Indicators

The ecological status of European Union surface waters continues to decline, as reported, only 39.6% attained good status in 2021. Member States must urgently implement all measures to achieve a good ecological status to meet the Water Framework Directive’s 2027 deadline. The third River Basin Management Plans are the final opportunity to meet the Water Framework Directive’s objectives and deliver on the Water Resilience Strategy. Key opportunities to accelerate progress and foster synergies to amplify results across policies can be found through the Nature Restoration Regulation.

Environmental noise remains a significant problem in Europe. Over 20% of the population live in areas where transport noise levels are harmful to health when measured against thresholds established in the Environmental Noise Directive. Applying the stricter WHO recommendations increases this figure to over 30%. Road traffic is the main source of noise pollution in both urban and rural settings. A key commitment of the European Commission’s zero pollution ambition is to reduce the share of people chronically disturbed by transport noise by 30% by 2030, compared with 2017.

Bathing water quality has improved over time based on tests for Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and intestinal enterococci bacteria. Between 2010 and 2024, the share of EU bathing waters classified as ‘excellent’ quality was within a range of 81-89% for coastal bathing waters and 60-82% for inland bathing waters. Consistently high shares of excellent bathing water quality indicate that the combined effect of the systematic monitoring and management of bathing sites, and improvements in wastewater networks and treatment have led to a drastic reduction in organic pollutants and pathogens.

Long-term exposure to noise from transport has negative effects on health. Based on data reported in 2022 under the Environmental Noise Directive, it is estimated that over 20 million people are highly annoyed and almost 7 million are highly sleep disturbed by long-term exposure to noise from transport. The European Union’s 2030 zero pollution target aims to reduce the share of people chronically disturbed by transport noise by 30%. A significant decline in the number of people highly affected by transport noise is required to achieve this.

Birds play an essential role in ecosystems and provide a variety of ecosystem services. They are sensitive to environmental change and good indicators of environmental health. Between 1990 and 2023, the index of 168 common birds decreased by 15% in the EU. The decline was much stronger in common farmland birds, at 42%, while the common forest bird index decreased by 4.5%. Currently, it seems unlikely that the decline in populations of common birds will be reversed by 2030. Member States need to strengthen the implementation of existing policies and put new conservation and restoration measures in place to ensure their recovery.

During the last decade, the share of electric vans in total new van registrations in the European Union Member States increased steadily, reaching 7.8% in 2023. This upward trend contributed to the reduction in the average CO 2 emissions of the new van fleet. In 2024 the market share of electric vans slightly declined to 5.9%. Pure electric vans accounted for nearly all electric van registrations during this period. The share of plug-in hybrid vans remained negligible, just below 0.3% in 2024, meaning that electrification of the van fleet is solely driven by battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

The share of energy from renewable sources used for road and rail transport in the European Union increased from less than 2% in 2005 to 11.3% in 2024, according to preliminary EEA data. These sources include biofuels, renewable electricity, or hydrogen and synthetic fuels of renewable origin. The share of energy from renewable sources used for transport varies greatly among the EU Member States, ranging from below 4% in Greece and Croatia, up to 34.9% in Sweden.

Butterflies play an important role in ecosystems and provide a range of ecosystem services, including pollination. Butterflies are sensitive to environmental change and a good indicator of the health of the environment. Currently their numbers are declining. Between 1991 and 2023 the index of 17 grassland butterfly species in the European Union decreased very strongly, by 50%. To ensure the recovery of butterflies, Member States need to significantly increase the implementation of existing policies and put in place new conservation and restoration measures.

Natura 2000 is the largest coordinated network of protected areas in the world. Established in 1992 to safeguard Europe’s most valuable and threatened species and habitats, its area has steadily increased. In 2023, there were 27,165 Natura 2000 sites, covering 18.6% of the European Union land area and 10.5% of its marine territory. Effective management of these sites is key to achieving Natura 2000 conservation aims. EU Member States still need to make significant efforts to establish and effectively implement conservation measures and management plans.

By the end of 2023, protected areas covered 26.4% of European Union land, with 18.6% of EU land designated as Natura 2000 sites and 7.8% under other complementary national designations. The EU biodiversity strategy for 2030 sets out a target of protecting at least 30% of EU land by 2030, while ensuring that all protected areas are managed effectively. The area reported as protected has steadily increased since 2011, by 1.8 percentage points, yet the pace of designation needs to more than double for the EU to meet the 30% target.

