Published : Jul 29,
2013
Most beaches, lakes and rivers in Europe
were clean and healthy last year. But water
quality can be affected by many unforeseen
factors, including sewage, agricultural
waste and algae. The European Environment
Agency (EEA) recommends checking local water
quality information before you jump in.
The EEA’s annual Bathing
Water report found the water quality in
Europe was very good in 2012. Approximately
94 % of the 22 000 beaches, lakes and rivers
assessed met the minimum standards last
year.
But what about this
year? It is expected that most sites will
have similar water quality to previous years,
as the environmental pressures are the same
in most cases. However, this season a combination
of warm weather, relatively calm conditions
and in some areas a considerable level of
nutrient pollution has led to blue-green
algal blooms have appeared in some lakes
and near some beaches. In general, the blue-green
algal blooms are worse in lakes, but are
also present in seas, including the Baltic
Sea and North Sea.
Bloom and scum-forming
blue-green algae can produce toxins. These
toxins can kill wild animals, farm livestock
and domestic pets. In humans, they can cause
rashes after skin contact and illnesses
if swallowed. Not all blue-green algae blooms
and scums are toxic, but you can’t tell
just by looking at them, so it is best to
assume they might be and check the information
provided by local authorities.
Local authorities must
monitor water quality where people commonly
swim, taking samples either where most bathers
or the greatest risk of pollution is expected,
according to the EU Bathing Water Directive.
If levels of bacteria or blue-green algae
are dangerous, they must inform swimmers.
In cases of serious pollution they must
close the bathing site.
The EEA’s Water Watch
application shows water quality information
for the last few years, and some authorities
also upload current information during the
course of the summer. Individuals can also
post their rating of each bathing site.
You can also check the
homepages of the local authorities to find
the most recent information on algae and
up-to-date information on water quality
at your local bathing site.
+ More
An overview of EU environment
policy targets and objectives
Published : Jul 25,
2013
European Union legislation has established
more than 130 separate environmental targets
and objectives to be met between 2010 and
2050. Together, these can provide useful
milestones supporting Europe’s transition
towards a ‘green economy’, according to
a report published by the European Environment
Agency (EEA).
This report shows that
while we have been successful in agreeing
a wide range of policies to protect the
environment, implementing these policies
remains a challenge. We are making some
progress towards the EU aim of creating
a green economy, but we need to keep the
pressure on up to 2020 and beyond.
Hans Bruyninckx, EEA
Executive Director
The ‘green economy’
has emerged as a priority in policy debate
in recent years. But what does the concept
mean in practice and how can one measure
progress towards this strategic goal? A
new EEA report, ‘Towards a green economy
in Europe’, provides some answers. It does
so through a comprehensive overview of environmental
targets and objectives established by EU
legislation for the period 2010–2050 and
by providing examples of analysis of progress
towards achieving them.
Hans Bruyninckx, EEA
Executive Director, said: “This report shows
that while we have been successful in agreeing
a wide range of policies to protect the
environment, implementing these policies
remains a challenge. We are making some
progress towards the EU aim of creating
a green economy, but we need to keep the
pressure on up to 2020 and beyond.”
The report identifies
63 legally binding targets and 68 non-binding
objectives set out in EU policy covering
the period 2010–2050. Of the 63 legally-binding
targets, 62 have their deadlines in 2020
or before. Most of the current targets and
objectives can be seen as interim steps
towards a transition to a green economy,
because in most cases eradicating the problems
will require longer-term efforts beyond
2020.
The ‘green economy’
is an economic model which aims to increase
prosperity by using resources efficiently
as well as maintaining the resilience of
the natural systems that sustain societies.
With its 'Environmental indicator report
2012', the EEA undertook its first analysis
of Europe’s progress in the transition towards
a green economy, using indicators to assess
resource efficiency and to address ecosystem
resilience. The findings show a mixed performance,
although they suggest that Europe has made
more progress in improving resource efficiency
than preserving ecosystem resilience.
The new overview is
useful as a comprehensive basis for reviewing
progress in the past, and for considering
the prospects for meeting future environmental
policy objectives and targets.
Progress towards environmental
targets in Europe
The EU has a non-binding
objective to cut energy use to levels 20
% below business-as-usual projections by
2020. Although this implies that consumption
must be a little lower than the level in
the mid-11000s, the trend since then has
moved upwards. So it appears likely that
achieving the 2020 objectives will require
stronger policy implementation and possibly
additional policy impulses.
Alongside policies to mitigate climate change,
the EU has several policies to help Member
States adapt. The European Commission encourages
all Member States to adopt comprehensive
adaptation strategies. By mid-2013, 16 States
had achieved this.
Regarding air pollution,
the EU has generally made good progress
towards its 2010 emissions targets set by
the Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution.
Meeting 2020 targets will require continued
efforts. Only in the case of fine particulate
matter (PM2.5) is there an obvious need
to accelerate abatement efforts significantly.
Modelling also suggests that achieving the
targets is technically feasible for all
pollutants except PM2.5.
Waste generated per
capita should be in absolute decline by
2020, according to another non-binding objective.
Waste generation shows a trend which, when
extrapolated, suggests that the EU would
narrowly miss its 2020 target. The trend
is certainly ambiguous, however, with the
decline in waste generation since 2007 giving
some cause for encouragement.
Member States also have
another waste-related objective, specifying
that landfilling of waste should be near
zero by 2020. An extrapolation of the trend
points to a decline from 179 kg per capita
in 2011 to 114 kg per capita in 2020, so
achieving the target for near-zero landfill
appears to require a radical change in waste
management practices.
