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You are here: Home / Data and maps / Datasets / External datasets catalogue / Gisco - Urban Audit 2004 (Eurostat)

Gisco - Urban Audit 2004 (Eurostat)

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Topics: Air pollution , Climate change ,

The GISCO Urban Audit 2004 geographical data set contains geometry derived from EuroBoundary Map 2004 (EBM2004) developed by EuroGeographics.

Provider:: Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat)
Dataset URL:: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/gisco_Geographical_information_maps/popups/references/administrative_units_statistical_units_1
Dataset path:: Gisco Urban Audit 2004 data set can be found at:
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/gisco_Geographical_information_maps/popups/references/administrative_units_statistical_units_1

Related content

Indicators using this data

$The indicator shows the fraction of the urban population that is potentially exposed to ambient air [1] concentrations of pollutants [2] in excess of the EU limit value set for the protection of human health. The urban population considered is the total number of people living in cities with at least one monitoring station at a background location. The population data applied for the indicator derives from the Urban Audit , which is conducted at the initiative of the Directorate-General for Regional Policy at the European Commission, in cooperation with Eurostat and the national statistical offices of the 27 current Member States. Currently, the Urban Audit involve more than 620 European cities in 30 EEA member countries. The Urban Audit contains data for over 250 indicators across nine domains (e.g. demography, social aspects, environment, travel and transport). The Urban Audit aims at a balanced and representative sample of cities in Europe. To obtain such a selection, a few simple rules are applied: 1. Approximately 20% of the national population should be covered by the Urban Audit. 2. All capital cities were included. 3. Where possible, regional capitals were included. 4. Both large (more than 250 000 inhabitants) and medium-sized cities (minimum 50 000 and maximum 250 000 inhabitants) were included. 5. The selected cities should be geographically dispersed within each Member State. The selection of cities was prepared in close collaboration between the Directorate-General for Regional Policy, Eurostat and the national statistical institutes. To ensure that large and medium-sized cities are equally represented in the Urban Audit, in some of the larger Member States not all large cities could be included. The Urban Audit works with three different spatial levels: the core city, the larger urban zone (LUZ) and the sub-city district (SCD). For CSI 004 only the the core city level is considered, which is the most important level. To ensure that this level is directly relevant to policy makers and politicians, political boundaries were used to define the city level. In many countries these boundaries are clearly established and well-known. As a result, for most cities the boundary used in the Urban Audit corresponds to the general perception of that city. Due to the highly diverse nature of political boundaries in the European Union, for some cities the political boundary does not correspond to the general perception of that city. In a few cities, Dublin for example, the political boundary of the city is narrower than the general perception of that city. Exceedance of air quality limit values occurs when the concentration of air pollutants exceeds the limit values specified in the first Daughter Directive of the Air Quality Framework Directive for SO 2 , PM 10 [3], NO 2 and the target values for O 3 as specified in the third Daughter Directive. Where there are multiple limit values (see section on Policy Targets), the indicator uses the most stringent case: Sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ): the daily limit value; Nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ): the annual limit value; Particulate matter (PM 10 ): the daily limit value; Ozone (O 3 ): the target value. [1] 'Ambient air' shall mean outdoor air in the troposphere, excluding work places. [2] 'pollutant' shall mean any substance introduced directly or indirectly by man into the ambient air and likely to have harmful effects on human health and/or the environment as a whole. [3] 'PM 10 ' shall mean particulate matter which passes through a size-selective inlet with a 50 % efficiency cut-off at 10 microgram aerodynamic diameter.$ Exceedance of air quality limit values in urban areas The indicator shows the fraction of the urban population that is potentially exposed to ambient air [1] concentrations of pollutants [2] in excess of the EU limit value set for the protection of human health. The urban population considered is the total number of people living in cities with at least one monitoring station at a background location. The population data applied for the indicator derives from the Urban Audit , which is conducted at the initiative of the Directorate-General for Regional Policy at the European Commission, in cooperation with Eurostat and the national statistical offices of the 27 current Member States. Currently, the Urban Audit involve more than 620 European cities in 30 EEA member countries. The Urban Audit contains data for over 250 indicators across nine domains (e.g. demography, social aspects, environment, travel and transport). The Urban Audit aims at a balanced and representative sample of cities in Europe. To obtain such a selection, a few simple rules are applied: 1. Approximately 20% of the national population should be covered by the Urban Audit. 2. All capital cities were included. 3. Where possible, regional capitals were included. 4. Both large (more than 250 000 inhabitants) and medium-sized cities (minimum 50 000 and maximum 250 000 inhabitants) were included. 5. The selected cities should be geographically dispersed within each Member State. The selection of cities was prepared in close collaboration between the Directorate-General for Regional Policy, Eurostat and the national statistical institutes. To ensure that large and medium-sized cities are equally represented in the Urban Audit, in some of the larger Member States not all large cities could be included. The Urban Audit works with three different spatial levels: the core city, the larger urban zone (LUZ) and the sub-city district (SCD). For CSI 004 only the the core city level is considered, which is the most important level. To ensure that this level is directly relevant to policy makers and politicians, political boundaries were used to define the city level. In many countries these boundaries are clearly established and well-known. As a result, for most cities the boundary used in the Urban Audit corresponds to the general perception of that city. Due to the highly diverse nature of political boundaries in the European Union, for some cities the political boundary does not correspond to the general perception of that city. In a few cities, Dublin for example, the political boundary of the city is narrower than the general perception of that city. Exceedance of air quality limit values occurs when the concentration of air pollutants exceeds the limit values specified in the first Daughter Directive of the Air Quality Framework Directive for SO 2 , PM 10 [3], NO 2 and the target values for O 3 as specified in the third Daughter Directive. Where there are multiple limit values (see section on Policy Targets), the indicator uses the most stringent case: Sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ): the daily limit value; Nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ): the annual limit value; Particulate matter (PM 10 ): the daily limit value; Ozone (O 3 ): the target value. [1] 'Ambient air' shall mean outdoor air in the troposphere, excluding work places. [2] 'pollutant' shall mean any substance introduced directly or indirectly by man into the ambient air and likely to have harmful effects on human health and/or the environment as a whole. [3] 'PM 10 ' shall mean particulate matter which passes through a size-selective inlet with a 50 % efficiency cut-off at 10 microgram aerodynamic diameter.

Produced figures

Education — percentage of population aged 15–64 having a level of education following secondary schooling (qualified at tertiary level), 2004

Education — percentage of population aged 15–64 having a level of education following secondary schooling (qualified at tertiary level), 2004 The map shows the proportion of the city population between 15 and 64 years with a higher education (ISCED level 5 and 6).

Urban flooding — impervious surfaces reduce the drainage of rain water and increase the risk for urban flooding

Urban flooding — impervious surfaces reduce the drainage of rain water and increase the risk for urban flooding The map shows the average soil sealing degree inside the UMZ of European core cities (core city defined in Urban Atlas / Urban Audit). Soil sealing degrees are represented in coloured dots. The city dots are overlaid onto a modelled map displaying the change in annual number of days with heavy rainfall between the reference periods 1961-1990 and 2071-2100.

Percentage of urban population resident in areas for days per year with SO2 concentration exceeding daily limit value, EEA member countries, 1997-2008

Percentage of urban population resident in areas for days per year with SO2 concentration exceeding daily limit value, EEA member countries, 1997-2008 The limit value is 125 µg SO2/m³ as a daily mean, not to be exceeded more than three days in a year. Over the years 1997-2008 the total population for which exposure estimates are made, increases from 57 to 97 million people due to an increasing number of monitoring stations reporting under the Exchange of Information Decision. Year-to-year variations in exposure classes are partly caused by the changes in spatial coverage. Only urban and sub-urban background monitoring stations have been included in the calculations. Data for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkey are not included due to the geographical coverage of the Urban Audit and/or lack of air quality data.

