European Environment Agency - Opinion on Fifth Framework Programme
The European Environment Agency (EEA) has submitted an opinion to the Commission as a contribution to the debate on the shape of the Fifth RTD Framework Programme. In keeping with the Agency's remit, the opinion concentrates on research in the fields of environment and climate. The paper calls for simple overall structures emphasizing high priority environmental issues and integrating environmental R&D and management into the different sectors. More specifically, the EEA calls for priority to be given to environmental research in the following areas: - Themes: . Chemicals in the environment; . Groundwater contamination and drinking water; . Soil degradation; . Nature (methods to assess change); - Sectors: . Transport; . Energy; - Regions: . The Mediterranean region; . Water catchment areas; . Urban areas. The EEA paper calls for a fair combination of basic and applied research, and for adequate research for monitoring and assessment. Areas of high priority are: - Development of early warning systems, indicating changes in the environment and the technosphere (the contribution of remote sensing and ground truth data); - Development of environmental or health-oriented early warning systems, supplementing the traditional source- or recipient-oriented monitoring; - Assessment of environmental problems with a multi-factorial background (asthma and reproductive disturbances are actual examples, linked to pollutants but also natural substances and life style factors); - The food chemicals problem; - Evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of monitoring. The EEA notes the need for an interface between research and policy development and calls for adequate provision in the Fifth Framework Programme's budget for this. In this context, high priority activities include research on integrated environmental assessment and dissemination of scientific results of Community research programmes. In terms of the implementation of the Programme, the Agency calls for increased interaction between itself, DG XII, DG XI and the Joint Research Centre, and suggests the creation of a permanent contact group. It also proposes participation of the EEA in programme management committees and in the evaluation of proposals. Increased efforts to improve the management of targeted research are needed. The EEA suggests the use of thematic networks, which are user-oriented, in particular for the dissemination of information and research results. In the field of space applications, the Agency calls for development of interoperability between space and environment applications.