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Greater circularity in the buildings sector can lead to major cuts in greenhouse gas emissions
News 09 Jul 2020Improving efficiency and reuse of materials to construct houses and other buildings can open significant new opportunities to further reducing greenhouse gas emissions, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing released today.
Connecting protected areas with green infrastructure would strengthen Europe’s ecosystems
News 02 Jul 2020The European Union’s (EU) network of protected sites, Natura 2000, could be further connected with green infrastructure to create a trans-European nature network. According to a European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing, published today, highways and other infrastructure currently disconnect about 15 % of the Natura 2000 sites from other nature areas, reducing their capacity for ecosystem services.
In 2018, the European Union met all air pollution limit ceilings set for total emissions of the four key pollutants monitored under EU rules. Emissions of ammonia levelled off after five years of increases, according to updated data released by the European Environment Agency (EEA) today.
According to provisional data, published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA), average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from new passenger cars registered in the European Union (EU), Iceland, Norway and the United Kingdom (UK), increased in 2019, for the third consecutive year. The average CO2 emissions from new vans also increased slightly. Zero- and low-emission vehicles must be deployed much faster across Europe to achieve the stricter targets that apply from 2020.
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The European Environment Agency (EEA) has recently published a report on the 'drivers of change' that impact Europe's environment and sustainability’ prospects. We interviewed the project manager of the report, Lorenzo Benini who works at the EEA as system assessment and sustainability expert.
Together we can move forwards: building a sustainable planet after the corona shock
Article 15 Jun 2020How can we build a more sustainable and resilient world in wake of the coronavirus crisis? In this critical period where key recovery decisions shaping our future will be made, the European Environment Agency will bring together corona and environment-related knowledge and contribute to an informed debate.
What should a post-corona planet look like? How have corona measures impacted the environment and climate? Can we rebuild our economy on sustainable and fair foundations? As we take steps towards rebuilding society opening the economy, we are faced with fundamental choices that will shape the future. This portal aims to bring together knowledge and reflections from across Europe and beyond, and to facilitate an informed debate towards a sustainable planet.
From air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions to urban life and recovery policies, how the current coronavirus crisis impacts the environment poses many questions. We try to address some of these questions based on the knowledge held by the EEA, Eionet and other partners. This section will be regularly updated with new knowledge shared with us.
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Cutting greenhouse gas emissions through circular economy actions in the buildings sector
Publication 09 Jul 2020Together, European countries have reduced their greenhouse gas emissions significantly since 1990. Achieving climate neutrality by 2050, however, will demand additional and long-lasting climate mitigation strategies. With materials management accounting for up to two thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions, one promising area for further reductions is the circular economy. A new methodological approach helps to identify circular efforts that can contribute to reducing emissions in any sector and has highlighted key ways to cut emissions in the buildings sector.
Despite a strong policy framework and significant efforts by Member States (MSs) to halt biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation in Europe, the conservation status of protected species and habitats continues to decline along with the provision of ecosystem services. The new EU biodiversity strategy to 2030 addresses this decline with a plan to ‘build a truly coherent Trans-European Nature Network’. This will be built on the existing Natura 2000 network by analysing the potential connectivity between Natura 2000 sites using green infrastructure (GI) landscape elements important for delivering ecosystem services.
This briefing presents progress made by the EU and its Member States1 towards meeting the 2010 emission ceilings that were applicable until the end of 2019 under Directive 2016/2284/EU — the National Emission reduction Commitments (NEC) Directive — on the reduction of national emissions of certain atmospheric pollutants. In addition, it assesses the emission reduction effort — compared with 2018 emissions levels — required by each country to comply with the 2020 and 2030 reduction commitments set out in the Directive.
This report provides a set of key messages on the current use of Europe's seas and its combined effects on marine ecosystem condition. These messages underpin a set of lessons from marine ecosystem recovery from which solutions for a brighter future can be identified.
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COVID-19 virus outbreak
Meetings with external participants continue to be held via online platforms until further notice.
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How can we build a more sustainable and resilient world in wake of the coronavirus crisis? In this critical period where key recovery decisions shaping our future will be made, the European ...
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What should a post-corona planet look like? How have corona measures impacted the environment and climate? Can we rebuild our economy on sustainable and fair foundations? As we take steps towards ...
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