar graphic shows the number of NGOs enjoying advisory status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) from 40 countries in 1948 to 3187 countries in 2008.
The figure compares the proliferation of twenty-three environmental policy innovations between 1945 and 2005 across 43 OECD and Central Eastern European Countries. The colours represent adoption levels from dark blue (less than 4 countries adopting the policy) to brown (more than 40 countries adopting it). The policies are ranked by adoption rate between start year and 2005 (fastest spreading policies first).
This horizontal bar graphic shows the numbers of bilateral (left-hand axis) and multilateral (right-hand axis) environmental agreements started each year since 1900. It distinguishes original agreements and protocols (darker orange).
Europeans consume more natural resources than Europe’s environment can produce. Our consumption undermines the capacity of European ecosystems to provide goods and services and puts severe strain on the global environment.
What we know about Europe’s environment comes from data collected by countless data providers. The Belgian Presidency of the European Union and the European Environment Agency (EEA) organised a conference to facilitate the sharing of environmental information.
Adaptation strategies can reduce vulnerabilities and strengthen resilience. An increasing number of options have been identified, including no-regret measures that are relevant under all plausible future scenarios. In addition to technological solutions, adaptation can support resilience through ecosystem-based options, green infrastructure and adequate governance. Regional and sectoral differences in climate change vulnerabilities and socio-economic conditions make adaptation a context- and location-specific challenge.
So far 11 European countries, and a few regions and cities, have adopted adaptation strategies. Mainstreaming adaptation in EU policies, strengthening the knowledge base and facilitating information sharing are key levers for building resilience. The Adaptation White Paper of the European Commission constitutes a significant step in the development of an EU strategy.
The costs of adaptation in Europe could amount to billions of Euro per year in the medium and long term. Although the economics of adaptation options so far relies on limited information and a few modelling tools, assessments suggest that timely and proportionate adaptation makes economic, social and environmental sense, and is likely to be far less costly than inaction.
For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/reporting/dm or scan the QR code.
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