The European environment – state and outlook 2010

Direct and indirect global pressures caused by private consumption distributed by consumption (COICOP) category, in EU-27, 2007: Direct and indirect GHGs induced by household consumption distributed across 12 household consumption (COICOP) categories for a single year. Direct and indirect acidification emissions induced by household consumption distributed across 12 household consumption (COICOP) categories for a single year. Direct and indirect troposheric ozone precursor emissions induced by household consumption distributed across 12 household consumption (COICOP) categories for a single year. Direct material input induced by household consumption distributed across 12 household consumption (COICOP) categories for a single year.
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Global and European temperature (CSI 012/CLIM 001) - Assessment published Jun 2012: Global Three independent long records of global average near-surface (land and ocean) annual temperature show that the decade between 2002 and 2011 was 0.77°C to 0.80°C warmer than the pre-industrial average. In recent decades, the rate of change in global average temperature has been close to the 0.2°C per decade. The Arctic has warmed significantly more than the globe, and this is projected to continue into the future. The best estimate for the further rise in global average temperature is between 1.8 and 4.0°C for the lowest and highest SRES marker scenarios (IPCC SRES) that assume no additional political measures to limit emissions. When climate model uncertainties are taken into account, the likely range increases to 1.1 – 6.4 °C. The EU target of limiting global average temperature increase to 2 °C above pre-industrial levels is projected to be exceeded during the second half of this century and likely around 2050, for all six IPCC scenarios. Europe The average temperature for the European land area for the last decade (2002-2011) is 1.3°C above the pre-industrial level, which makes it the warmest on record. Annual average land temperature over Europe is projected to continue increasing by more than global land temperature during the 21 st century. By the 2021-2050 period, temperature increases of between 1.0°C and 2.5°C are projected, and by 2071-2100 this increases to between 2.5°C and 4.0°C. The largest temperature increase during 21 st century is projected over eastern and northern Europe in winter and over Southern Europe in summer. Extremes of cold have become less frequent in Europe while warm extremes have become more frequent. Since 1880 the average length of summer heat waves over Western Europe doubled and frequency of hot days almost tripled.
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Consumption and the environment — 2012 update: Update to the European Environment State and Outlook 2010 (SOER 2010) thematic assessment
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Development of Ecological Footprint and Available Biocapacity per capita in EEA Member Countries: The ecological footprint is a measure of the area needed to support a population's lifestyle. This includes the consumption of food, fuel, wood, and fibres. Pollution, such as carbon dioxide emissions, is also counted as part of the footprint. Biocapacity measures how biologically productive land is. It is measured in 'global hectares': a hectare with the world average biocapacity. Biologically productive land includes cropland, pasture, forests and fisheries
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Material resources and waste — 2012 update: Update to the European Environment State and Outlook 2010 (SOER 2010) thematic assessment
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Exposure of ecosystems to acidification, eutrophication and ozone (CSI 005) - Assessment published May 2012: Eutrophication The magnitude of the risk of ecosystem eutrophication and its geographical coverage has diminished only slightly over the years. The predictions for 2010 and 2020 indicate that the risk is still widespread over Europe. This is in conflict with the EU's long-term objective of not exceeding critical loads of airborne acidifying and eutrophying substances in sensitive ecosystem areas (National Emission Ceilings Directive, 6th Environmental Action Programme, Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution). Acidification The situation has considerably improved and it is predicted to improve further. The interim environmental objective for 2010 (National Emission Ceilings Directive) will most likely not be met completely. However, the European ecosystem areas where the critical load will be exceeded is predicted to have declined by more than 80 % in 2010 with 1990 as a base year. By 2020, it is expected that the risk of ecosystem acidification will only be an issue at some hot spots, in particular at the border area between the Netherlands and Germany. Ozone (O 3 ) Most vegetation and agricultural crops are exposed to ozone levels exceeding the long-term objective given in the EU Air Quality Directive. A significant fraction is also exposed to levels above the 2010 target value defined in the Directive. Concentrations in 2008 were on the average higher than in 2007. The effect-related accumulated concentrations, addressing exposure of crops to ozone over several summer months, shows large year-to-year variations, there is a non-significance tendency to increase.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Exposure of ecosystems to acidification, eutrophication and ozone
Total primary energy intensity (CSI 028/ENER 017) - Assessment published Apr 2012: Total energy intensity decreased by 1.6% from 1990 to 2009 in the EU-27. Since 2005 the intensity decrease more rapidly, by 2.2%/year on average. In 2009, the global economic crisis led to a significant drop in total energy consumption (-5.5%) in the EU-27 with the GDP decreasing by 4.3%: this resulted in a 1.3% decrease in the total primary intensity In non EU EEA countries the primary energy intensity has been on average quite stable over the period 1990-2009; it however increased in the recent years, by 1.4%/year over 2005-2009 (+1.4%/year).
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Oxygen consuming substances in rivers (CSI 019) - Assessment DRAFT created Apr 2012: Concentrations of BOD and total ammonium have decreased in European rivers in the period 1992 to 2009 (Fig. 1), mainly due to general improvement in wastewater treatment. See also WISE interactive maps: Mean annual BOD in rivers and Mean annual Total Ammonium in rivers
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Nutrients in freshwater (CSI 020) - Assessment DRAFT created Apr 2012: • Average nitrate concentrations in European groundwaters increased from 1992 to 1998, but have declined again since 2004. • The average nitrate concentration in European rivers decreased by approximately 13% between 1992 and 2009 (from 2.5 to 2.1 mg/l N), reflecting the effect of measures to reduce agricultural inputs of nitrate. • Average orthophosphate concentrations in European rivers have decreased markedly over the last two decades, being halved between 1992 and 2009 (52% decrease). Also average lake phosphorus concentration decreased over the period 1992-2009 (by 22%), the major part of the decrease occurring in the first half of the period. The decrease in phosphorus concentrations reflects both improvement in wastewater treatment and reduction in phosphorus in detergents. • Overall, reductions in the levels of freshwater nutrients over the last two decades primarily reflect improvements in wastewater treatment. Emissions from agriculture continue to be a significant source.
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Bathing water quality (CSI 022) - Assessment published Mar 2012: The quality of water at designated bathing waters in Europe (coastal and inland) has improved significantly since 1990. Compliance with mandatory values in EU coastal bathing waters increased from just below 80 % in 1990 to 92.1 % in 2010. Compliance with guide values likewise rose from over 68 % to 79.5 % in 2010. Compliance with mandatory values in EU inland bathing waters increased from 52 % in 1990 to 90.2 % in 2010. Similarly, the rate of compliance with guide values moved from 36.4 % in 1990 to 60.5 % in 2010.
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