Document Actions
Published: 27 Sep 2010
European landscapes reflect not only the
continent's diverse climate and geology
but also centuries of interaction between
man and nature. A new European Environment
Agency (EEA) study reviews this interplay,
highlighting the main threats to this rich
heritage and initiatives to protect
it.
Tenth and last in the series of '10 messages
for 2010', the EEA's new assessment "Cultural
landscapes and biodiversity heritage"
suggests that the concept of 'cultural landscapes'
holds a central role in managing ecosystems
and the services they provide us.
Cultural landscapes:
the combined work of nature and man
UNESCO's World Heritage Committee defines
cultural landscapes as geographical areas
'representing the combined work of nature
and man'. The concept is particularly relevant
in Europe, where large-scale human impacts
on land starting in Neolithic times (c.
3000–1000 BC). Hunting, cultivation (of
cereals, fruits and other crops) and settlements
altered natural ecosystems and shaped Europe’s
landscape.
Until the 18th century,
European landscapes preserved many remnants
and structures of the remote past. Since
then, however, enormous technological and
social changes have fundamentally altered
land use. Transport infrastructure and urbanisation
have fragmented habitats, while intensified
agriculture has created a much more homogenised
landscape, threatening the diversity of
habitats, species and genes.
An important element
of the 'cultural landscape' concept is recognition
that human activities are key drivers of
changes in ecosystems — with potentially
severe impacts on human wellbeing. But the
concept also reflects the idea that human
cultures are themselves shaped by their
natural surroundings and ascribe huge value
to local ecosystems for their spiritual,
aesthetic and recreational properties.
Appreciating the Parmigiano-Reggiano,
feta, cheddar, gouda…Of course, in addition
to cultural values, ecosystems also provide
a lot of goods and services that are economically
beneficial. For example, wild relatives
of common crops can provide pest and disease
resistance, while also increasing yields.
Moreover, diverse local produce and traditional
lifestyles also attract tourists eager to
experience distinctive tastes and traditions.
This in turn provides additional employment
in rural areas, maintaining local population
levels.
Recognising the cultural
and economic value of the natural world,
it becomes clear that we owe it to our children
and subsequent generations to preserve this
'biodiversity heritage'. Correspondingly,
initiatives exist to protect European biodiversity
heritage at various levels: from the European
Landscape Convention to labelling and certification
schemes that promote local produce and traditional
activities.
Incorporating such instruments
and initiatives into regional and local
planning and involving local communities
will be essential to secure Europe’s biodiversity
heritage and maintain multifunctional landscapes.
+ More
European Mobility Week
2010: travel smarter, live better
Document Actions
Published: 16 Sep 2010
Widespread and increasing use of motor vehicles
in urban areas impacts not only human health
but also the quality of life in cities.
During European Mobility Week, 16–22 September,
more than 1 500 cities across Europe will
promote sustainable transport in urban areas
and let their residents enjoy a car-free
day. The European Environment Agency has
tips to help you make your daily trips more
environmentally friendly.
How you can make a difference
Get in shape and be friendly to the environment
all at once!
Journeys of less than
3 km may take less time if you walk, use
a bike or take the bus. If taking your kids
along, try using a skateboard, skipping
rope or rollerblades!
Car pool!
If you live far away
from school, instead of driving your kids
to and from school each day, start a car
pooling initiative with the other parents
and share the responsibility. It will save
you time and petrol, and help the environment.
Keep your tyres properly inflated!
This will reduce wear
and tear and increase their longevity, thereby
saving money. It also saves precious raw
material: it takes 27 litres of crude oil
to produce a new tyre. Under-inflated tyres
also increase fuel consumption by up to
10 %. Check your tyres at least once a month.
Slow down!
When driving your car,
drive steadily and anticipate what is coming
up. Avoid rapid acceleration and breaking
as much as possible. This will decrease
your fuel consumption.
+ More
Air pollutant emissions
to exceed limits
Document Actions
Published: 24 Sep 2010
In 2010, around half of the European Union's
Member States expect to surpass one or more
of the legal limits set by the National
Emission Ceilings Directive (NEC Directive).
The annual status report released today
by the European Environment Agency (EEA)
confirms that 11 countries anticipate an
exceedance of their ceilings for NOx — some
by more than 40 %.
Themes
Air pollution
Transport Of the four pollutants covered
by the NEC Directive status report 2009,
EU Member States have the greatest difficulty
meeting the emission limits for nitrogen
oxides (NOx). Only 16 expect to remain within
their respective NOx ceilings, with road
transport bearing much of the blame. The
road transport sector contributed around
40 % of total EU-27 NOx emissions in 2008
and although its overall emissions have
decreased since 11000, the reduction has
not always been as large as originally anticipated.
This is partly because the sector has grown
more than expected and partly because vehicle
emission standards, especially those for
diesel vehicles, have not always delivered
the foreseen level of NOx reductions.
Several Member States,
including Slovenia, Sweden and the United
Kingdom, expect to exceed their respective
NOx ceilings by small margins (less than
5 %). In contrast, France and Spain expect
to exceed their ceilings by 261 kilotonnes
and 236 kilotonnes respectively — equivalent
to surpluses of 32 % and 28 %. Other countries,
expecting lower surpluses in absolute terms,
would exceed their limits by even larger
margins, notably Austria (42 %), Belgium
(43 %) and Ireland (47 %).
What does the NEC Directive cover?
The EU NEC Directive sets pollutant-specific
and legally binding emission ceilings (limits)
for four main air pollutants: sulphur dioxide
(SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), non-methane
volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) and
ammonia (NH3). These pollutants harm both
human health and the environment by contributing
to the formation of ozone and particulate
matter and leading to acidification and
eutrophication. Member States must meet
the NEC Directive’s ceilings by 2010 in
order to deliver the originally agreed health
and environmental benefits.
What next?
The Thematic Strategy on Air (TSAP) adopted
by the Commission in 2005 lists a revision
of the NEC Directive as an important action
to achieve the health and environmental
targets of the TSAP by 2020. This revision
is expected to propose stricter emission
ceilings for 2020 in order to protect health
and the environment further. It could also,
for the first time, introduce a ceiling
for fine particulate matter (PM2.5). In
the absence of new legislation, however,
the NEC Directive remains in force and requires
that future emissions stay below national
ceilings after 2010.
Separately, discussions
over setting new 2020 national emission
ceilings for European countries have started
within the UNECE’s Convention on Long-range
Transboundary Air Pollution.
NEC data viewer
The EEA publishes the
data from the NEC Directive status report
2009 in an air pollutant emissions data
viewer, a searchable web-based interface
that simplifies access and analysis. The
data viewer allows users to compare emissions
from different countries and their proximity
to the emission ceilings
Country fact sheets
on air pollutant emissions
These fact sheets summarise
key data on air pollutant emissions separately
for each of the EEA member countries. Indicators
on past and future emission trends are presented,
together with a summary of progress being
made towards meeting national emissions
ceilings for each country.
