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- The tap is running dry
- Fresh water is essential for life and human survival. Yet today, the world is facing a global water crisis which will reach unprecedented levels in the years ahead as water resources decline because of population growth, pollution and expected climate change.
- A blow to fertility
- When the wind blows away the topsoil, it damages fertility locally and can contaminate land far away. Although soil erosion in Europe is not as severe as in the US or Australia, expertise and resources are thinly spread. A co-ordinated EU approach to the problem is called for.
- Up in flames, up in arms
- Forest fires are a common hazard in many European countries. Though they rarely kill, they often injure and can create enormous economic loss. This book summarises the lessons learned from fighting them.
- The energy forecast
- If we do not change our ways, fossil fuels will make up almost 90% of the world's energy supply by 2030 and carbon dioxide emissions will have doubled. These stark conclusions come from a major EU study called WETO - World Energy, Technology and climate policy Outlook.
- Green house effect
- Many buildings - even some being built as you read this - are woefully environmentally unfriendly. The OECD believes that government strategies and policies must change if this is to be rectified. The recipe contains recyclable materials, energy efficient systems, lower chemical emissions and more research in the building industry.
- Greenhouse gas: a report card
- The European Environmental Agency gives a progress report on the success of EU member states and candidates countries in meeting their targets under the Kyoto Protocol to cut the harmful gases blamed for global warming.
- In the frame
- The LUCAS survey collected data on land use in Europe, enabling assessment of both agricultural and environmental changes. Linked with other surveys, LUCAS may well prove very useful in monitoring the effectiveness of the CAP's recent focus on environmental sensitivity.
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October 2003