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Designing safe and sustainable products requires a new approach for chemicals
The EU chemicals strategy for sustainability aims to ensure that chemicals are ‘produced and used in a way that maximises their contribution to society … while avoiding harm to the planet and to current and future generations’ (EC, 2020). Building sustainability dimensions into products’ design phase can support the delivery of these objectives. Key features of sustainable products include chemical safety, recyclability and a low environmental impact. This briefing describes approaches that are safe and sustainable by design and identifies enabling conditions, which support their uptake, and the related challenges and opportunities.
10 messages for 2010 - Coastal ecosystems
Key messages: 1) As an interface between land and sea, European coastlines provide vital resources for wildlife, but also for the economy and human health and well-being. 2) Multiple pressures, including habitat loss and degradation, pollution, climate change and overexploitation of fish stocks, affect coastal ecosystems. 3) Coastal habitat types and species of Community interest are at risk in Europe; two thirds of coastal habitat types and more than half of coastal species have an unfavourable conservation status. 4) Integrated and ecosystem-based approaches provide the foundation for sustainable coastal management and development, supporting socio-economic development, biodiversity and ecosystem services. Coordinated action at the global, regional and local levels will be key to sustainable management of coastal ecosystems.
10 messages for 2010 — Mountain ecosystems
European mountain regions provide essential ecosystem services for lowlands and host a great diversity of habitats and species, many adapted to specific extreme climatic conditions. Mountain ecosystems are fragile and vulnerable, and face severe threats from land abandonment, intensifying agriculture, impacts of infrastructure development, unsustainable exploitation and climate change.
Reported noise exposure of more than 55 dB Lden in European agglomerations with more than 250 000 inhabitants based on the results of strategic noise mapping
The figure shows the reported long-term (yearly) average exposure to day-evening-night noise of more than 55 dB in EU-27 agglomerations with more than 250 000 inhabitants
Percentage of urban population resident in areas where pollutant concentrations are higher than selected limit/target values, 2000-2012 (EU-28)
The rationale for selection of pollutant and corresponding limit/target values for CSI 004 is given in the justification for indicator selection.
Share of green urban areas in European cities, 2006
Cities are core cities following the Urban Audit definition (Eurostat, 2010). In most cases the delineation of the core city matches the urban built-up area. But in some cases the delineation also includes substantial areas outside the urban built-up areas (parts of the urban fringe and hinterland); in other cases, it includes only city centres
Years of life lost per 100 000 inhabitants attributable to air pollution in European countries, 2015
The maps show the number of years of life lost per country attributable to air pollution (PM 2.5 left, NO2 center and O3 right).
Percentage of green urban areas in EU-27 core cities
This map shows the percentage of green urban areas in core cities
Designing safe and sustainable products requires a new approach for chemicals
The EU chemicals strategy for sustainability aims to ensure that chemicals are ‘produced and used in a way that maximises their contribution to society … while avoiding harm to the planet and to current and future generations’ (EC, 2020). Building sustainability dimensions into products’ design phase can support the delivery of these objectives. Key features of sustainable products include chemical safety, recyclability and a low environmental impact. This briefing describes approaches that are safe and sustainable by design and identifies enabling conditions, which support their uptake, and the related challenges and opportunities.
Estimated years of life lost (YOLL) in reference year 2005 attributable to long-term PM2.5 exposure
Health impact caused by expsore to PM2.5
Exposure to PM10 mapped against long-term unemployment, 2013-2014
The map uses a colour gradient to show the long-term unemployment rate per NUTS2 region, classified in quantiles, against the highest exposure to PM10 pollution represented as hatched areas (only the top 20 % of PM10 are shown).
Delivering justice in sustainability transitions
The EU is committed to a just and inclusive future of living well within planetary boundaries. To reach this sustainable future, society must go through processes of transition that improve the quality of life of current and future generations. Sustainability transitions must lead to wellbeing for both people and other species, while respecting ecological boundaries and addressing existing injustices linked to environmental degradation and climate change. At the same time, there is a need to make sure that the policies enacted to achieve sustainability do not create new inequalities or exacerbate existing ones. This briefing puts forward a conceptual framework to support the development of just and equitable sustainability transition policies.
Schematic representation of limits of circularity in the EU-27, 2019
Percentile 93.2 of the maximum daily 8-hour mean ozone concentrations observed at (sub)urban background stations
Percentile 90.4 of the daily PM10 concentrations observed at (sub)urban background stations
Annual mean NO2 concentrations observed at (sub)urban background stations
Annual mean PM2.5 concentration observed at (sub)urban background stations
Percentage of urban population resident in areas for days per year with PM10 concentration exceeding daily limit value
Life expectancy and healthy life years at birth in EU-27, Iceland and Norway in 2007, by gender
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EU urban population exposed to air pollutant concentrations above selected EU air quality standards and WHO AQ guidelines
The rationale for selection of pollutants and corresponding WHO guidelines is given in the specification section of indicator CSI 004.
Environmental indicator report 2013
Natural resources and human well-being in a green economy. This report extends the analysis of the green economy, focusing on the environmental pressures associated with resource use patterns and their impact on human health and well-being. Mapping the diverse connections between environmental change and human health impacts involves considerable conceptual complexities, and relies on a relatively fragmented evidence base.
Europe's forests at a glance — a breath of fresh air in a changing climate
Forests do not only provide us food, fibre and medicine, they regulate our climate and improve our quality of life. Human activities and climate change exert increasing pressure on our forest resources and the services they provide. With increasing demand on forests services on the one side, and uncertainty and risks linked to climate change on the other, we need to ensure that forests can continue fulfilling their multifunctional role.
Growth without economic growth
Economic growth is closely linked to increases in production, consumption and resource use and has detrimental effects on the natural environment and human health. It is unlikely that a long-lasting, absolute decoupling of economic growth from environmental pressures and impacts can be achieved at the global scale; therefore, societies need to rethink what is meant by growth and progress and their meaning for global sustainability.
Ensuring quality of life in Europe's cities and towns
In May 2008, the Council of Europe's Congress of Local and Regional Authorities captured the concerns and desires of urban policy‑makers and citizens in the title of its new European Urban Charter: Manifesto for a new urbanity. Like numerous other international and European charters, conventions and declarations, the manifesto describes with some apprehension the 'unprecedented environmental, democratic, cultural, social and economic challenges' facing urban centres and their inhabitants. Our report on quality of life in Europe's cities and towns reiterates these concerns but also unravels the many apparent paradoxes of urban development and the sometimes perplexing realities of urban Europe today. The report defines a vision for progress towards a more sustainable, well‑designed urban future.