Indicator Assessment
20 Dec 2019
Crop production in Europe became 12% less water intensive between 2005 and 2016. The total water input to crops under rainfed and irrigated conditions for each unit of gross value added generated from crop production, excluding subsidies, decreased from 5 m 3 to 4.4 m 3 over the period.
Western Europe demonstrated the lowest water intensity of crop production over the period, with 3.5 m 3 of total water input for each unit of gross value added generated. However, there was no significant change in the trend between 2005 and 2016.
In eastern Europe, crop production became 31 % less water intensive between 2005 and 2016. The total water input to crops fell from 7.3 m 3 to 5.0 m 3 for each unit of gross value added generated over the period.
Crop production also became 13 % and 11% less water intensive in northern Europe and southern Europe, respectively between 2005 and 2016. In northern Europe, total water input to crops fell from 11.2 m 3 to 9.7 m 3 over the period, while in southern Europe it fell from 4.2 m 3 to 3.8 m 3 .
Total water input is expressed in m3/ha and gross value added is expressed in PPS/ha, where the area in ha represents the sum of arable land and land with permanent crops. The monetary unit being used (purchasing power standard — PPS) accounts for purchasing power differences among countries. Theoretically, one PPS can buy the same amount of goods and services in each country.
Water use intensity of crop production is classified at the regional level according to the quartile distribution of all time series (2005-2016); Below Q1=Low intensity; Above Q3=High intensity; Between Q1 and Q3=Moderate intensity; Regional grouping (UN Geoscheme — Standard M49).
Eastern Europe: Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia
Northern Europe: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Lithuania, Latvia, Sweden, United Kingdom
Southern Europe: Cyprus, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain
Western Europe: Austria, Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands
Gap filling: The following data have been used in mapping the countries: 2010 data used for Greece in 2011; 2006 data used for Hungary and 2005 data for Luxembourg in 2007; 2009 data for Portugal in 2010 and 2015 data for Sweden in 2016.
Because of large differences in climatic conditions, the structure and properties of agricultural production systems, cross-country comparisons may not be particularly instructive between countries from different geographic regions.
The graph shows the development of the Gross Nitrogen Balance (GNB) (kg nutrient/ ha Utilised Agricultural Area (UAA)) for the EU 28 over the period from 2004 to 2015, together with the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and GVA of the agricultural industry (values at current prices). For displaying all thre parameters and the development of their trends, an index is used setting 2005-values = 1
The map shows the calculated nitrogen surplus (inputs minus crop removal) and exceedance of critical nitrogen inputs to agricultural land in view of adverse impacts on water
Soil plays a crucial role in nature’s cycles, including the nutrient cycle, which involves how much soil organic matter — i.e. carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus — is taken up and stored in soil. Organic compounds, such as leaves and root tips, are broken down to simpler compounds by organisms living in soil before they can be used by plants. Some soil bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into mineral nitrogen, which is essential for plant growth. Fertilisers introduce nitrogen and phosphates to induce plant growth but not all amounts are taken up by plants. The excess can enter rivers and lakes and affect life in these water ecosystems.
Europe’s land cover has remained relatively stable since 2000, with about 25 % covered by arable land
and permanent crops, 17 % by pastures and 34 % by forests. At the same time, cities and concrete
infrastructures continue to expand and the total area used for agriculture decreased.
Although artificial surfaces cover less than 5 % of the wider EEA territory, a sizeable area still became
sealed (covered by concrete or asphalt) between 2000 and 2018. The good news is that the rate of
increase in artificial surface areas has slowed down in recent years.
Indicator Assessment
09 Aug 2019
Monitoring schemes show significant long-term (25-year) downward trends in common birds (in particular farmland birds) and grassland butterfly population numbers, with no signs of recovery.
Between 1990 and 2016, there was a 9 % decrease in the index of common birds in the 26 EU Member States with bird population monitoring schemes. This decrease is slightly greater (11 %) if figures for Norway and Switzerland are included. The common forest bird index decreased by 3 % (EU) and by 5 % (EU plus Norway and Switzerland) over the same period.
The decline in common farmland bird numbers over the same period was much more pronounced, at 32 % (EU) and 35 % (EU plus Norway and Switzerland).
The index of grassland butterflies has declined significantly in the 15 EU countries where butterfly monitoring schemes exist. In 2017, the index was 39 % below its 1990 value.
Data Visualization
20 Dec 2018
Data Visualization
29 Nov 2018
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