News

Most national policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Europe target energy consumption and energy supply, while economic and regulatory instruments are the most common means of cutting emissions, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) report, published today. The report also reveals that EU Member States report the actual effects and costs for only a small number of their policies and measures.

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Despite progress in improving the quality of Europe’s lakes, rivers, coastal waters and groundwater sources, pollution, structures like dams, and over-abstraction remain top threats to their long-term health. A vast majority of Europe’s water bodies still fail to meet the European Union’s minimum target for ‘good status’, according to a European Environment Agency ‘state of water’ report published today.

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Reuse of products can reduce material demand and prevent waste, which are important aspects of EU waste policy and essential for achieving a circular economy. However, current approaches to promote reuse in Member States are diverse and rely mostly on voluntary arrangements, according to a European Environment Agency report, published today. While reuse is an established market model for some products, such as cars, similar practices are still in their infancy for most other product groups.

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The European Environment Agency (EEA) has released new data about litter found on Europe’s beaches. Based on nearly 700,000 collected items, disposable plastics are the biggest contributor to marine litter, with cigarette butts and filters being the most commonly found individual items. The new data has been collected by volunteers using the EEA’s Marine LitterWatch mobile app.

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The number of users of the joint European Environment Agency (EEA) – European Commission Climate-ADAPT online knowledge hub has increased fivefold since its launch in 2012, according to an EEA report published today. The assessment confirms the increasing value of the web platform for users such as policy makers, city planners, and other experts who are looking to share and make use of information and best practices in adapting to climate change.

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Videos sent from Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, and Spain won the prizes of the ‘I LIVE GREEN’ video competition announced today. The competition, organised by the European Environment Agency (EEA) and its partner network, attracted more 120 entries from 21 European countries.

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Total greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union (EU) decreased by 0.4 % in 2016, according to latest official data published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA). Using less coal to produce heat and electricity was enough to make a slight cut in total emissions despite an increase in transport emissions for the third consecutive year.

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Despite a slight drop in results, 85% of swimming sites across Europe monitored in 2017 met the European Union's highest and most stringent 'excellent' quality standards for waters mostly free from pollutants, according to the latest annual European bathing water quality report published today. The results give a good indication where holiday makers can find the best quality bathing waters this summer.

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Environmental pressures caused by heavy metal emissions from Europe's large industrial facilities decreased from 2010 to 2016, according to new data from the European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (E-PRTR), released by the European Environment Agency (EEA). A small fraction of facilities was responsible for more than half of the environmental pressures linked to heavy metal pollution in 2016.

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Are there nature sites of European importance near you? Are cranes breeding there? What types of habitats and other species can you find at these sites? Check this and other key information on the EU's Natura 2000 network with the updated Natura 2000 viewer.

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