European Environment Agency Online Report – “Environment State and Outlook Report 2010
Article Type: News from the net From: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Volume 12, Issue 2
The European Environment Agency has released its Fourth Environment State and Outlook Report – SOER 2010 – a comprehensive assessment of how and why Europe’s environment is changing, and what we are doing about it.
The assessment shows that global demands for natural resources to feed,clothe, house, and transport people are accelerating. These mounting demands on natural capital are exerting increased pressure to ecosystems, economies and social cohesion in Europe and elsewhere. SOER 2010 concludes that a complete shift to a resource-efficient green economy requires that all environmental resources – biodiversity, land, carbon, rivers, the seas and the air we breathe – are fully considered in production, consumption and global trade decisions. A fully integrated approach to transforming Europe to a resource-efficient green economy cannot only result in a healthy environment,but also boost prosperity and social cohesion.
The report emphasises that there are no quick fixes but regulators,businesses and citizens need to work together to find innovative ways to use resources more efficiently. SOER 2010 also highlights a greater understanding of the links between climate change, biodiversity, resource use and people’s health – and how tools like spatial planning, ecological tax reform,pollution prevention, precaution and resource accounting can underpin a natural capital-based approach to their management. It can be seen at: www.eea.europa.eu/soer
