The Environmental Atlas

Mean surface temperature in Europe 1850–2009, annual and by season: Climate change mitigation chapter SOER 2010
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
The European environment – state and outlook 2010: Synthesis: The SOER 2010 Synthesis provides an overview of the European environment's state, trends and prospects, integrating the main findings of SOER 2010.
Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010 › Synthesis
Urban environment - SOER 2010 thematic assessment: The global population is congregating in our cities. Eighty per cent of the world’s estimated nine billion people in 2050 are expected to live in urban areas. Our cities and urban areas face many challenges from social to health to environmental. The impacts of cities and urban areas are felt in other regions which supply cities with food, water and energy and absorb pollution and waste. However, the proximity of people, businesses and services associated with the very word ‘city’ means that there are also huge opportunities. Indeed, well designed, well managed urban settings offer a key opportunity for sustainable living.
Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010 › Thematic assessments
City of five seas: Environmental Atlas of Europe — Russia: Nizhny Novgorod has a population of 1.3 million and is one of Russia's most important industrial cities. Its process manufacturing plants are heavily reliant on water, supplied from the Volga River and one of its tributaries, the Oka. The region's drinking water also comes from the Upper Volga Basin.
Located in The Environmental Atlas › … › City of five seas › Video
Floating cities: Environmental Atlas of Europe - The Netherlands: Almost a third of the Netherlands lies below sea level, and over the centuries the country has developed a highly efficient flood-defence system. The tragic floods of 1953, caused by a storm surge and exceptionally spring tides, led to a range of modern-day engineering solutions as well as a heightened awareness in Dutch society of the dangers of sea level rise. But when, in the mid 1990s, unusually heavy rain in Belgium and Germany caused the Rhine and the Meuse to breach their banks and hundreds of thousands of people had to be evacuated, it was clear that long-term action would have to be taken to protect against flooding from river water as well. The government has now launched a wide ranging programme of adaptation schemes to protect the coasts from sea-level and to create 'Room for the River', by establishing unobstructed spaces into which the major rivers can safely over-flow.
Located in The Environmental Atlas › … › Floating cities › Video
Ice road: Environmental Atlas of Europe - Finland: If you want to go to the island of Hailuoto in the Gulf of Bothnia during winter, it’s faster to take the 8 km ice road rather than go by ferry. But the ice has to reach 70 cm in thickness before it’s safe enough to drive over.
Located in The Environmental Atlas › … › Ice road › Video
One degree matters: 'One degree matters' follows social and business leaders as they travel to Greenland and experience for themselves the dramatic effects of the melting of the ice cap and come to understand the planetary effects of climate change and the impacts these will have on society and the economy. The film brings to the screen the latest science from the Arctic and shows why a further rise in global temperature of one degree matters for the future of humankind.
Located in Multimedia centre
Climate change — time to act: Climate change is a real and current threat. To avoid major irreversible impacts on society and ecosystems, we must act now.
Located in Multimedia centre
Climate change, adaptation is vital: Climate change is one of the biggest environmental, social and economic threats our planet currently faces. Profound changes are about to affect the mechanisms supporting life on earth, and their impact in the next few decades will be considerable.
Located in Multimedia centre
Global warning: early warnings on adaptation: Climate change is the ever growing reality faced by the inhabitants of the Arctic regions. They must adapt to the changing landscapes, increasing temperatures, disappearing species, new hunting techniques. In this video, several leaders of indigenous peoples' organizations, represented in the Arctic Council, share their thoughts and concerns about the changes in their lifestyles brought on by the changing climate.
Located in Environmental topics › Climate change › Multimedia