“The level of ambition of existing environmental policy may be inadequate to achieve Europe's long-term environmental goals,” according to ‘The European environment - state and outlook 2015 - synthesis report' (SOER 2015).
The report finds that the region faces substantial challenges in protecting its natural capital, stimulating resource-efficient, low carbon economic and social development, and safeguarding its population from environmental health risks.
The European Environment Agency (EEA) produces the SOER every five years.
2 March 2015: “The level of ambition of existing environmental policy may be inadequate to achieve Europe’s long-term environmental goals,” according to ‘The European environment – state and outlook 2015 – synthesis report’ (SOER 2015). The report finds that the region faces substantial challenges in protecting its natural capital, stimulating resource-efficient, low carbon economic and social development, and safeguarding its population from environmental health risks. The European Environment Agency (EEA) produces the SOER every five years.
Europe has made progress in reducing environmental pressures, but these improvements have not translated into an improved state of the environment, leaving Europe’s long-term outlook “less positive than recent trends might suggest,” the report states. The SOER examines systemic challenges that contribute to such trends, from time lags and feedback loops to increasingly globalized environmental drivers and trends. It concludes that environmental policies and economic and technology-driven efficiency gains are unlikely to achieve Europe’s 2050 vision, and recommends “fundamental transitions in the systems of production and consumption that are the root cause of environmental and climate pressures,” including profound changes in dominant institutions, lifestyles, practices, policies and technologies.
Europe’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have decreased 19% since 1990, despite increased economic output, and fossil fuel use has declined along with less waste generation and increased recycling rates. However, the report cautions, projected GHG emissions are “currently insufficient to bring the EU onto a pathway towards its 2050 target of reducing emissions by 80-95%.” Europe has also improved its nature protection, reduced pollution and improved waste management, but at the same time, global environmental pressures have grown since the 1990s, due to economic and population growth and changing consumption patterns. Climate change, land degradation and soil function comprise major threats to natural capital.
Europe is not on track to meet its target of halting biodiversity loss by 2020, according to the report. It states that 77% of habitat types and 60% of protected species are in unfavorable conservation status. Ocean acidification, invasive alien species (IAS), overfishing and pollution represent serious threats to coastal and marine biodiversity. Further, climate change impacts are projected to increase, and drivers of biodiversity loss are expected to persist, SOER finds.
On environmental health, Europe has experienced improvements in drinking water quality and reduced hazardous pollutants, but air and noise pollution continue to affect health, and growing chemical use has been associated with increased human disease, the report finds.
SOER 2015 also includes the ‘Assessment of global megatrends’ report and a series of related briefings. [EEA Press Release] [Publication Website] [SOER 2015: Executive Summary] [Publication: Assessment of Global Megatrends]