About: European Environment Agency

Mercury in the water: 40% of Europe’s lakes and rivers contaminated

40% of the EU’s surface water bodies are contaminated with levels of mercury, endangering birds and marine mammals. An article by our partner, the Journal de l’Environnement.

Time for EU member states to protect lakes and rivers

The latest science shows that Europe’s freshwater bodies are in a dreadful ecological state. Governments must finally take responsibility and undertake serious efforts to comply with EU legislation, urges Andreas Baumüller.

Surge in electric cars could strain energy grid, warns EU agency

The large scale roll-out of electric cars on EU roads will help fight climate change but more electricity will have to be generated to power the vehicles which, the European Environment Agency (EEA) has warned, could have its own impact on global warming.

Vella: Private sector and Juncker Plan cash can create low-carbon economy

The European Union’s transformation into a low carbon economy will be paid for by the private sector and, to a lesser extent, funds from the Juncker investment Plan, Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella has said.

Air pollution will kill thousands in Europe, EEA warns

Hundreds of thousands of Europeans will suffer a premature death in the next two decades as the result of governments’ failure to act on air pollution, Europe’s environmental watchdog has warned.

EEA boss: Juncker plan and Energy Union should drive circular economy

EU policymakers must ensure that the Juncker investment plan and Energy Union leverages the circular economy, boosts decarbonisation, and enhances the environment, Hans Bruyninckx told EURACTIV in an interview.

Commission under pressure over circular economy

EXCLUSIVE: The EU is failing to create a circular economy that boosts resource efficiency and protects the environment, an influential report has found, piling pressure on the European Commission to deliver a strong replacement for the package of waste, incineration, landfill and recycling laws it controversially axed as part of its drive for "better regulation".

The EU needs more anticipatory funding of health and environmental research

In recent months, there have been several attacks on the Precautionary Principle and how the principle has been used in the EU. For example, the scientific advisor to the President of the European Commission, Ann Glover, has accused Commissioners of having “crazy ideas” about the safety of nanotechnologies, genetically modified organisms, shale gas, endocrine disrupters, etc. (See EU twisting facts to fit political agenda, chief scientist says and EU science advisor: 'Lots of policies are not based on evidence'.) Similarly, it has been argued that policymakers often misuse the precautionary principle.

Shift taxes from labour to environment, EEA tells ministers

Hans Bruyninckx, the director of the European Environment Agency, has urged ministers to carry out fiscal reforms, such as moving tax from labour to activities that damage the environment.

EEA urges for ‘systemic’ approach to environment, health concerns

Governments need to study the connections between health and environmental concerns, which could save them money and improve societal well-being over the longer term, according to the European Environment Agency.

EEA: EU ecosystems still damaged by air pollution

Airborne emissions still pose a threat to the EU’s plant and animal life but policies have contributed to reducing pollution over the past few decades, according to the European Environment Agency.

Environment agency releases ‘quiet areas’ guide

The European Environment Agency has released a guide for governments wishing to identify and maintain quiet areas, to give citizens respite from noise pollution.

MEPs back measures against invasive alien species

The European Parliament backed laws on Wednesday (16 January) to help prevent alien species of plants and wildlife from entering Europe and limit their spread in the event they do.

Ozone concentrations broke legal limits in every EU state last year

Ground-level ozone concentrations exceeded legal limits in every EU member state, and at many individual measurement sites, in 2013, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA)'s annual report, released yesterday (13 March).

Efficiency lags behind in EU’s triple energy target

Only four EU countries are on course to meet their energy efficiency target for 2020, while the Union is broadly on track to meet its renewable energy and greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals, the European Environment Agency says in a new report.

People must pay the full cost of water, says EEA

As the UN marks the anniversary of the decision to make the right to water legally binding, the European Environment Agency has called for governments to charge the full price for water, to cut down waste.

Working towards a common goal on risk regulation

If we all agree on the same end goal when it comes to regulating risk, we need to get better at working together, writes Patrick Thomas. Science should always be the cornerstone of risk assessment, but industry needs to make more of an effort to listen to concerns of different stakeholders.

EU body predicts more extreme weather as floods devastate central Europe

The European Environment Agency today (5 June) predicted a rise in extreme weather events due to climate change as floods caused deaths and widespread property damage in Central Europe.

Struggling Cyprus has some of Europe’s cleanest bathing spots

Financially strapped Cyprus should be able to lure tourist revenue with it pristine bathing waters, which along with Luxembourg are ranked as some of the EU's cleanest in an environmental report published today (21 May).

Farmers locked in food production vs. pollution trade-off

SPECIAL REPORT / Agriculture remains a major threat to water quality in Europe, according to the latest report by the European Union’s environmental agency. But farmers and EU policymakers are also quick to highlight the trade-off between conservation objectives and pressure to increase food production.

EU emissions rise despite climate change policies

Greenhouse gas emissions for the European Union increased in 2010, despite the economic recession and policies intended to tackle climate change.