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Hans Bruyninckx selected as new EEA Executive Director to take office 1 June 2013

Belgian Professor Hans Bruyninckx has been selected by the EEA Management Board as the EEA Executive Director to take office from 1 June 2013. A formal offer of appointment will be made after all procedures have been finalised. More information

Professor Jacqueline McGlade, the EEA Executive Director, will be in office until 31 May 2013.

Latest news

Content listing
Title	Description	Effective Date	Item Type
Every breath we take – Signals 2013 focuses on air quality in Europe	Poor air quality can have serious impacts on our health and the environment. How is Europe’s air quality? What are the main sources of air pollutants? How do ...	2013-04-15T09:00:00+02:00	Highlight
Can we save energy by changing our behaviour?	In 2010, European households consumed almost 13 % more energy than two decades ago and generated 25 % of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. This trend mu...	2013-04-09T14:00:00+02:00	Highlight
Independent evaluation commends EEA impact and efficiency	The European Environment Agency (EEA) has been given overall good marks in an independent evaluation of its work, which has concluded that the European body is ...	2013-04-08T11:00:00+02:00	Highlight
Highest recycling rates in Austria and Germany – but UK and Ireland show fastest increase	Austria, Germany and Belgium recycled the largest proportion of municipal waste in Europe in 2010. Although some countries have rapidly increased recycling rate...	2013-03-19T09:00:00+01:00	Press Release
Air pollution: breaches of legal limits continued through 2010 and 2011	Air pollutant emissions were above legal limits in eight Member States in 2011, preliminary data shows. In 2010, 12 Member States exceeded these limits, accordi...	2013-03-18T11:55:00+01:00	Highlight
International shipping should cut air pollutants and greenhouse gases together	Emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases from the shipping sector have increased substantially in the last two decades, contributing to both climate cha...	2013-03-14T11:55:00+01:00	Highlight
Eye on Earth First User Conference: A real eye opener	The city of Dublin was the setting for the first Eye on Earth User Conference, organised by the European Environment Agency (EEA) in association with the Irish ...	2013-03-07T13:15:00+01:00	Highlight
How to measure environmental pressures from production and consumption?	The consumption and production of goods and services is currently unsustainable in Europe, with ‘decoupling’ of environmental pressures from economic growth...	2013-03-04T13:30:00+01:00	Highlight
Climate change and flood risk in European cities	Increased flooding is likely to be one of the most serious effects from climate change in Europe over coming decades. Some of the conditions which may contribut...	2013-03-01T11:55:00+01:00	Highlight
Reducing the € 45 billion health cost of air pollution from lorries	Road charges for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs or lorries) should reflect the varied health effects of traffic pollution in different European countries. This mean...	2013-02-28T00:05:00+01:00	Press Release
Invasive alien species: a growing problem for environment and health	Invasive alien species pose greater risks than previously thought for biodiversity, human health and economies, according to two new reports from the European E...	2013-02-21T13:55:00+01:00	Highlight
Fewer summer ozone peaks in 2012, but levels still harmful	Ozone pollution still exceeded target levels in Europe during summer 2012, but the number of exceedances of the alert threshold was lower than in any year since...	2013-01-31T16:00:00+01:00	Highlight
The cost of ignoring the warning signs - EEA publishes ‘Late Lessons from Early Warnings, volume II’	New technologies have sometimes had very harmful effects, but in many cases the early warning signs have been suppressed or ignored. The second volume of Late L...	2013-01-23T00:05:00+01:00	Press Release
2013: Kicking off the ‘Year of Air’	Clean air will be the focus of EU environmental policy discussions throughout 2013, the Year of Air. The European Environment Agency (EEA) provides a wealth of ...	2013-01-08T11:55:00+01:00	Highlight
