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Land take (CSI 014) - Assessment DRAFT created Apr 2013: Land take by the expansion of residential areas and construction sites is the main cause of the increase in the coverage of urban land at the European level. Agricultural zones and, to a lesser extent, forests and semi-natural and natural areas, are disappearing in favour of the development of artificial surfaces. This affects biodiversity since it decreases habitats, the living space of a number of species, and fragments the landscapes that support and connect them. The annual land take in European countries assessed by 2006 Corine land cover project (EEA39 except Greece) was 107 968 ha/year in 2000-2006. In 21 countries covered by both periods (1990-2000 and 2000-2006) the annual land take decreased by 9 % in the later period. The composition of land taken areas changed, too. More arable land and permanent crops and less pastures and mosaic farmland were taken by artificial development then in 1990-2000. Identified trends are expected to change little when next assessment for 2006-2012 becomes available in 2014.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Land take
Intensity of land take 2000 - 2006: Based on Corine Land Cover 2006 and changes between 2000 and 2006, the map shows the land take distribution and intensity for development of urban and other artificial area
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
Water management in Europe faces rising challenges as ecosystems weaken: Water pollution and excessive water use are still harming ecosystems, which are indispensable to Europe’s food, energy, and water supplies. To maintain water ecosystems, farming, planning, energy and transport sectors need to actively engage in managing water within sustainable limits.
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The Future We Want –Declaration of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio (2012): The Future We Want is the declaration on sustainable development and a green economy adopted at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio on June 19, 2012. The Declaration includes broad sustainability objectives within themes of Poverty Eradication, Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture, Energy, Sustainable Transport, Sustainable Cities, Health and Population and Promoting Full and Productive Employment. It calls for the negotiation and adoption of internationally agreed Sustainable Development Goals by end 2014. It also calls for a UN resolution strengthening and consolidating UNEP both financially and institutionally so that it better can disseminate environmental information and provide capacity building for countries.
Located in Environmental policy document catalogue
Price development of plastic, paper and glass waste: This figure shows the development in unit price on a monthly basis of plastic, paper and glass waste from January 2000 to December 2011. The prices are calculated as weighted averages of a number of sub waste fractions for export both within and out of the EU.
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Rio+20 agreement - a modest step in the right direction: At last week’s Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, delegates did not agree to any ambitious treaties or deadlines for dealing with pressing issues such as climate change, food and water scarcity. However, there were many positive signs for the future global environment.
Located in News
Rio+20 – time to rethink the way we use natural resources: This week the Rio de Janeiro summit on sustainable development will open. Rio+20 is an opportunity to look back at changes in our environment since the first Earth Summit in 1992, and also a time to look to the future, re-evaluating the way our economies and our societies depend on the environment and natural resources.
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Development of municipal waste management in the EU-27, 1995–2010: -
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
Trends in the use of material resources in EU-15, 1970 to 2010 (top) and EU-12, 1992 to 2010: Change 2000 to 2009 in EU-15/EU-12: Total DMC (– 9.9/+ 28.4 %); Biomass (– 2.4/+ 5.8 %); Metals (– 35.9/– 22 %); Non-metal minerals (– 13.5/+ 82.4 %); Fossil fuels (– 5.6/– 5.1%). EU-15 includes Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. EU-12 includes Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
Domestic Material Consumption (DMC), split by category, in EU-27, 2009: -
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs