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Developing accounting methods for land cover changes

The European Environment Agency (EEA) has developed land accounts that allow for assessing changes in land cover types. These changes can have environmental impacts, such as decline in biodiversity, reduced carbon stocks, or weakened capacity for food production and flood regulation.

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Latest evaluation shows Europe's nature in serious, continuing decline

Unsustainable farming and forestry, urban sprawl and pollution are the top pressures to blame for a drastic decline in Europe’s biodiversity, threatening the survival of thousands of animal species and habitats. Moreover, European Union (EU) nature directives and other environmental laws still lack implementation by Member States. Most protected habitats and species are not in good conservation status and much more must be done to reverse the situation, according to the European Environment Agency’s (EEA) ‘State of nature in the EU’ report, published today.

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Vote for your favourite photos while rediscovering Europe's nature

This year’s European Environment Agency’s (EEA) ‘REDISCOVER Nature’ photo competition is our most successful ever and as of today, you can vote for your favourite photos and help decide the winner of the Public Choice Award.

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Moving towards zero pollution in Europe

What is pollution and how does it affect us and the environment? Europe is taking action to reduce pollution and, as part of the European Green Deal, the European Commission put forward a zero-pollution ambition for Europe. A new European Environment Agency (EEA) report, published today, looks at the pollution challenge in Europe from different angles as well as opportunities to clean up and prevent pollution.

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Countries and cities in Europe urgently need to step up adaptation to climate change impacts

Despite the increasing awareness of climate change impacts and the need to adapt, many of Europe’s cities and towns are struggling to handle the impacts of heatwaves, severe droughts and destructive floods. Two European Environment Agency (EEA) reports published today stress the urgent need for action to improve adaptation and resilience at local and national government levels.

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Many of Europe's protected areas lack specific conservation measures and objectives

The European Union’s (EU) Natura 2000 network of protected areas is expanding. To make full use the network’s potential, the protected sites need to be managed better with clear conservation goals, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing, published today. The briefing shows, that currently many of Europe’s protected sites lack specific and measurable conservation objectives.

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Stronger joint efforts needed to achieve cleaner Mediterranean

Achieving a cleaner Mediterranean Sea requires better implementation of policies and enhanced environmental data and information, according to a joint report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) and United Nations Environment Programme’s Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP/MAP), published today. Cumulative effects of waste and marine litter, and wastewater and industrial emissions remain key challenges for the region.

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Sharpest decrease of the decade in EU’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, before impacts of COVID-19

The European Environment Agency’s (EEA) preliminary data on the European Union’s (EU) greenhouse gas emissions in 2019 show close to a 4 % decrease, compared with 2018. The only time EU emissions decreased more since 1990 was during to the economic crisis in 2009. In addition, new EEA data for 2019 show that EU stays on track to end the use of chemicals harming the ozone layer.

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New debate series by EEA: How does COVID-19 impact the environment and climate?

The European Environment Agency together with the network of the heads of Environmental Protection Agencies (EPA Network) today launch the first in a series of online high-level panel debates focusing on the impacts of COVID-19 and the challenges the pandemic poses in meeting long-term climate and environment goals.

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Tackling pollution and climate change in Europe will improve health and well-being, especially for the most vulnerable

Air and noise pollution, the impacts of climate change such as heatwaves, and exposure to dangerous chemicals cause ill health in Europe. Poor quality environments contribute to 13 % (one in every eight) of deaths according to a major assessment on health and environment released today by the European Environment Agency (EEA).

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