Data and maps

Air pollution - key fact 5

26 Nov 2010

Only 14 European countries expect to comply with all four pollutant-specific emission ceilings set under EU and international legislation for 2010.

Few countries have specific legislation to protect soil and there is no EU law or regulatory instrument that specifically addresses threats to it or requires the systematic collection of comparable data. The European Commission has published a strategy on soil protection, including legislative proposals, and further measures to support soil conservation within EU environmental and/or sectoral policies seem appropriate.

Land use — key message 5

26 Nov 2010

Land use decisions involve trade-offs between the current high attention to food and energy security, and more policy emphasis on multi-functionality taking into account ecosystem and natural resource management objectives. The diversity of land resources and the sustainable use of territorial assets is an aspect of the EU territorial cohesion objective. This will require targeted goals and measures, supported by spatial data and analysis.

Land use - key fact 5

26 Nov 2010

43 % of the total area occupied by Natura 2000 sites in the EU-27 countries is located in mountain areas.

COM(2010) 2020 final, Europe 2020: A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth

16 Nov 2010

European Commission, 2010. Europe 2020: A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. COM(2010) 2020 final.

Tracking progress towards Kyoto and 2020 targets in Europe

12 Oct 2010

This report presents an overview of the progress achieved so far by the EU, its Member States and other EEA member countries towards their respective targets under the Kyoto Protocol and the EU burden-sharing agreement. The assessment is based on greenhouse gas emission data in Europe for 2008, the first year of the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period which runs from 2008 to 2012. The recent availability of 2009 emissions estimates for the EU and a limited number of countries broadens, in these cases, the basis of the assessment to two years of the five-year commitment period.

Deep emission cuts give the EU a head start under the Kyoto Protocol

11 Oct 2010

A new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) shows that large drop in emissions seen in 2008 and 2009 gives EU-15 a head start to reach and even overachieve its 8 % reduction target under the Kyoto Protocol. Austria, Denmark and Italy, however, need to step up their current efforts until 2012 to ensure that their contribution to the common EU-15 target is delivered. The EEA report also shows that EU-27 is well on track towards achieving its 20 % reduction target by 2020.

Biodiversity in Europe: policy scope must be widened for effective conservation

01 Oct 2010

Europe is still far from meeting its 2010 target and we risk missing future targets unless we change the way we are managing our environment. The European Environment Agency’s new biodiversity report based on SEBI 2010 indicators assesses the state of biodiversity in Europe and makes recommendations for improving policy effectiveness.

Europe's coasts: reconciling development and conservation

25 Aug 2010

Europe’s coastal zones are under increasing pressure from erosion, pollution, climate change, urbanisation and tourism. Such pressures threaten entire ecosystems — vital not only for wildlife but also for the economy and human well-being. The European Environment Agency (EEA) takes a closer look at the state of coastal ecosystems and policy responses to the pressures affecting them.