EEA reviews new findings from 2012, the Year of Water	Europe needs to work harder to protect its water resources from increasing pressures. This was one of the messages that emerged during 2012, ‘European Year of...	2012-12-27T11:55:00+01:00	Highlight
Households and industry responsible for half of EU greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels	Households and industry in the EU each cause approximately a quarter of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new report by the European Envir...	2012-12-20T11:55:00+01:00	Highlight
Hans Bruyninckx selected as new EEA Executive Director to take office 1 June 2013	Belgian Professor Hans Bruyninckx has been selected by the EEA Management Board as the EEA Executive Director to take office from 1 June 2013. A formal offer o...	2012-12-14T15:00:00+01:00	Highlight
EEA land cover data to be used in mobile phone maps	Data on land use provided by the European Environment Agency (EEA) is soon to be included in electronic maps used for navigation in mobile phones and other devi...	2012-12-13T15:00:00+01:00	Highlight
Most car manufacturers on track to meet 2012 CO2 targets	In 2011, average CO2 vehicle emissions for most carmakers were below target levels estimated for 2012. This was the situation for 47 carmakers, responsible for ...	2012-12-11T14:00:00+01:00	Highlight
Europe using less ozone-damaging chemicals	Europe has made significant progress in phasing out chemicals which damage the ozone layer, according to a report from the European Environment Agency (EEA). Th...	2012-12-05T11:55:00+01:00	Highlight
Traffic pollution still harmful to health in many parts of Europe	Transport in Europe is responsible for damaging levels of air pollutants and a quarter of EU greenhouse gas emissions. Many of the resulting environmental probl...	2012-11-27T00:05:00+01:00	Press Release
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 ...	2012-11-26T09:00:00+01:00	Press Release
Climate change evident across Europe, confirming urgent need for adaptation	Climate change is affecting all regions in Europe, causing a wide range of impacts on society and the environment. Further impacts are expected in the future, p...	2012-11-21T11:00:00+01:00	Press Release
Europe's air story told in pictures	Air is a tricky subject to photograph, but this challenge has proved to be a source of inspiration for the winners of photo storycompetition ‘ImaginAIR’, or...	2012-11-15T11:55:00+01:00	Highlight
More than half of EU surface waters below ‘good’ ecological status	Water pollution and physical modifications are still affecting the ecology of many of Europe’s lakes, rivers, transitional water bodies and coastal waters. Th...	2012-11-14T11:55:00+01:00	Highlight
Berlin park wins award for its soundscape design	A city park in Berlin has won the European Soundscape Award for its innovative design which cuts traffic noise and creates a more attractive acoustic environmen...	2012-11-07T10:00:00+01:00	Highlight
EU exporting more waste, including hazardous waste	Waste is increasingly moving across EU borders, for recovery or disposal. This is true for waste shipments between EU countries, and also transfers of waste out...	2012-11-06T11:55:00+01:00	Highlight
EU greenhouse gases in 2011: more countries on track to meet Kyoto targets, emissions fall 2.5 %	Emissions of greenhouse gases in the European Union (EU) fell on average by 2.5 % from 2010 to 2011, although several countries increased emissions. Almost all ...	2012-10-24T09:00:00+01:00	Press Release
Protected areas have increased to cover one fifth of Europe’s land	More than 21 % of the land has some kind of protected status in the 39 countries which work with the European Environment Agency (EEA). However, only 4 % of the...	2012-10-23T10:00:00+02:00	Highlight
Europe still playing catch-up on air pollution, despite reduction successes	The European Union appears to have met several objectives to reduce the impacts of air pollution, according to the original scientific understanding used to set...	2012-10-18T11:00:00+01:00	Highlight
Many Europeans still exposed to harmful air pollutants	Almost a third of Europe's city dwellers are exposed to excessive concentrations of airborne particulate matter (PM), one of the most important pollutants in te...	2012-09-24T09:00:00+01:00	Press Release
Measuring biodiversity with indicators – new report describes SEBI approach	The continuing loss of biodiversity – made up of genes, species and ecosystems – is a matter of growing concern in Europe. Yet measuring the extent of the ...	2012-09-19T10:00:00+02:00	Highlight
Capture the invisible for the EEA photo story competition	The air we breathe may not be the most photogenic subject, but depicting an odourless, colourless gas is the challenge set out by ImaginAIR, a new competition c...	2012-09-18T14:00:00+01:00	Highlight
European Mobility Week 2012: Moving in the right direction	Imagine a city with clean air and little noise. A place free of congestion, where getting around town is easy. To move towards this goal, cities need to develop...	2012-09-17T11:15:00+02:00	Highlight
Potent greenhouse gases – fluorinated gases in the European Union	The European Environment Agency (EEA) has published new aggregated information on the production and trade of fluorinated gases – or F-gases – in the EU. Al...	2012-09-11T11:00:00+01:00	Highlight
European Union's total greenhouse emissions down 2.5 % in 2011	Greenhouse gas emissions from the European Union (EU) fell by 2.5 %, despite higher coal consumption and a growing gross domestic product (GDP), according to ne...	2012-09-06T23:05:00+01:00	Highlight
How vulnerable could your city be to climate impacts?	Climate change will affect Europe's cities in different ways. To give an overall impression of the challenge for European cities to adapt to climate change, the...	2012-09-04T10:00:00+02:00	Highlight
Managing water and human activities together	River basins, lakes, floodplains and marshes often span political and administrative boundaries. This creates challenges in the management of Europe's water res...	2012-08-24T10:00:00+02:00	Highlight
Avoiding harmful ozone pollution this summer	High summer temperatures combined with air pollution can cause ground-level ozone to form, which has serious effects on health, especially for older people or c...	2012-08-09T15:30:00+02:00	Highlight
EEA seeks five new members of its Scientific Committee	The European Environment Agency (EEA) is looking for scientists interested in becoming members of its Scientific Committee. The Scientific Committee supports th...	2012-08-03T16:00:00+01:00	Highlight
Deputy Director Gordon McInnes retires after 20 years at the EEA	Gordon McInnes retired from the European Environment Agency (EEA) yesterday. He has worked at the EEA and its predecessor, the Commission’s Task Force, since ...	2012-08-01T16:30:00+02:00	Highlight
Eleven Member States exceed air emissions limits under LRTAP Convention	Emissions of most air pollutants have fallen over the last two decades in Europe. But many Member States have exceeded internationally-agreed pollutant limits s...	2012-07-30T11:00:00+01:00	Highlight
ECRINS map project pinpoints water information in Europe	Europe’s freshwater supplies are under pressure. To improve the understanding and management of water resources, the European Environment Agency (EEA) has cre...	2012-07-18T00:00:00+02:00	Highlight
Sahara dust, sea spray and fires contribute to bad air quality	Human activities are the main cause of poor air quality, but natural sources of air pollution also play a role. A new report from the European Environment Agenc...	2012-07-11T11:00:00+01:00	Highlight
Copenhagen beats Bristol and Frankfurt to win European Green Capital 2014	The city of Copenhagen in Denmark has won the European Green Capital Award for 2014, fending off strong competition from two other finalists, Bristol in England...	2012-06-29T21:00:00+01:00	Highlight
Nitrogen oxide emissions still a major problem in Europe	Air pollution emitted from sources such as traffic, industry and households is still above internationally agreed limits in many European countries, according t...	2012-06-28T13:30:00+01:00	Highlight
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...	2012-06-27T10:05:00+02:00	Highlight
New cars sold in 2011 were 3.3 % more fuel efficient than those sold in 2010	Europeans are buying cars that are more efficient. Average carbon dioxide emissions per kilometre continue to fall in Europe, according to preliminary figures r...	2012-06-20T10:45:00+01:00	Highlight
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 Ea...	2012-06-18T15:00:00+02:00	Highlight
European consumption still highly unsustainable, despite efficiency gains	Humanity’s growing appetite for bigger houses, overseas travel, food and consumer goods is the main cause of our most pressing environmental problems, accordi...	2012-06-14T13:30:00+01:00	Highlight
