Data Visualization
20 Dec 2020
Indicator Assessment
20 Dec 2020
Between 1980 and 2019, climate-related extremes caused economic losses totaling an estimated EUR 446 billion in the EEA member countries. Although analysing trends in economic losses is difficult, partly as a result of high variability from year to year, climate-related extremes are becoming more common and, without mitigating action, could result in even greater losses in the coming years. The EU adaptation strategy aims to build resilience and ensure that Europe is well prepared to manage the risks and adapt to the impacts of climate change, thus minimising economic losses and other harms.
Indicator Assessment
11 Dec 2020
Global mean sea level (GMSL) has risen about 19 cm since 1900, at an accelerating rate. GMSL reached its highest value ever in 2019. Climate models project a GMSL rise during the 21st century that will likely be in the range of 0.29-0.59 m for a low emissions scenario and 0.61-1.10 m for a high one. GMSL projections that include the possibility of faster disintegration of the polar ice sheets predict a rise of up to 2.4 m in 2100 and up to 15 m in 2300. Most coastal regions in Europe have experienced an increase in sea level relative to land, except for the northern Baltic coast.
The left panel depicts the rise in global mean sea level from 1880 to 2019 based on two data sources.
The red line (DMW) shows the hybrid sea-level reconstruction of sea level anomalies during 1900–2015 (Dangendorf et al., 2019). The uncertainty interval around is shaded.
The dark blue line (CMEMS) shows the filtered sea level anomalies for the time period from 1993 to 2019 based on satellite observations (Ablain et al., 2017; WCRP Sea Level Budget Group, 2018).
All values are relative to the average level of the period 1993-2012, during which the two datasets overlap.
The right panel shows projections of global mean sea level until 2100 for three emissions scenarios based on the IPCC SROCC (Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate).
The arrows show the trend in relative sea level at selected European tide gauge stations since 1970 (in mm/year) based on data from the Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level (PSMSL).
The background colours show projections of European sea level change for 2081–2100 for RCP8.5 (in metres). Results are median values based on the values in the IPCC SROCC Table 4.4.
Data Visualization
09 Dec 2020
The Water Framework Directive (WFD) protected area data sets include information about European drinking water protected areas, designated waters such as fish protected areas and shellfish protected areas, nitrates vulnerable zones, urban waste water sensitive areas and bathing water protected areas.
The protected areas are part of the Water Framework Directive register of protected areas and were reported in second River Basin Management Plans (RBMP) or under other related reporting obligations.
The data sets are part of the Water Information System for Europe (WISE), and compile information reported by the EU Member States, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland to the European Commission (EC) and the European Environment Agency (EEA).
The figure shows the maximum extent of ice cover in the Baltic Sea in the winters over the period 1719/20-2019/20 (blue bars) and the 15 year moving average (red line). Source: Jouni Vainio, Finnish Meteorological Institute (updated from Seinä and Palosuo 1996; Seinä et al. 2001).
Country boundaries and transboundary river basins
GIS Map Application
20 Nov 2020
The map reflects the most recent available information at the EU-level on implementation of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) in EU 28 plus Iceland based on data reported by the Member States (for reference year 2018) in 2020.
Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive concerns the collection, treatment and discharge of urban waste water and the treatment and discharge of waste water from certain industrial sectors. The objective of the Directive is to protect the environment from the adverse effects of the above mentioned waste water discharges.
Waste water treatment and reductions in nutrient losses from agriculture have led to significant
improvements in water quality in Europe. However, many of Europe’s freshwater bodies are still not
doing well and the condition of Europe’s seas is generally poor, partly because of pollution.
GIS Map Application
13 Aug 2020
The WISE Water Framework Directive Quality Elements map contains information from the 2nd River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) reported by EU Members States and Norway according to article 13 of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The map shows the ecological status or potential of surface water bodies based on their quality elements status value.
The following quality elements are presented: QE1 - Biological quality elements; QE1-1 - Phytoplankton; QE1-2 - Other aquatic flora QE1-2-1 - Macroalgae; QE1-2-2 - Angiosperms; QE1-2-3 - Macrophytes; QE1-2-4 - Phytobenthos; QE1-3 - Benthic invertebrates; QE1-4 - Fish; QE2 - Hydromorphological quality elements; QE2-1 - Hydrological or tidal regime; QE2-2 - River continuity conditions; QE2-3 - Morphological conditions; QE3 - Chemical and physico-chemical quality elements; QE3-1 - General parameters; QE3-1-1 - Transparency conditions; QE3-1-2 - Thermal conditions; QE3-1-3 - Oxygenation conditions; QE3-1-4 - Salinity conditions; QE3-1-5 - Acidification status; QE3-1-6 - Nutrient conditions; QE3-1-6-1 - Nitrogen conditions; QE3-1-6-2 - Phosphorus conditions and QE3-3 - River Basin Specific Pollutants.
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