EEA provides sound information to EU policy-makers on climate issues. EEA assesses the impacts of and the vulnerability to climate change in Europe. Some 90 % of all natural disasters that occurred in Europe since 1980 are directly or indirectly attributable to weather and climate.
Joint Hearing, 113TH Congress - Addendum To July 26, 2013, Hearing: Does Road Pricing Affect Port Freight Activity: Recent Evidence From The Port of New York and New Jersey
EEA provides sound information to EU policy-makers on climate issues. EEA assesses the impacts of and the vulnerability to climate change in Europe. Some 90 % of all natural disasters that occurred in Europe since 1980 are directly or indirectly attributable to weather and climate.
Original Description:
Original Title
‘Supporting the European Parliament on Climate Change – the Role
EEA provides sound information to EU policy-makers on climate issues. EEA assesses the impacts of and the vulnerability to climate change in Europe. Some 90 % of all natural disasters that occurred in Europe since 1980 are directly or indirectly attributable to weather and climate.
EEA provides sound information to EU policy-makers on climate issues. EEA assesses the impacts of and the vulnerability to climate change in Europe. Some 90 % of all natural disasters that occurred in Europe since 1980 are directly or indirectly attributable to weather and climate.
‘Supporting the European Parliament on climate change –
the role of the European Environment Agency’
Professor Jacqueline McGlade, EEA Executive Director
European Parliament, Brussels, 29 September 2009
The EEA provides sound To facilitate easy access to change already triggered challenges information to EU policy‑makers greenhouse gas information, the EEA for Europe, such as: on climate issues has developed Member‑State‑specific country profiles as well as • increasing temperatures; The European Environment Agency user‑friendly web-based data is a decentralised Community Agency services. • changing precipitation: some based in Copenhagen. Based on a Mediterranean regions receive 1990 Regulation, the Agency started In recent years, the Agency assessed 20 % less rain than a century ago; to operate in 1994. the impacts of and the vulnerability to climate change in Europe. Based • a rising sea level: the global sea The EEA Strategy defines the main on a large set of indicators, EEA level has increased up to 3.1 mm goal of the Agency as follows: to reports provided a clear view of the per year in the past 15 years; provide European decision-makers necessary action, most recently and citizens with access to timely with information on adaptation and • more intense and frequent and relevant information. The the challenge of changing water extreme weather events: some EEA aims at providing a sound resources in the Alps. 90 % of all natural disasters that knowledge basis for environmental occurred in Europe since 1980 are policies. directly or indirectly attributable to Climate change has impacts weather and climate, representing The EEA places climate change at in Europe; impacts and about 95 % of the economic the centre of its activities, serving as vulnerabilities confirm the need losses caused by catastrophic a data collector and information to act events; provider to policy-makers and the general public. • melting glaciers, ice sheets Observations of climate change, its and Arctic sea ice: in September In order for the European Community impacts and causes, are alarming. 2007 the minimum surface was to comply with monitoring and The global average temperature only half the normal minimum reporting obligations under the has increased almost 0.8 °C above measured in the 1950s; international climate regime, the EEA pre‑industrial levels. Without produces the annual Community reductions of greenhouse gas • additional pressures on greenhouse gas inventory report, emissions in line with the EU 2 °C ecosystems: climate change which is submitted by the European target, climate change will lead to is responsible for the observed Commission on behalf of the significant risks. Our societies would northward and uphill shifts of Community to the UN Framework struggle to cope with temperature many European plant species. Convention on Climate Change. rises above this stabilisation target. By the late 21st century, 60 % of mountain plant species may face The EEA also produces the The vulnerability to climate change extinction. forward‑looking annual Greenhouse varies, however, widely across gas emission trends and regions and sectors in Europe. These impacts underline that projections report, which forms the The main vulnerable areas in Europe adaptation to climate change must basis for the Commission reporting to are mountainous regions, coastal start now, alongside continued action the Council and European Parliament zones, river flood‑prone areas, the mitigating the