Europe's demand for resources reaching far beyond its borders	Demand for materials is so intense that between 20 and 30 % of the resources we use in Europe are now imported. With the boom in international trade, EU consump...	2012-06-07T10:00:00+02:00	Highlight
World remains on unsustainable path – UNEP report on eve of Rio+20 Summit	The world continues to speed down an unsustainable path despite over 500 internationally agreed goals and objectives to support the sustainable management of th...	2012-06-06T15:30:00+02:00	Highlight
Building the future we want – new report launched on World Environment Day	While much of Europe is still suffering the effects of economic recession, a new report argues that efforts to increase prosperity should not damage the environ...	2012-06-05T10:00:00+02:00	Highlight
Higher EU greenhouse gas emissions in 2010 due to economic recovery and cold winter	Greenhouse gas emissions increased in 2010, as a result of both economic recovery in many countries after the 2009 recession and a colder winter. Nonetheless, e...	2012-05-29T23:00:00+01:00	Press Release
Clean water at majority of EU holiday destinations	Good news if you're planning a beach holiday in Europe this summer: 92.1 % of bathing waters in the European Union now meet the minimum water quality standards ...	2012-05-23T11:00:00+01:00	Press Release
Do we live in a 'green economy'? New report assesses progress in Europe	Despite progress in some areas, Europe must do more to create the 'green economy' needed for the continent to become sustainable, according to a new report from...	2012-05-16T12:00:00+02:00	Highlight
Europe's future depends on cities resilient to climate change	Around three quarters of Europeans live in cities. Most of Europe's wealth is generated in cities, and urban areas are particularly at risk due to climate chang...	2012-05-14T11:00:00+02:00	Press Release
Increase in cancers and fertility problems may be caused by household chemicals and pharmaceuticals	Chemicals which disrupt the hormone system – also known as 'endocrine disrupting chemicals' (EDCs) – may be a contributing factor behind the significant inc...	2012-05-10T15:00:00+02:00	Press Release
Water: how can we account for our most vital resource?	The world is entering a period of growing water scarcity: by 2030, global demand for fresh water could outstrip supply by more than 40 % if water is used in the...	2012-05-10T11:20:00+02:00	Highlight
Generation ’92 video competition: And the winners are...	After lengthy deliberations, the winners of the Generation ’92 video competition have been decided. The video competition from the European Environment Agency...	2012-05-09T10:00:00+02:00	Highlight
Rio 2012 is an opportunity to move towards a green economy	In less than two months, world leaders will gather in Rio de Janeiro for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development. It is 20 years since the last Rio confere...	2012-04-30T15:40:00+02:00	Highlight
Creating a quiet environment	Do you know someone who is doing something to create a healthy soundscape in your working environment, neighbourhood or municipality—implementing innovative s...	2012-04-25T12:00:00+02:00	Highlight
Vote for your favourite video in our competition!	Twenty years ago, governments from around the world met in Rio de Janeiro to discuss sustainable development, and created some of the most far-reaching environm...	2012-04-20T15:30:00+02:00	Highlight
What money can't buy - UN discusses happiness as a measure of progress	The world needs to move away from measuring success in purely economic terms, and should instead consider other criteria, including distribution of resources, s...	2012-04-04T17:00:00+02:00	Highlight
Major new website to assist with climate change adaptation in Europe	Climate change is already evident in Europe. Across the continent, policy makers are starting to respond to current and future impacts and risks associated with...	2012-03-23T13:00:00+02:00	Highlight
More effort needed to reduce summer ozone	Ground level ozone causes health problems, decreases crop yields and damages the environment. Ozone levels exceeding certain targets in Europe were less frequen...	2012-03-19T11:00:00+01:00	Highlight
Unsustainable consumption – the mother of all environmental issues?	Consumption of products and services impacts the environment in many different ways. For example, the things we buy contribute, directly or indirectly through t...	2012-03-15T10:00:00+02:00	Highlight