The European Union phased out ozone-depleting substances (ODS) ahead of its commitment under the Montreal Protocol. It continues its actions to reduce ODS emissions in the few remaining exempted uses. In 2024, the consumption of ODS in the EU was negative, amounting to -661 metric tonnes. This is explained by the fact that quantities exported and destroyed are outweighing the sum of quantities produced and imported.

The European Green Deal strategies set the target that at least 25% of the European Union’s agricultural area should be dedicated to organic farming by 2030. The share of the EU’s agricultural land under organic farming increased from 5.9% in 2012 to 10.8% in 2023 as a result of an increasing demand for organic products and policy support. The pace would need to more than double in the remaining years up to 2030 in order to meet the target. Although the current policies aim to increase the share of organic farming, this alone will not be enough to reach the set target.

The European Union’s 8th Environment Action Programme aims to significantly reduce its consumption footprint by 2030, and keep related environmental impacts within planetary boundaries. These impacts stem from our consumption patterns and, depending on production locations, not confined to EU borders. During 2010-2023, the EU consumption footprint increased by around 5% and projections indicate a further increase by 2030, mainly attributed to economic growth and unsustainable consumption patterns. The EU is not presently on track to reduce its consumption footprint sufficiently. Switching to less harmful products and curbing consumption levels are strongly recommended to reach the target.

Despite the essential role of environmental taxation for the transition to a greener economy, the share of environmental taxes in total revenues from taxes and social contributions in the European Union decreased. This share has fallen from 6.3% in 2010 to 5.1% in 2023, the lowest level since 2010, setting the indicator outlook towards 2030 to be likely off track. The reasons for a decline vary, including: a shrinking tax base linked to electrification, structural changes in the economy, absence of tax indexations, and resistance to environmental taxes.

Increasing environment- and climate-related expenditure can help meet the objectives of the European Green Deal. Environmental Protection Expenditure Accounts (EPEA) measure the economic resources used for prevention, reduction, and elimination of pollution and any other degradation of the environment. Expenditure increased between 2018 and 2024 from 352 billion to 367 billion euros in the European Union. This represents a modest real term increase of 4.2% after inflation adjustments. EPE as a share of GDP declined to 2.0% in 2024, the lowest level recorded during the assessed period.

The air pollutants ammonia , non-methane volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides , fine particulate matter and sulphur oxides damage the environment and human health. Reducing their anthropogenic emissions is a priority for European Union and international air quality legislation. Since 2005, emissions of all five pollutants have declined with sulphur oxide reducing the most (84%) and ammonia the least (17%). Stronger effort, particularly in the agriculture, transport and energy sectors, is essential for the EU to fulfil longer term reduction commitments.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) accumulate in ecosystems and harm human health. Targeted EU legislation, in line with commitments under the UNECE Air Convention, has led to marked POP reductions since 1990. Between 2005 and 2023, emissions have continued to fall: hexachlorobenzene emissions reduced by 62%, polychlorinated biphenyls by 68%, dioxins and furans by 72%, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by 28%. The most significant POP sources are the commercial, institutional and households, and industrial processes and product use sectors.

Heavy metals accumulate in ecosystems and damage human health. In accordance with the European Union’s commitments under the UNECE Air Convention, specific legislation has led to reductions in heavy metal emissions to air across Europe from 1990 levels. Between 2005 and 2023, emissions have continued to decline, with cadmium emissions decreasing by 43%, mercury emissions by 57% and lead emissions by 46% across the EU-27 Member States. Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain contributed the most to heavy metal emissions in the EU during 2023.

The 8th Environment Action Programme urges the European Union to significantly reduce its consumption footprint, i.e. the global environmental and climate impacts caused by EU consumption of goods and services. These impacts showed some variation during 2010-2023, yet the 2023 value is 18% less than 2010, mainly due to a sudden drop in the last year. Rising trends between 2020-2022 indicate that the recent decrease might be temporary. In general, consuming differently, consuming less and prioritising product eco-design are effective strategies to reduce environmental impacts of consumption.

With the introduction of policy measures in recent decades, the emissions of most air pollutants from transport in the EU-27 have decreased. Reductions in the road transport sector account for the greatest progress. However, the largest increases came from international aviation and navigation, with emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, particulate matter, ammonia and nitrous oxide rising in aviation, and methane emissions increasing in navigation. Most pollutants have rebounded since 2020, when they fell together with transport volumes during the COVID-19 pandemic.