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Highest recycling rates in Austria and Germany – but UK and Ireland show fastest increase — Mar 19, 2013: Austria, Germany and Belgium recycled the largest proportion of municipal waste in Europe in 2010. Although some countries have rapidly increased recycling rates, Europe is still wasting vast quantities of valuable resources by sending them to landfill, and many countries risk falling short of legally binding recycling targets.
How to measure environmental pressures from production and consumption? — Mar 04, 2013: The consumption and production of goods and services is currently unsustainable in Europe, with ‘decoupling’ of environmental pressures from economic growth insufficient to date. A new report from the European Environment Agency (EEA) describes methods for quantifying environmental pressures caused by European consumption patterns and economic production sectors. These methods can help target decoupling actions.
EU exporting more waste, including hazardous waste — Nov 06, 2012: Waste is increasingly moving across EU borders, for recovery or disposal. This is true for waste shipments between EU countries, and also transfers of waste outside the EU, according to a new assessment from the European Environment Agency (EEA).
Rio+20 – time to rethink the way we use natural resources — Jun 18, 2012: This week the Rio de Janeiro summit on sustainable development will open. Rio+20 is an opportunity to look back at changes in our environment since the first Earth Summit in 1992, and also a time to look to the future, re-evaluating the way our economies and our societies depend on the environment and natural resources.
European consumption still highly unsustainable, despite efficiency gains — Jun 14, 2012: Humanity’s growing appetite for bigger houses, overseas travel, food and consumer goods is the main cause of our most pressing environmental problems, according to a new report from the European Environment Agency (EEA) which considers the links between the environment and consumption.
Europe's demand for resources reaching far beyond its borders — Jun 07, 2012: Demand for materials is so intense that between 20 and 30 % of the resources we use in Europe are now imported. With the boom in international trade, EU consumption and production damage ecosystems and human health far beyond Europe’s borders, according to a report published by the European Environment Agency (EEA).
Recycling industry can boost the European economy — Dec 05, 2011: Recycling has multiple benefits for many areas of the economy – providing raw materials, creating jobs and encouraging business opportunities and innovation. These economic benefits of recycling are examined in a new report from the European Environment Agency (EEA). The report considers the recycling industry in the context of building a 'green economy', a major European policy objective.
New film on waste management in Greenland — Oct 13, 2011: Dealing with large quantities of unwanted (and sometimes toxic) waste is often difficult – but it becomes even more complicated when people live in isolated communities, in extreme environments hundreds of kilometres from the nearest treatment plant. This is the subject of a new film considering waste management in Greenland, entitled ‘Mission Greenland – for a cleaner future’.
Big potential of cutting greenhouse gases from waste — Aug 29, 2011: There is a big potential to cut greenhouse gases (GHGs) from municipal solid waste management, according to a new report from the European Environment Agency (EEA). The report, 'Waste opportunities – Past and future climate benefits from better municipal waste management in Europe', covers the EU-27 (excluding Cyprus), Norway and Switzerland. It estimates that these countries could make GHG savings of up to 78 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e) by 2020, or 1.53 % of Europe's emissions in 2008.
Water quality and wastewater treatment — WISE interactive maps updated — Jul 25, 2011: A series of maps on water quality, updated with the latest information reported by countries, has been published by the European Environment Agency (EEA). The maps display water quality parameters in various receiving waters across Europe, alongside information on urban wastewater treatment and receiving areas sensitive to eutrophication.
Globalisation, environment and you — Jun 28, 2011: New EEA report highlights connectivity between global issues
Greenland is stepping up its efforts to improve waste management — Jun 10, 2011: Reduce, reuse, recycle – the common mantra of waste management makes the process sound simple. But while these three ingredients may be the same, the recipe for sustainable waste management can be very different – and Greenland’s unique environment presents some considerable challenges.
Taking stock of our resource use on World Environment Day – 5 June 2011 — Jun 05, 2011: Humans are consuming the world’s limited resources at increasingly rapid rate, and Europe is particularly reliant on imported goods to sustain its high levels of consumption. On World Environment Day, the European Environment Agency (EEA) draws attention to Europe’s resource use and offers tips to reduce it.
New maps give Europeans close-up picture of air pollution from diffuse sources — May 26, 2011: New online maps published today by the European Commission and the European Environment Agency, in close cooperation with the Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES) of the Joint Research Centre, allow citizens to pinpoint the main diffuse sources of air pollution, such as transport and aviation. The new set of 32 maps shows where certain pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter are released. It complements existing data on emissions from individual industrial plants from the European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (E-PRTR). The Europe-wide register aims to help Europeans actively engage in decisions affecting the environment.
Using resources more efficiently: Green Week 2011 — May 24, 2011: Rethinking the way we use and manage resources is the subject of this year's Green Week, the European Commission's annual conference on environmental policy from 24-27 May, 2011.