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 Agenc...	2012-03-13T13:00:00+01:00	Press Release
Air pollutant emission limits exceeded in twelve EU Member States	Twelve Member States exceeded one or more of the emission limits set by the EU National Emission Ceilings (NEC) Directive, according to recent official data for...	2012-02-22T14:00:00+01:00	Highlight
Soil protection critical for Europe's economy and ecosystems	Soil is one of the planet's invaluable resources but continues to be degraded in Europe. Together, the mineral particles, water, air, organic matter, and living...	2012-02-14T12:00:00+01:00	Highlight
Vacancy notice now published for EEA Executive Director - to take office June 2013	The EEA has a key role in providing the knowledge base to help the European Commission, European Parliament, EU Member States and other EEA member and cooperat...	2012-02-10T15:45:00+01:00	Highlight
Youth video competition: share your vision of a sustainable future and win cash prizes	What is your vision for sustainable living in 20 years' time? Competition "Generation '92" offers the opportunity for young Europeans born in 1991, 1992 or 1993...	2012-02-09T12:00:00+02:00	Press Release
Greenland’s Health Ministry signs cooperation agreement with EEA	The Ministry of Health in Greenland has signed an agreement with the European Environment Agency (EEA). The two organisations committed to exchange personnel, a...	2012-01-13T16:15:00+02:00	Highlight
Environmental tax reform: increasing individual incomes and boosting innovation	European governments could simultaneously reduce income tax, increase innovation and cut pollution by introducing well-targeted environmental taxes and recyclin...	2012-01-09T12:00:00+02:00	Highlight
Economic growth must be decoupled from environmental harm – the EEA evaluates findings from 2011	Europe’s impact on the environment is still very much linked to the economy. This message was clear in many of the reports and datasets published by the Europ...	2011-12-21T13:00:00+02:00	Highlight
Most carmakers must further improve carbon efficiency by 2015	Several carmakers need to make their fleets even more carbon-efficient in order to meet 2012 carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions target, according to updated data pu...	2011-12-20T11:00:00+01:00	Highlight
COP17 climate talks: Mapping the way towards a legal framework by 2015	A new way forward has been agreed upon in Durban, South Africa, after two weeks of climate change negotiations. The European Union welcomed the agreement from t...	2011-12-19T16:05:00+02:00	Highlight
Global initiative for sharing information takes off at Eye on Earth Summit	At the Eye on Earth summit in Abu Dhabi this week, many different global and national organisations committed to contributing large volumes of environmental dat...	2011-12-16T18:10:00+02:00	Highlight
Homes responsible for one quarter of European greenhouse emissions from energy	Home energy use is responsible overall for 25 % of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union (EU), according to a new analysis from the Euro...	2011-12-15T11:30:00+01:00	Highlight
New Eye on Earth global mapping and information service now live	A new global web service allowing users to create maps and visualise data on environmental issues is now live. The new Eye on Earth global public information se...	2011-12-13T11:00:00+01:00	Press Release
Recycling industry can boost the European economy	Recycling has multiple benefits for many areas of the economy – providing raw materials, creating jobs and encouraging business opportunities and innovation. ...	2011-12-05T16:15:00+01:00	Highlight
Noise levels across Europe now mapped by new EEA application	European citizens will soon be able to access and upload data on noise levels in their area, thanks to a new application on the Eye on Earth online map service....	2011-12-01T15:45:00+02:00	Highlight
Huge renewable energy growth this decade, if EU countries meet projections	Offshore wind energy capacity in Europe is projected to increase 17-fold between 2010 and 2020, while newer renewable technologies such as concentrated solar po...	2011-11-28T12:00:00+01:00	Highlight
Industrial air pollution cost Europe up to €169 billion in 2009, EEA reveals	Air pollution from the 10,000 largest polluting facilities in Europe cost citizens between € 102 and 169 billion in 2009. This was one of the findings of a ne...	2011-11-24T08:00:00+01:00	Press Release
