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Food security and environmental impacts: The CAP reform needs to tackle two key challenges simultaneously: ‘greening’ the agriculture sector (reducing agriculture's environmental impacts) and ensuring food security.
Located in Environmental topics › Agriculture › Greening agricultural policy
AGRI_F03: Gross nutrient balance - outlook from EEA (Outlook 020) - Assessment published Jun 2007: Nutrient surpluses are expected to be moderately reduced in 2020. Best practices for fertilizer handling could significantly reduce the environmental pressures which are associated with nutrient balances.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › AGRI_F03: Gross nutrient balance - outlook from EEA
Crop-yield variability (CLIM 032) - Assessment published Sep 2008: Climate and its variability are largely responsible for variations in crop suitability and productivity in Europe. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the variability of crop yields has increased as a consequence of extreme climatic events, e.g. the summer heat of 2003 and the spring drought of 2007. As a consequence of climatic change, such events are projected to increase in frequency and magnitude, and crop yields to become more variable. Changes in farming practices and land management can act as risk-mitigating measures.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Crop-yield variability
Gross nutrient balance (CSI 025) - Assessment published Nov 2005: At EU-15 level the gross nitrogen balance in 2000 was calculated to be 55 kg/ha, which is 16% lower than the balance estimate in 1990, which was 66 kg/ha. In 2000 the gross nitrogen balance ranged from 37 kg/ha (Italy) to 226 kg/ha (the Netherlands). All national gross nitrogen balances show a decline in estimates of the gross nitrogen balance (kg/ha) between 1990 and 2000, apart from Ireland (22% increase) and Spain (47% increase). The following Member States showed organic fertiliser application rates greater than the threshold of 170 kg/ha specified by the Nitrates Directive in 2000: the Netherlands (206 kg/ha) and Belgium (204 kg/ha). The general decline in nitrogen balance surpluses is due to a small decrease in nitrogen input rates (-1.0%) and a significant increase in nitrogen output rates (10%).
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Gross nutrient balance
Living with Climate change: Global warming is happening. Temperatures have already risen by 0.76 degrees since the industrial revolution and are projected to rise further by 1.8 - 4 degrees by the end of the century. The last time climate change happened at this pace was 125,000 years ago and led to a 4-6 metre sea level rise. Global warming at the upper end of the scale predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change would have catastrophic consequences for Europe. Up to 30% of plant, animal and bird species would be wiped out and the threat of natural disasters such as landslides, floods and mudslides would increase significantly.
Located in Environmental topics › Climate change › Multimedia
Carbon uptake by forests: (This video has no audio.) The uptake of carbon from the atmosphere by natural vegetation, soils, forests and agricultural land ('terrestrial biosphere') is an important part of the carbon cycle. Carbon uptake by vegetation can lessen the increasing concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere and in Europe can be increased by planting forests and other land management measures. But the additional potential storage capacity for the EU in forestry and agriculture is estimated to be relatively small, and climate change may cause more fires, pests and storm damage as well as increasing water stress, particularly in the Mediterranean area. These conditions would curtail plant growth and reduce the amount of carbon stored in the biosphere. Source: EEA Report No 2/2004 "Impacts of Europe's changing climate" (published 18 Aug 2004)
Located in Environmental topics › Climate change › Multimedia
Clean air for Europe: Air pollution is a growing concern in the area of public health. Scientific research shows that air pollutants are behind a higher number of diseases such as respiratory allergies, asthma and inflammatory conditions. It is the most vulnerable segments of populations, the elderly and children, who are the first to be affected by this phenomenon. In May 2001, the European Commission launched its " Clean Air for Europe " (CAFE) programme. This is a three-year programme intended to investigate all sources of air pollution and provide solutions to reduce them.
Located in Environmental topics › Air pollution › Multimedia
Europe needs to use water more efficiently: Europe needs to redouble efforts in using water more efficiently to avoid undermining its economy, according to a new report from the European Environment Agency (EEA). Inefficient water use impacts hard on the resources needed by ecosystems and people, both vital assets for European productivity and security.
Located in Press room › News
Decomposition analysis of N2O emission trends from EU agricultural soils, 1990–2008: Each bar shows the contribution of a single driver on GHG emission trends during a determined period. The thick short black lines indicate the combined effect of all emission drivers, i.e. the overall GHG emission trend during the period considered.
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
The nitrogen cycle: Global scheme of nitrogen cycle, showing major nitrogen reservoirs (atmosphere, soil and living organisms), major processes (nitrification, denitrification, nitrogen fixation, assimilation etc.) and actors (plants, animals, bacteria, human beings).
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs