Agriculture

Natura 2000 sites, public forests and riparian corridors: The connectivity backbone of forest green infrastructure

Read more

The map indicates, from red to dark blue, the rating of corridors with an increasing number of ecosystem services (i.e. erosion control, crop pollination, water retention, and outdoor recreation) above the average ecosystem services delivery outside Natura 2000 areas at the national scale of Spain.

Read more

Read more

At the EU level, there has been a decrease in the agricultural nitrogen balance between 2000 and 2015, which is an indication of an improving trend. The main decrease was between 2000 and 2010; between 2010 and 2015 there was no further significant decrease. A country comparison of the average agricultural nitrogen balance for the years 2000-2003 and 2012-2015, shows that for the majority of European countries there was a reduction in the nitrogen balance, reflecting an improving trend. Although the agricultural nitrogen balance is decreasing in most Member States, it is still considered to be unacceptably high in some parts of Europe because of associated impacts on the environment. This is particularly true in western Europe and in some Mediterranean countries. Even in countries with low national averages, there can be regions with high nitrogen loadings because of agricultural intensity, such as livestock density. Further efforts are therefore needed to reduce the balance.

Read more

Read more

Between 1990 and 2015, the common bird index decreased by 8 % in the 26 EU Member States that have bird population monitoring schemes. This decrease is slightly greater (9 %) if figures for Norway and Switzerland are included. The decline in common farmland bird numbers in the same period was more pronounced, at 32 % (EU) and 30 % (EU plus Norway and Switzerland). The common forest bird index decreased by 3 % (EU) and 6 % (EU plus Norway and Switzerland) over the same period. Although the decline of all common birds has levelled off slightly since 2000, no trend towards recovery has been observed in the last years and the common farmland bird index continued to show a steep decline of 16 % between 2000 and 2015. Grassland butterflies also showed a significant rate of decline in the 19 European countries where butterfly population monitoring schemes exist, at 34 % (EU) and 32 % (all countries). Between 2000 and 2015, the index decreased by 17 % (EU) and 16 % (EU + Norway and Switzerland). 

Read more

Croatia joined the EU in mid-2013; therefore, for the years 2010-2013 emissions and ceilings are not considered for this country. Greece did not report data in 2017; therefore, the aggregated EU emissions are incomplete

Read more

Agriculture both contributes to climate change and is affected by climate change. The EU needs to reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions from agriculture and adapt its food-production system to cope with climate change. Faced with growing global demand and competition for resources, the EU's food production and consumption need to be seen in a broader context, linking agriculture, energy, and food security.

Read more

The figure showns projected yield losses due to elevated ozone concentrations. The 2030 scenario assumes the implementation of current legislation for the major world regions. Positive RYL values indicate an increase in crop yield loss in 2030 compared with 2005.

Read more

Natura 2000 sites, public forests and riparian corridors: The connectivity backbone of forest green infrastructure

Read more

The map indicates, from red to dark blue, the rating of corridors with an increasing number of ecosystem services (i.e. erosion control, crop pollination, water retention, and outdoor recreation) above the average ecosystem services delivery outside Natura 2000 areas at the national scale of Spain.

Read more

Read more

At the EU level, there has been a decrease in the agricultural nitrogen balance between 2000 and 2015, which is an indication of an improving trend. The main decrease was between 2000 and 2010; between 2010 and 2015 there was no further significant decrease. A country comparison of the average agricultural nitrogen balance for the years 2000-2003 and 2012-2015, shows that for the majority of European countries there was a reduction in the nitrogen balance, reflecting an improving trend. Although the agricultural nitrogen balance is decreasing in most Member States, it is still considered to be unacceptably high in some parts of Europe because of associated impacts on the environment. This is particularly true in western Europe and in some Mediterranean countries. Even in countries with low national averages, there can be regions with high nitrogen loadings because of agricultural intensity, such as livestock density. Further efforts are therefore needed to reduce the balance.

Read more

Read more

Between 1990 and 2015, the common bird index decreased by 8 % in the 26 EU Member States that have bird population monitoring schemes. This decrease is slightly greater (9 %) if figures for Norway and Switzerland are included. The decline in common farmland bird numbers in the same period was more pronounced, at 32 % (EU) and 30 % (EU plus Norway and Switzerland). The common forest bird index decreased by 3 % (EU) and 6 % (EU plus Norway and Switzerland) over the same period. Although the decline of all common birds has levelled off slightly since 2000, no trend towards recovery has been observed in the last years and the common farmland bird index continued to show a steep decline of 16 % between 2000 and 2015. Grassland butterflies also showed a significant rate of decline in the 19 European countries where butterfly population monitoring schemes exist, at 34 % (EU) and 32 % (all countries). Between 2000 and 2015, the index decreased by 17 % (EU) and 16 % (EU + Norway and Switzerland). 

Read more

Emissions from agriculture and transport continue to pose problems for European Union Member States in meeting EU and United Nations air pollution limits, according to updated data published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) today. While emissions of most air pollutants remain on a downward trend, ammonia emissions continued to rise in 2016.

Read more

Croatia joined the EU in mid-2013; therefore, for the years 2010-2013 emissions and ceilings are not considered for this country. Greece did not report data in 2017; therefore, the aggregated EU emissions are incomplete

Read more

This report takes a food system approach to analyse European production, consumption and trade of food, and associated environmental and human health aspects. Understanding the patterns, processes and actors involved allows for more coherent and effective policy interventions to reduce environmental pressures along the value chain, with potential co-benefits to human health and well-being. The report addresses both terrestrial and aquatic food production and goes beyond the environmental impact and economic performance of agriculture and fisheries. The focus is on long-term sustainability objectives, as laid down in the 2050 vision of the Seventh Environment Action Programme and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Read more

This document is the annual European Union (EU) emission inventory report under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) (UNECE, 1979). The report and its accompanying data constitute the official submission by the European Commission on behalf of the EU as a Party to the Executive Secretary of UNECE.

Read more

Agriculture both contributes to climate change and is affected by climate change. The EU needs to reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions from agriculture and adapt its food-production system to cope with climate change. Faced with growing global demand and competition for resources, the EU's food production and consumption need to be seen in a broader context, linking agriculture, energy, and food security.

Read more

The figure showns projected yield losses due to elevated ozone concentrations. The 2030 scenario assumes the implementation of current legislation for the major world regions. Positive RYL values indicate an increase in crop yield loss in 2030 compared with 2005.

Read more