effects of climate on progress towards meeting the Mediterranean and the Arctic. Climate change. Kyoto commitments. The EU is on a pathway towards Between 1990 and 2007, the The EEA stands ready to assist achieving its Kyoto target, but average annual per capita in the implementation of recent further measures need to be emissions decreased from 11.8 to EU legislation and a post-2012 implemented 10.2 tonnes carbon‑dioxide equivalent climate regime in the EU-27. This is still well above the non-Annex 1 and world average When data became available for per capita emissions of 4 and The European Union is almost half the first of the EEA greenhouse gas 7 tonnes carbon‑dioxide equivalent way to its unilateral emission target emission trends reports, achieving respectively. EU-27 per capita of 20 % greenhouse gas emissions the Kyoto targets was still a distant emissions are lower than the average reductions for 2020 compared to 1990 prospect. In 2000, ten out of then 15 tonnes carbon‑dioxide equivalent — a target which the EU decided to 15 Member States were expected to per capita for industrialised countries. increase under certain conditions achieve their Kyoto targets. to ‘30 % within the framework of an Energy production and ambitious and comprehensive global EU emissions are decreasing: consumption are by far the largest agreement in Copenhagen on climate contributors to greenhouse gas change’. The EU intends to meet its • Greenhouse gas emissions of the emissions in the EU, accounting 2020 target through implementing EU-27 fell for the 4th consecutive for 79 % of total emissions in 2007. the Climate and Renewable Energy year. Based on most recent EEA Transport is the strongest contributor Package formally adopted in 2009. estimates released in August 2009, to the growth in greenhouse gas greenhouse gas emissions in 2008 emissions. International cooperation is key to stand approximately 10.7 % below any solution. Climate change calls the 1990 level for the EU-27. Greenhouse gas emissions from for global regulation. Solutions will not international aviation and maritime emerge unless governments take the • In 2008, EU-15 Member States transport have grown steadily lead role. (having a target under the since 1990, reaching 6 % of total EU burden sharing) emitted EU emissions in 2007. Science is an essential basis for 6.2 % less compared to the decision-making on a global climate base years defined by the The 2008 trends and projections regime. The IPCC’s 4th Assessment Kyoto Protocol. report showed that the EU-15 Kyoto report was crucial in providing a solid target (an 8 % reduction from scientific basis for decision-makers. Currently, greenhouse gas base-year levels) will not be met emissions in the EU-27 account by domestic emission reductions Reducing the risks of climate for approximately 10.5 % of global only. EU-15 Member States will need change is urgent, possible and greenhouse gas emissions covered to acquire additional emission rights affordable. A wide range of benefits by the United Nations Framework from other countries, using the Kyoto will flow from a concerted effort Convention on Climate Change flexible mechanisms. to alter our energy economy now, (UNFCCC). The most important including sustainable energy job greenhouse gas is CO2, accounting The 2009 EEA trends and growth, reductions in the health and for 83 % of total EU-27 emissions in projections report will be released economic costs of climate change, 2007 (excluding land use, land-use in October. and the restoration of ecosystems and change and forestry). revitalisation of ecosystem services. After COP15, the EEA stands ready During the Copenhagen Climate In the lead up to, and throughout to assist with the implementation Conference, MEPs are invited to the UNFCCC COP15, the EEA of the monitoring and reporting work at EEA premises will be supporting discussions aspects of a post-2012 agreement. and meetings on climate change The Agency will continue its role as a The EEA will make available its own adaptation, oceans, greenhouse provider of timely, targeted, relevant facilities for conference participants gas emission inventories and global and reliable information, also when and relevant influencers. MEPs citizen participation in reducing carbon it comes to the implementation travelling to Copenhagen during emissions. of the Climate and Renewable UNFCCC COP15 are cordially Energy Package adopted this year. invited to make use of the EEA’s The EEA will continue to monitor and premises. The EEA can provide assess progress towards achieving MEPs and their assistants with EU greenhouse gas emission working space and information. reduction targets.
For further information on EEA, visit eea.europa.eu
Joint Hearing, 113TH Congress - Addendum To July 26, 2013, Hearing: Does Road Pricing Affect Port Freight Activity: Recent Evidence From The Port of New York and New Jersey