Highlights

Our Natural Europe: conservation stories show importance of local action

Arthur Girling — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:55:00 +0200

When fishermen in the Koster Sea in Southern Sweden understood the value of the ecosystems beneath the waves, they voluntarily agreed to change fishing practices. The area became Sweden’s first marine national park in 2006.

Is there a protected area near you? Find out on UN Biodiversity Day

Arthur Girling — Wed, 22 May 2013 15:45:00 +0200

Protected areas cover more than one fifth of the land in the 39 countries working with the European Environment Agency (EEA). On International Biodiversity Day, the EEA encourages Europeans to find out more about their closest nature reserve or national park using a new interactive map.

EEA land cover data to be used in mobile phone maps

Arthur Girling — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 15:00:00 +0100

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 devices.

Protected areas have increased to cover one fifth of Europe’s land

Arthur Girling — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 10:00:00 +0200

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 sea controlled by countries of the European Union is included within the Natura 2000 network of protected areas, according to a new report from the EEA.

Managing water and human activities together

Iben Stanhardt — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 10:00:00 +0200

River basins, lakes, floodplains and marshes often span political and administrative boundaries. This creates challenges in the management of Europe's water resources, according to a report from the European Environment Agency (EEA), which recommends better integration of coordinated spatial planning and water management.

Soil protection critical for Europe's economy and ecosystems

Arthur Girling — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0100

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 organisms that constitute soil perform key functions which underpin our society.

Increasing fragmentation of landscape threatens European wildlife

Arthur Girling — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 13:30:00 +0200

Roads, motorways, railways, intensive agriculture and urban developments are breaking up Europe’s landscapes into ever-smaller pieces, with potentially devastating consequences for flora and fauna across the continent, according to a new joint report from the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN). The report, 'Landscape fragmentation in Europe', demonstrates how areas of land are often unable to support high levels of biodiversity when they are split into smaller and smaller parcels.

Commission and EEA sign agreement to provide detailed information on land cover in Europe

Arthur Girling — Wed, 25 May 2011 17:00:00 +0200

The European Environment Agency (EEA) and the European Commission (EC) have signed an agreement to provide information on land cover in Europe, compiling data from land, air and space. The agreement was signed on May 25, during a Green Week event in Brussels.

Land use conflicts necessitate integrated policy

Iben Stanhardt — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 10:56:57 +0200

Demand for land in Europe is high. Food and biomass production, housing, infrastructure and recreation all compete for space, with impacts on our climate, biodiversity and ecosystem services. In a recent assessment, the European Environment Agency (EEA) analyses land use change in Europe, concluding that we need an integrated policy approach based on reliable data to balance sectoral demands and manage land sustainably.

World Forest Day highlights multiple threats on forests

Gülcin KARADENIZ — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:55:00 +0100

Forests cover over 30 % of the earth's surface. They are one of the most important 'storehouses' of biological diversity on land and play a key role in regulating our planet's climate. Their importance and the wide array of threats on world's forests are in the spotlight during the World Forest Day 21 March and the UN International Year of Forests 2011.

Disasters in Europe: more frequent and causing more damage

Marie Jaegly — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 18:25:00 +0100

The number and impacts of disasters have increased in Europe in the period 1998-2009, a new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) concludes. The report assesses the frequency of disasters and their impacts on humans, the economy and ecosystems and calls for better integrated risk disaster management across Europe.

Protecting Europe's cultural landscapes and biodiversity heritage

Gülcin KARADENIZ — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 09:24:06 +0200

European landscapes reflect not only the continent's diverse climate and geology but also centuries of interaction between man and nature. A new European Environment Agency (EEA) study reviews this interplay, highlighting the main threats to this rich heritage and initiatives to protect it.

Recognising the true value of Europe's mountains

Gülcin KARADENIZ — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 10:00:00 +0200

Mountains have contributed to shaping not only Europe's history, society and economy, but also its climate and environment. A new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) provides an in-depth analysis of populations, ecosystems, water cycles, land cover and policies in mountain areas.

Europe's mountains: rich in biodiversity but increasingly vulnerable

Gülcin KARADENIZ — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 10:00:00 +0200

Snow-capped peaks, rocky inclines, rich forests and sloping meadows provide recreation and economic opportunities for humans and a home to many plants and animals. The European Environment Agency's new assessment of mountain ecosystems sheds light on their state and the pressures they face.

How Europe's agriculture can boost biodiversity

Gülcin KARADENIZ — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 10:00:00 +0200

Intensive farming has long been a major cause of biodiversity decline in Europe. The European Environment Agency's (EEA) new short assessment examines Europe's efforts to strike a balance between producing sufficient food and maintaining agro-ecosystems that are rich in biodiversity above and below ground.