Ecosystem damage area by air pollution, EEA18

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Topics: Air pollution ,

Assessment made on 01 Jan 2001

Note: new version is available!

Nov 05, 2012 - Exposure of ecosystems to acidification, eutrophication and ozone (CSI 005) - Assessment published Nov 2012
May 30, 2012 - Exposure of ecosystems to acidification, eutrophication and ozone (CSI 005) - Assessment published May 2012
Aug 18, 2010 - Exposure of ecosystems to acidification, eutrophication and ozone (CSI 005) - Assessment published Aug 2010
Dec 28, 2009 - Exposure of ecosystems to acidification, eutrophication and ozone (CSI 005) - Assessment published Dec 2009
Nov 14, 2005 - Exposure of ecosystems to acidification, eutrophication and ozone (version 1) (CSI 005) - Assessment published Nov 2005

Generic metadata

Classification

Air pollution (Primary theme)

DPSIR: Impact

Identification

Indicator codes

Geographical coverage:

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Contents

Policy issue: Are we protecting the environment effectively against acidification and eutrophication?

Key messages

While recent reductions in sulphur dioxide emissions have helped decrease the areas threatened by acidification, this downward trend has been reversed by nitrogen pollution, which has also increased the area exposed to eutrophication.

Figures

Ecosystem damage areas by air pollution, EU18 Area with the exceedance of fifth percentile critical loads

Key assessment

When both sulphur and nitrogen compounds settle out of the atmosphere, the resulting acidification of soils and surface waters can have serious consequences for both plant life and water fauna. Nitrogen compounds both nitrogen oxides (NOx) and ammonia - can also contribute to eutrophication, disrupting ecosystems, creating algae blooms in coastal waters and increasing nitrate concentrations in groundwater.

The corresponding area of EEA territory exposed to a critical load of acidifying substances compounds - fell by over 50% between 1986 and 1994, before swinging slowly upwards again. This was caused by large reductions in sulphur deposition, and les reductions in nitrogen depositions, which actually increased in some countries
The corresponding area for eutrophication has remained stable, no progress has been made since 1985.

In 40% of the EEA, in fact, the percentage of ecosystems exposed to damaging eutrophication has increased since 1990. Looking at the issue in terms of national frontiers, eight countries - the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Greece saw an increase in the amount of land exposed to eutrophication.