The European inventory of nationally designated areas holds information about protected areas and the national legislative instruments, which directly or indirectly create protected areas.
Data Visualization
11 Sep 2017
Data Visualization
11 Sep 2017
Indicator Assessment
11 Sep 2017
According to three different observational records of global average annual near-surface (land and ocean) temperature, the last decade (2007–2016) was 0.87 to 0.92 °C warmer than the pre-industrial average, which makes it the warmest decade on record. Of the 17 warmest years on record, 16 have occurred since 2000. The year 2016 was the warmest on record, more than 1.1 °C warmer than the pre-industrial level, followed by 2015.
The average annual temperature for the European land area for the last decade (2007–2016) was around 1.6 °C above the pre-industrial level, which makes it the warmest decade on record. Moreover, 2016 was the second warmest year (after 2014) in Europe since instrumental records began.
Climate models project further increases in global average temperature over the 21st century (for the period 2081–2100 relative to 1986–2005) of between 0.3 and 1.7 °C for the lowest emissions scenario (RCP2.6) and between 2.6 and 4.8 °C for the highest emissions scenario (RCP8.5).
All UNFCCC member countries have agreed on the long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature to well below 2 °C compared with pre-industrial levels and have agreed to aim to limit the increase to 1.5 °C. For the three highest of the four RCPs, global average temperature increase is projected to exceed 2 °C compared with pre-industrial levels by 2050.
Annual average land temperature over Europe is projected to increase by the end of this century (2071–2100 relative to 1971–2000) in the range of 1 to 4.5 °C under RCP4.5 and 2.5 to 5.5 °C under RCP8.5, which is more than the projected global average increase. The strongest warming is projected across north-eastern Europe and Scandinavia in winter and southern Europe in summer.
The number of warm days (those exceeding the 90th percentile threshold of a baseline period) have doubled since 1960 across the European land area.
Europe has experienced several extreme heat waves since 2000 (2003, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2014 and 2015). Under a high emissions scenario (RCP8.5), extreme heat waves as strong as these or even stronger are projected to occur as often as every two years in the second half of the 21st century. In southern Europe they are projected to be particularly strong.
How to read the map:
Warm days are defined as being above the 90th percentile of the daily maximum temperature.
Grid boxes outlined in solid black contain at least three stations and so are likely to be more representative of the grid box. A significant (at the 5 % level) long-term trend is shown by a black dot
Grid boxes outlined in solid black contain at least three stations and so are likely to be more representative of the grid box. A significant (at the 5 % level) long-term trend is shown by a black dot.
The marine regions and subregions map and correspondent layers provide information about the geographic boundaries of the areas listed in Article 4 of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The map has been developed to support DG Environment and EU Member States in their implementation of the MSFD. It represents the current state of understanding of the marine regions and subregions and is subject to amendment in light of any new information which may be produced.
Indicator Assessment
15 Aug 2017
Anthropogenic emissions of the main air pollutants decreased significantly in most EEA member countries between 1990 and 2015:
emissions of nitrogen oxides decreased by 52 % (56 % in the EU-28);
emissions of sulphur oxides decreased by 83 % (89 % in the EU-28);
emissions of non-methane volatile organic compounds decreased by 59 % (61 % in the EU-28);
emissions of ammonia decreased by 18 % (23 % in the EU-28);
emissions of fine particulate matter decreased by 28 % (26 % in the EU-28) from 2000.
The EU-28 met its continuing obligation to maintain emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, ammonia and non-methane volatile organic compounds below legally binding targets, as specified by the National Emission Ceilings Directive (NECD). Some EU Member States reported emissions that were above their NECD emission ceilings: six countries (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland and Luxembourg) exceeded emission ceilings for nitrogen oxides , six (Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Spain and Sweden) exceeded emission ceilings for ammonia and five (Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Ireland and Luxembourg) exceeded emission ceilings for non-methane volatile organic compounds. There are no emission ceilings for primary fine particulate matter .
Emission ceilings were set for 2010 for two additional EEA member countries (Norway and Switzerland) in the Gothenburg Protocol under the 1979 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution. Norway reported emissions above their ammonia ceilings .
Emission reduction commitments for 2020 have been set under the revised Gothenburg Protocol . The EU-28 as a whole is on track to meet reduction commitments .
Information on urban population exposed to air pollutants concentration above the EU air quality objectives by country for year 2014. Variations from country to country are not only related to the different pollutant concentrations but also to the number of available data series (monitoring stations and/or selected cities), that will influence the total number of monitored population the uneven distribution of traffic and background stations in the different countries
GIS Map Application
05 May 2017
Noise pollution is a major environmental concern in Europe. Explore NOISE maps to see environmental noise from roads, railways, airports, industry and in cities where you live.
GIS Map Application
24 Mar 2017
Indicators to characterise green infrastructure at the city level and in the peri-urban area
Exposure-response associations between temperature and mortality in four European cities, together with related temperatures distributions.
The shaded grey area delineates the 95 % empirical confidence interval.
Solid grey vertical lines are minimum mortality temperatures and dashed grey vertical lines delineate the 2.5th and 97.5th percentile temperatures.
