1.2 Pollution of ecosystems

This briefing evaluates Europe’s progress towards making terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems free from pollution. It uses past trends in EU level indicators and assessments of chemical pollution, eutrophication, plastic pollution and noise pollution to develop an outlook and outline prospects of achieving forthcoming EU policy targets.

Key policies

The EU has numerous policies to reduce ecosystem pollution to safe levels, including the:

• Zero pollution action plan (ZPAP), the strategy to reduce air, water and soil pollution;
• Water Framework Directive (WFD), which aims to achieve a good status for surface and ground waters;
• Nitrates Directive, which addresses nitrate pollution from agriculture;
• Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, which sets wastewater treatment requirements;
• Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), which aims to achieve a good environmental status for seas; and
• National Emission Reduction Commitments Directive (NECD), which aims to reduce air pollution.

Past trends (10-15 years)

Trends/developments show a mixed picture

EU pollution reduction shows mixed results, with progress in some areas and challenges in others. Only 30% of surface waters are categorised as having a good chemical status (Figure 1). This figure rises to 77% if ubiquitous, persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances (uPBTs) are excluded. Pesticide levels in water have changed little. Urban wastewater treatment has improved, but nutrient pollution remains high, mainly due to agricultural sources. New types of contaminants, including chemicals, microplastics, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, are found in aquatic systems.

Legacy pollutants persist in marine waters and emerging contaminants give additional pollution concerns. Some hazardous substance levelsand beach litter have decreased(Figure 2) but eutrophication persistsand underwater noise is increasing.

The area of terrestrial habitats affected by air pollution decreased by 13% (2005-2022). Over one-third (32.5%) of EU land was exposed to high ozone levels in 2022. Soil pollution is also of concern, for example due to elevated heavy metal levels.

Outlook (10-15 years)

Trends/developments expected to show a mixed picture

The outlook suggests mixed progress. Reductions are expected in chemical and plastic pollution, and air deposition. However, tackling eutrophication will remain a significant challenge.

Enhanced WFD implementation is crucial but achieving new stricter standards might be challenging. Diffuse pollution — for example, of mercury, brominated flame retardants and nutrients — will remain problematic, but increased control of urban wastewater and industrial emissions could reduce point-source inputs.

Marine eutrophication is likely to remain significant, with improvements in urban wastewater treatment potentially offset by agricultural nutrient losses and sea warming. Regenerative agriculture and consumer demand for sustainable products could help curb pollution.

Soil pollution should decline thanks to reduced industrial emissions, air deposition and ozone precursor emissions, but agricultural pressures may hinder overall improvements.

Effectively implementing EU legislation alongside innovative tools, such as non-target screening and machine learning, will be crucial for tracking and reducing pollutant inputs.

Prospects of meeting policy targets, 2023/2050

2030 Largely not on track to meet targets

Despite expected improvements, the EU is unlikely to achieve most of its pollution policy targets, with significant challenges remaining around water quality, nutrient losses, microplastic releases, marine environmental status and air pollution's impact on ecosystems.

The chemical status of waters will not meet the WFD’s good status requirement. The ZPAP target of a 50% nutrient loss reduction would not be met due to emissions from agriculture. The MSFD’s good environmental status might take a long time to be achieved, except in the case of beach litter.

Despite anticipated further reductions, the target of a 25% overall reduction for all EU ecosystems threatened by air pollution is unlikely to be achieved.

2050 No specific policy targets

Robustness

Electronic reporting under the WFD from 23 EU Member States plus Norway was assessed. The 2025 Zero pollution monitoring and outlook report, regional sea conventions’ assessments and EEA indicators were used for marine pollution assessments.

Air deposition assessments are based on modelling critical load exceedances, which makes them subject to uncertainty. Modelled and measured data on ozone levels and exceedances are relatively robust.

Soil module data from the land use and coverage area frame survey (LUCAS) provide insight into the presence of and trends in pollution in European soils.

In areas where data and information are lacking, ecosystem assessments rely on expert judgement.

Charts/maps

Figure 1. Surface water bodies failing to achieve good chemical status in 2021 under the third river basin management plan (RBMP) by river basin district – with ubiquitous PBTs (left) and without (right)

Figure 2. EU coastline macro litter trends, 2015-2021