How can waste policy contribute to a resource-efficient economy? — Apr 20, 2010: Some countries are frontrunners on waste recycling and prevention; others could be inspired by these experiences. The European Environment Agency (EEA) and its European Topic Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (ETC/SCP) have compiled a set of fact sheets presenting information on national strategies, targets and instruments for prevention and better management of waste.
Pollution: new European register gives public access to information on emissions from European industrial facilities — Nov 09, 2009: The European Commission and the European Environment Agency today launched a comprehensive new European pollutant release and transfer register – E-PRTR. The register contains information about the quantity and location of pollutants released to air, water and land by industrial facilities throughout Europe. It includes annual data for 91 substances and covers more than 24 000 facilities in 65 economic activities. It also provides additional information, such as the amount and types of waste transferred from facilities to waste handlers both inside and outside each country.
A greener music festival in Roskilde — Jun 29, 2009: The European Environment Agency (EEA) is teaming up with Roskilde Festival to give thousands of music fans visiting Denmark this week relevant, up-to-date information about Europe's environment.The Roskilde Festival is northern Europe's biggest music event, drawing 100 000 visitors from around the world and bringing together some of the world's leading rock, pop, soul, R&B, electronic and hip hop artists.
Landfilling down as Europe shifts to better waste management — Jun 10, 2009: The EEA report 'Diverting waste from landfill' finds that the EU Landfill Directive has been a positive force in altering management of biodegradable municipal waste in the EU. The study explains how setting medium- and long-term targets for reducing landfilling has helped countries to define waste strategies and target investments.
The waste trade – legal and illegal — Mar 04, 2009: A new EEA report 'Waste without borders in the EU' examines the increase in cross-border waste shipments and the drivers behind them. It also reveals that the number of reported illegal shipments of waste is increasing. But while the European Union can do better in tracking electronic waste as well as other hazardous and problematic "waste streams", almost all waste generated in the EU that needs to be disposed is in fact disposed within EU borders.
Killer slugs and other aliens — EEA Signals 2009: Eight environmental stories for Europe — Jan 09, 2009: Is gardening one of your interests? If so and you live in central or northern Europe the 'killer slug' is probably one of your personal enemies. The slug, which attacks your herbs and vegetables relentlessly, seems immune to control measures.
Taming Goliath — tackling consumption patterns — Jun 03, 2008: 'Europe's citizens represent only 7 % of Earth's total population, but consume 15 % of the world's energy, 15 % of the meat production and 24 % of the paper produced in the planet', said Professor Jacqueline McGlade, Executive Director of the European Environment Agency (EEA), speaking at the opening of Green Week in Brussels this afternoon.
Challenges ahead for South-East Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia — Apr 24, 2008: A joint UNEP-EEA study of environmental issues in the countries of South-East Europe (SEE), Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia (EECCA) — now also available in Russian — shows that the region is facing many challenges in the wake of economic growth. The report identifies several opportunities to 'leapfrog' and avoid some of the environmental problems experienced in western Europe.
Time to step up efforts towards sustainable consumption and production, says a new report — Feb 25, 2008: Housing, food and drink, and mobility have the greatest environmental impact over their lifecycle, the EEA and the European Commission have shown. This concern brought together European governments, researchers, NGOs and business under the same roof during a conference held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, back in September last year.
Improved waste management delivering climate benefits — Jan 31, 2008: Improved waste management is already contributing to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, according to a new EEA study launched today at the international conference on waste and climate change in London.
Beyond GDP — Brussels Conference — Nov 23, 2007: 'Gross domestic product, regularly used as an indicator of the size of a country's economy, does not factor in the benefits from nor the costs to the ecosystem,' said EEA Executive Director Prof. Jacqueline McGlade in her presentation at the expert workshop preceding the 'Beyond GDP' conference in Brussels this week.
No 'one size fits all' solution for European municipal waste management — Oct 22, 2007: Waste management strategies must be customised to individual national conditions if they are to prove effective, according to a new EEA brochure released today. The brochure, 'The road from landfilling to recycling: common destination, different routes' is accompanied by a set of online national factsheets on waste management covering the EU-25.
Legacies of the past – opportunities for a sustainable future — Oct 11, 2007: Breaking the link between economic growth and its environmental impacts is one of the key challenges facing economies in South East Europe (SEE), Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA), says a new report.
Tackling wastewater pollution at source cheaper than cleaning up — Oct 07, 2005: Policies using taxes to cut pollution offer the most cost effective route to reaching EU wastewater targets
Waste from packaging still not under control — Oct 07, 2005: Hard targets needed if EU policy objectives on cutting packaging waste volumes are to be met
Case studies point towards solutions to Europe's waste problems — Jan 29, 2003: Many of the problems linked to Europe's growing waste volumes can be solved if countries learn from others that have pioneered solutions, argues a new report published today by the European Environment Agency.
EEA highlights key measures for reducing landfilling of biodegradable waste — Mar 22, 2002: National strategies to reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste sent to landfill should comprise an integrated package of measures, including separate collection, taxes and centralised composting, and ensure that markets exist for compost and other end products.