New IPCC report addresses risks of extreme events and disasters	It is "virtually certain" that warm weather extreme events will become more frequent this century, according to a new summary report published by the Intergover...	2011-11-23T11:30:00+02:00	Highlight
Carbon capture and storage could also impact air pollution	Carbon capture and storage (CCS) involves capturing carbon dioxide released by power stations and other industrial sources, and burying it deep underground. But...	2011-11-17T18:10:00+01:00	Highlight
European transport sector must be ambitious to meet targets	Emissions of many pollutants from transport fell in 2009. But this reduction may only be a temporary effect of the economic downturn, according to the latest an...	2011-11-10T08:00:00+01:00	Press Release
Ozone and particulates most serious air quality problems in Europe	Air quality in Europe has improved between 1990 and 2009, as emissions of most pollutants have fallen, according to a new report from the European Environment A...	2011-11-09T08:00:00+01:00	Highlight
Cutting noise with quiet asphalt and traffic lane management	Noise pollution affects many Europeans, and for some, it is not only a nuisance - it can also trigger serious disease. Tuesday evening, at a prestigious ceremon...	2011-11-08T21:30:00+02:00	Highlight
Assessing climate change impacts in the Pyrenees	Europe’s mountain regions may suffer some of the most severe impacts of climate change. Increasing temperatures can change snow-cover patterns and lead to wat...	2011-10-27T12:00:00+02:00	Highlight
Building better environmental policy by looking into the future	As we prepare for a future yet unwritten, a cascade of uncertainty presents itself - the future structure of our society and economies is uncertain; the environ...	2011-10-21T12:00:00+02:00	Highlight
New film on waste management in Greenland	Dealing with large quantities of unwanted (and sometimes toxic) waste is often difficult – but it becomes even more complicated when people live in isolated c...	2011-10-13T14:00:00+02:00	Highlight
Common Agricultural Policy reform – reducing the impact of farming	Today, the European Commission launched its proposals for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after 2013. The key objective is ‘to strengthen the competitive...	2011-10-12T17:40:00+02:00	Highlight
Health risks from mobile phone radiation – why the experts disagree	Mobile phones and other digital devices are now a big part of modern life – but are they dangerous? There were an estimated 5.3 billion mobile phone subscript...	2011-10-12T17:33:27+02:00	Highlight
From efficient water use to quitting fossil fuels – survey shows different approaches to resource efficiency across Europe	Resource efficiency is a policy priority for Europe. However, across the region there are many different approaches to ‘doing more with less’, as shown by a...	2011-10-11T09:00:00+02:00	Highlight
EU greenhouse gas emissions estimated to increase in 2010, but long-term decrease expected to continue	The European Union remains well on track to achieve its Kyoto Protocol target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions despite a 2.4 % emissions increase in 2010, ...	2011-10-07T10:30:00+01:00	Press Release
Using models for air quality assessment and planning: a guide	Computer models are increasingly used for estimating air quality or forecasting changes in pollution levels. Various different models are currently used across ...	2011-09-26T11:30:00+02:00	Highlight
Environmental information network extends across Europe, Central Asia and Russian Federation	Government ministers and delegates from 53 countries agreed to extend the European network for sharing environmental information across the pan-European region....	2011-09-23T16:17:45+02:00	Highlight
Pan-European assessment asks: 'What do we know about water and green economy?'	Ministers will meet in Astana, Kazakhstan, today to discuss water issues and greening the economy at the seventh 'Environment for Europe' Ministerial Conference...	2011-09-21T01:00:00+02:00	Press Release
Green budgets: the potential for economic instruments to power environmental change	The budget is one area where governments can influence our interaction with the environment – encouraging beneficial behaviour, and discouraging environmental...	2011-09-16T11:27:29+02:00	Highlight