Data Visualization
06 Jul 2020
Data Visualization
06 Jul 2020
Waterbase is the generic name given to the EEA's databases on the status and quality of Europe's rivers, lakes, groundwater bodies and transitional, coastal and marine waters, on the quantity of Europe's water resources, and on the emissions to surface waters from point and diffuse sources of pollution.
Waterbase is the generic name given to the EEA's databases on the status and quality of Europe's rivers, lakes, groundwater bodies and transitional, coastal and marine waters, on the quantity of Europe's water resources, and on the emissions to surface waters from point and diffuse sources of pollution.
The chart shows the average Eutrophication Ratio for the entire Baltic for each year from 1900 to 2200, as well as a 5-year moving average. The eutrophication ratio is calculated by the HEAT tool. A value above 1 indicates that there is a Eutrophic status. A value below 1 indicate a good (non-eutrophic status).
Indicator Assessment
24 Jun 2020
Currently, the ocean takes up about one quarter of global CO 2 emissions from human activities. The uptake of CO 2 in the sea causes ocean acidification, as the pH of sea water declines.
Ocean surface pH declined from 8.2 to below 8.1 over the industrial era as a result of an increase in atmospheric CO 2 concentrations. This decline corresponds to an increase in oceanic acidity of about 30 %.
In recent decades, ocean acidification has been occurring 100 times faster than during natural events over the past 55 million years. These rapid chemical changes are an added pressure on marine ecosystems.
Observed reductions in surface water pH are nearly identical across the global ocean and throughout European seas, except for variations near coasts. The reduction in pH in the northernmost European seas, i.e. the Norwegian Sea and the Greenland Sea, is larger than the global average.
Ocean acidification has wide-ranging impacts on marine ecosystems. A reduction in carbonate availability reduces the rate of calcification of marine calcifying organisms, such as reef-building corals, shellfish and plankton. Ocean acidification has already affected the deep ocean, particularly at high latitudes.
Changes in pH affect biological processes, e.g. enzyme activities and photosynthesis, which in turn affects primary production. These changes may be exacerbated by rising seawater temperatures.
Changes in marine primary production will have an impact on the global carbon cycle and the absorption of atmospheric CO 2 in the ocean, as well as on the overall capacity of ocean to mitigate climate change.
effectsModels consistently project further ocean acidification worldwide. Ocean surface pH is projected to decrease to values between 8.05 and 7.75 by the end of the 21st century, depending on future CO 2 emission levels. The largest projected decline represents more than a doubling in acidity.
The combined effects of elevated seawater temperatures, deoxygenation and acidification are expected to have negative effects on entire marine ecosystems and cause changes in food webs and marine production, and will also result in economic losses.
GIS Map Application
08 Jun 2020
This map shows bathing water locations and their quality for the latest as well as previous bathing seasons. All symbols are coloured according to achieved quality status in the most recent season. Data are presented on two levels: country (less detailed scales) and bathing water (more detailed scales).
The figure shows the combined effects of human activities and pressures (panel A) and ranking of key groups of pressures causing ecosystem effects and ecosystem components being affected by them (panel B) in Europe’s seas.
The chart compares the results of the Cumulative Effect Assessment with the results of the Ecosystem Health Status (MESH+) Assessment and EU Water Framwork Directive ecological status (2016).
The map shows the temporal development of the Lusitanina/Boreal species ration, 1972 and 2016
Indicator Assessment
23 Mar 2020
Drought is a recurrent feature of the European climate that affects considerable fractions of the European population each year.
The frequency and severity of meteorological and hydrological droughts have increased in most parts of Europe. Different drought indices agree that the increase is greatest in southern Europe.
Available studies project further increases in the frequency, duration and severity of meteorological and hydrological droughts for most of Europe during the 21st century, except for parts of central-eastern and north-eastern Europe. The greatest increase in drought conditions is projected for southern Europe where it will increase competition between different water users, such as agriculture, industry, tourism and households.
GIS Map Application
23 Jan 2020
The map shows the temporal development of the distribution of warm-favouring (Lusitanian) fish species and of cool-favouring (Boreal) fish species by statistical area in yearly intervals, 1967 to 2018.
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