Signals — every breath we take

Water exploitation index: Located in Data and maps › Indicators
Saltwater intrusion: Located in Data and maps › Indicators
Bathing water quality (CSI 022) - Assessment published Nov 2005: The quality of water at designated bathing beaches in Europe (coastal and inland) has improved throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2003, 97% of coastal bathing waters and 92% of inland bathing waters complied with the mandatory standards.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Bathing water quality
Chlorophyll in transitional, coastal and marine waters (CSI 023) - Assessment published Nov 2005: There has been no general reduction in eutrophication (as measured by chlorophyll-a concentrations) in the Baltic Sea, the Greater North Sea or the coastal waters of Italy and Greece. Chlorophyll-a concentrations have increased in a few coastal areas and decreased in others.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Chlorophyll in transitional, coastal and marine waters
Chlorophyll in transitional, coastal and marine waters (CSI 023) - Assessment published Jan 2009: The highest summer chlorophyll-a concentrations were observed in coastal areas and estuaries and are at many locations associated with nutrient inputs from major rivers. Of the 413 stations reported to the EEA in 2005 with more than 5 years of observations, decreasing trends in summer chlorophyll-a concentrations were found at 7% of stations, increasing trends were found at 8% of stations, and the majority of stations (85%) indicate no statistically significant change in concentration. The stations with descreasing trends are located either in the Baltic Sea or along the coast of Italy.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Chlorophyll in transitional, coastal and marine waters
Chlorophyll in transitional, coastal and marine waters (CSI 023) - Assessment published Jul 2011: In 2008, the highest summer chlorophyll-a concentrations were observed in coastal areas and estuaries where nutrient concentrations are high, namely in the Gulf of Riga, the Gulf of Finland and along the coast of France and Belgium. Although nutrient concentrations in some European sea areas decreased from 1985 to 2008 (see Core Set Indicator 21), these changes were not clearly reflected in chlorophyll-a concentrations: of the 546 stations reported to the EEA the majority of the stations (89%) indicated no statistically significant change. Changes were detected mainly in Finnish, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish and Italian coastal waters. At the Finnish and Swedish monitoring stations chlorophyll-a concentrations showed both decreasing and increasing trends, whereas in Italy, Netherlands and Norway concentrations were mainly decreasing. An analysis of changes based on satellite imagery show significantly increasing trends of ocean colour (equivalent to chl-a)along the Mediterranean coast, whereas trends are significantly decreasing in large parts of the central Mediterranean and Black Seas. It also shows significantly increasing trends in the Baltic Sea, but here the analysis is less certain.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Chlorophyll in transitional, coastal and marine waters
Gross nutrient balance (CSI 025) - Assessment published Nov 2005: At EU-15 level the gross nitrogen balance in 2000 was calculated to be 55 kg/ha, which is 16% lower than the balance estimate in 1990, which was 66 kg/ha. In 2000 the gross nitrogen balance ranged from 37 kg/ha (Italy) to 226 kg/ha (the Netherlands). All national gross nitrogen balances show a decline in estimates of the gross nitrogen balance (kg/ha) between 1990 and 2000, apart from Ireland (22% increase) and Spain (47% increase). The following Member States showed organic fertiliser application rates greater than the threshold of 170 kg/ha specified by the Nitrates Directive in 2000: the Netherlands (206 kg/ha) and Belgium (204 kg/ha). The general decline in nitrogen balance surpluses is due to a small decrease in nitrogen input rates (-1.0%) and a significant increase in nitrogen output rates (10%).
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Gross nutrient balance
Nutrients in transitional, coastal and marine waters (CSI 021) - Assessment published Nov 2005: Phosphate concentrations in some coastal sea areas of the Baltic and North Seas have decreased over recent years, but they have remained stable in the Celtic Sea and increased in some Italian coastal areas. Nitrate concentrations have generally remained stable over recent years in the Baltic, North and Celtic Seas but have increased in some Italian coastal areas.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Nutrients in transitional, coastal and marine waters
Use of freshwater resources - outlook from EEA (Outlook 014) - Assessment published Jun 2007: Total water abstraction in Europe is expected to decrease by more than 10 % between 2000 and 2030 with pronounced decreases in Western Europe. Climate change is expected to reduce water availability and increase irrigation withdrawals in Mediterranean river basins. Under mid-range assumptions on temperature and precipitation changes, water availability is expected to decline in southern and south-eastern Europe (by 10 % or more in some river basins by 2030). The sectoral profile of water abstraction is expected to change: withdrawals for the electricity sector are projected to decrease dramatically over the next 30 years as a result of continuing substitution of once-through cooling by less water-intensive cooling tower systems. Water use in the manufacturing sector may grow significantly. Agricultureis expected to remain the largest water user in the Mediterranen countries, with more irrigation and warmer and drier growing seasons resulting from climate change.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Use of freshwater resources - outlook from EEA
Chlorophyll-a concentrations in European seas, 2008: Chlorophyll-a concentrations in European seas in 2008 based on observations
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs