Signals — every breath we take

CLC changes between 1990 and 2006 (km2): -
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
The fourth assessment: Presentation of the report at the Belgrade conference: Subtitled movie of the speech hold by Executive Director of the EEA Jacqueline McGlade during the presentation of the 4th pan-European assessment at the UNECE 6th Мinisterial Conference "Environment for Europe", in Belgrade, 10th of October 2007.
Located in Environmental topics › … › Archive: the Belgrade ministerial conference › Videos and interviews
Public awareness (SEBI 026) - Assessment DRAFT created Nov 2010: Two-thirds of EU citizens do not know the meaning of the word 'biodiversity', let alone understand what the threats and challenges to its conservation are. Most EU citizens have never heard of the Natura 2000 network (78 %). However, over two-thirds of EU citizens report personally making efforts to help preserve nature.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Public awareness
Abundance and distribution of selected species (SEBI 001) - Assessment published May 2010: Overall, Europe's common bird populations reduced by around 10 % since 1980. Common farmland birds declined most severely (around 50 %) but common forest birds also declined by some 9 %. Falls have levelled off since the late 1990s. Europe's grassland butterflies have declined dramatically (60 %) since 1990 and this reduction shows no sign yet of levelling off.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Abundance and distribution of selected species
Agriculture: area under management practices potentially supporting biodiversity (SEBI 020) - Assessment published May 2010: Europe has significant areas of High Nature Value (HNV) farmland, which provide habitats for a wide range of species. Such areas are under threat, however, from intensification of farming and land abandonment. The mere presence of HNV farmland is of course not proof of sustainable management but promoting conservation and sustainable farming practices in these areas is crucial for biodiversity. Map 1 presents the first estimate of HNV farmland distribution and can therefore not yet be analysed for trends. Agri-environment schemes have been used widely to make agriculture more sustainable. Not all agri-environment measures are explicitly targeted on biodiversity, however, and further analysis is required to determine their effectiveness. Organic farming has developed rapidly since the beginning of the 1990s and continues to do so. While it is difficult to assess its impact on biodiversity it is assumed that this type of farming reduces stress on ecosystems and provides a wider range of niches for farmland species.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Agriculture: area under management practices potentially supporting biodiversity
Agriculture: nitrogen balance (SEBI 019) - Assessment published May 2010: Agricultural nitrogen surpluses (the difference between all nutrient inputs and outputs on agricultural land) show a declining trend, thereby potentially reducing environmental pressures on soil, water and air. Many countries, however, still maintain a large surplus.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Agriculture: nitrogen balance
Aquaculture: effluent water quality from finfish farms (SEBI 022) - Assessment published May 2010: Aquaculture production in Europe has increased in the EU since 1990, levelling off slightly since 2000 although Norway and Iceland continue to show large increases. This overall increase implies a rise in pressure on adjacent water bodies and associated ecosystems resulting mainly from nutrient releasefrom aquaculture facilities. Annual production in the current version of the indicator is a proxy for the environmental impacts of aquaculture. Work is underway to develop a more advanced indicator to assess the sustainability of aquaculture.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Aquaculture: effluent water quality from finfish farms
Area under organic farming (CSI 026) - Assessment published Nov 2005: The share of organic farming is increasing strongly and now stands at about 4 % of agricultural area in the fifteen older EU Member States and the EFTA countries. EU agri-environment programmes and consumer demand have been key factors for this strong increase. The share of organic land remains far below 1 % in most of the ten new Member States and the accession countries.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Area under organic farming
Change in species diversity as a result of climate change - outlook from EEA (Outlook 004) - Assessment published Jun 2007: Significant changes in the distribution of plant species in Europe are expected by 2100 due to increase of global temperature by about 3.10C. Such temperature increase going to be well above the long-term sustainable objective set in the 6th EAP. The Southwestern part and the most Eastern part (Russia) of Europe may suffer the highest changes in biodiversity; the loss of species might exceed 50 % by 2050. By 2100 most European Member States are expected to lose more than 50 species compared with the 1995 situation.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Change in species diversity as a result of climate change - outlook from EEA
Critical load exceedance for nitrogen (SEBI 009) - Assessment published May 2010: Nitrogen emissions and deposition of nitrogen compounds have decreased since 1990 but relatively little compared to sulphur emissions. Agriculture and transport are the main sources of nitrogen pollution (EEA, 2007c). In addition, nitrogen components can lead to eutrophication of ecosystems. When this pollution exceeds certain levels ('critical load'), it is damaging to biodiversity. Critical load exceedance is still significant (1) . (1) The critical load of nutrient nitrogen is defined as 'the highest deposition of nitrogen as NOX and/or NHY below which harmful effects in ecosystem structure and function do not occur according to present knowledge' (ICP, M&M, 2004).
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Critical load exceedance for nitrogen