The general state of the environment in Europe is deteriorating, according to a report published by the European Environment Agency (EEA), on Monday 29 September. This is the seventh state of the environment report published by the EEA since 1995. The 2025 edition reveals that “most of the indicators are in the red”.
Ecosystems and biodiversity, climate change, the environment and human health, and the circular economy were all scrutinised. The EEA concluded that the outlook for environmental trends is “concerning and poses major risks to Europe’s economic prosperity, security and quality of life”.
Biodiversity. According to the EEA, 81% of habitats, 39% of birds and 62% of non-avian species of Community interest are in poor or mediocre condition, a situation that is tending to get worse. The pressures exerted by human activities are to blame: the use of land and sea resources, pollution, including that caused by nutrients and pesticides from agriculture, etc.
Achieving the objectives (Birds Directive, Habitats Directive, Water Framework Directive, Nature Restoration Regulation) seems compromised, “if human pressures are not reduced, especially as climate change is exacerbating them”.
Land use. The report establishes that urban expansion remains a major trend in land use, even though it represents many of the objectives of the ‘European Green Deal’. Between 2005 and 2023, the surface area of residential areas, for example, increased by around 13%.
The EU has set itself the target of achieving “no net land take by 2050”. The EEA believes it will be difficult to achieve.
Chemical pollution and human health. The EEA has stated that despite a reduction in exposure to certain chemical substances, thanks to regulatory measures, the volume and number of substances placed on the market continues to increase. It states that the presence of substances such as bisphenol A and PFAS exceeds safety indicator levels in a significant proportion of the European population and represents a “potential risk” to health.
The target of ‘zero pollution’ by 2050 is not on track, while projections point to an increase in imports, production and consumption of chemical products. Especially as, according to the EEA, there are still gaps in our knowledge of the toxicological effects of these substances.
Transport and agriculture lag behind. The report highlights the significant progress made in mitigating climate change in the EU, with a 37% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to 1990, due to a reduction in fossil fuels, and a doubling of the share of renewable energy since 2005.
Nevertheless, some sectors of industry are still lagging behind, such as transport and agriculture. By 2023, GHG emissions from domestic transport will be only 6% below their 2005 level. The agricultural sector has seen a reduction of just 7%.
Furthermore, agriculture is responsible for 93% of the EU’s atmospheric ammonia emissions and is the main factor in the decline in pollinators and soil degradation.
“The ability to strengthen the resilience of the agricultural sector to the impacts of climate change is one of the major challenges (...). To a certain extent, the combination of natural solutions and the ability to store carbon in agricultural activity or in the soil must be taken into account”, said Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission.
Worsening climate impacts. Efforts are also needed on adaptation to climate change. Among the various key indicators analysed, the European Environment Agency points out that worsening climate impacts could reduce the EU’s GDP by 7% by the end of the century. Losses are estimated at €2,400 billion between 2031 and 2050 if warming exceeds 1.5°C.
Another indicator in the ‘deteriorating’ category concerns the risk that the EU will not achieve its target of increasing terrestrial carbon sinks by 2030, particularly within the LULUCF (Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry) regulation.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/io5 (Original version in French by Florent Servia and Pauline Denys)