4th highest 24-hour mean SO2 concentration observed at (sub)urban stations, EEA member countries, 1997-2008

4th highest 24-hour mean SO2 concentration observed at (sub)urban stations, EEA member countries, 1997-2008 Only urban and sub-urban background monitoring stations have been included in the calculations. Data for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkey are not included due to the geographical coverage of the Urban Audit and/or lack of air quality data.

26th highest maximum daily 8-hour mean ozone concentration observed at (sub)urban background stations, EEA member countries, 1997-2008

26th highest maximum daily 8-hour mean ozone concentration observed at (sub)urban background stations, EEA member countries, 1997-2008 Only urban and sub-urban background monitoring stations have been included in the calculations. Data for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkey are not included due to the geographical coverage of the Urban Audit and/or lack of air quality data.

Percentage of urban population resident in areas for days per year with ozone concentrations over the target value set for protection of human health, EEA member countries, 1997-2008

Percentage of urban population resident in areas for days per year with ozone concentrations over the target value set for protection of human health, EEA member countries, 1997-2008 The target value is 120 µg O3/m³ as daily maximum of 8 hour mean, not to be exceeded more than 25 days per calendar year, averaged over three years. Over the years 1997-2008 the total population for which exposure estimates are made, increases from 49 to 114 million people due to an increasing number of monitoring stations reporting under the Exchange of Information Decision. Year-to-year variations in exposure classes are partly caused by the changes in spatial coverage. Only urban and sub-urban background monitoring stations have been included in the calculations. Data for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkey are not included due to the geographical coverage of the Urban Audit and/or lack of air quality data.

Annual mean NO2 concentration observed at (sub)urban background stations, EEA member countries, 1997-2008

Annual mean NO2 concentration observed at (sub)urban background stations, EEA member countries, 1997-2008 Only urban and sub-urban background monitoring stations have been included in the calculations. Data for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkey are not included due to the geographical coverage of the Urban Audit and/or lack of air quality data.

Percentage of population exposed to NO2 annual concentrations in urban areas, EEA member countries, 1997-2008

Percentage of population exposed to NO2 annual concentrations in urban areas, EEA member countries, 1997-2008 The annual mean limit value is 40 µg NO2/m³. Over the years 1997-2008 the total population, for which exposure estimates are made, increased from 55 to 118 million people due to an increasing number of monitoring stations reporting air quality data under the Exchange of Information Decision. Year-to-year variations in exposure classes are partly caused by the changes in spatial coverage. Only urban and sub-urban background monitoring stations have been included in the calculations. Data for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkey are not included due to the geographical coverage of the Urban Audit and/or lack of air quality data.

36th highest 24-hour mean PM10 concentration observed at (sub)urban background stations, EEA member countries, 1997-2008

36th highest 24-hour mean PM10 concentration observed at (sub)urban background stations, EEA member countries, 1997-2008 Only urban and sub-urban background monitoring stations have been included in the calculations. Data for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkey are not included due to the geographical coverage of the Urban Audit and/or lack of air quality data.

Percentage of urban population resident in areas for days per year with PM10 concentration exceeding daily limit value, EEA member countries, 1997-2008

Percentage of urban population resident in areas for days per year with PM10 concentration exceeding daily limit value, EEA member countries, 1997-2008 The limit value is 50 µg PM10/m³ (24 hour average, i.e. daily), not to be exceeded more than 35 times a calendar year. Over the years 1997-2008 the total population for which exposure estimates are made, increases from 25 to 111 million people due to an increasing number of monitoring stations reporting air quality data under the Exchange of Information Decision. Year-to-year variations in exposure classes are partly caused by the changes in spatial coverage. Only urban and sub-urban background monitoring stations have been included in the calculations.

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