Two reports just issued by the European Environment Agency (EEA) show that the efforts being made in favor of the climate are unquestionable, but they are also clearly insufficient to achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement. One of these studies is a complete X-ray of the current situation in terms of emission reduction, still far from these goals. And the other shows that pollution is still the worst pandemic to hit Europe: 380,000 premature deaths in a year due to air pollution, 31,600 of them in Spain.
The conclusions of the European environment, state and Outlook 2020 reveal that the different policies adopted by the European Union in recent decades have clearly helped to improve the general state of the environment. However, the bad news is that not enough progress is being made or at the required speed.
For this reason, the environmental outlook is not positive and, although there is a certain margin of time to remedy it, it is a short term. The study is the most comprehensive environmental assessment carried out so far in Europe and not only addresses the state of the climate, but also aspects such as biodiversity, recycling, the circular economy and all kinds of environmental aspects.
In fact, overall trends have not improved since the EEA’s last report five years ago. Most of the objectives that were then set for 2020 will not be met, although there is still a second chance for the longer-term goals set, for the 2030-2050 period.
Biodiversity in critical condition
In terms of biodiversity (protection of species and natural areas), the results are especially disappointing. Among the objectives set for 2020 were the full application of current European laws, the restoration of ecosystems, reorienting agriculture towards the protection of biodiversity, fighting against invasive species, increasing the preservation of the marine environment, and others in the direction of implement concrete policies to preserve Europe’s environmental wealth. However, only two of them will be fulfilled: the declaration of new marine protected areas and the preservation of new terrestrial spaces.
With regard to climate, the report warns that there is a slowdown in progress to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the generation of clean energy is not taking off as expected. Prospects indicate that if it continues at the current pace in these fields, it will not be enough to meet climate and energy targets in 2030 and 2050.
Still, “we have a small opportunity in the next decade to expand measures to protect nature, mitigate the impacts of climate change and radically reduce the consumption of natural resources,” says EEA CEO Hans Bruyninckx. “Our assessment shows that gradual changes have made progress in some areas, but are not enough to meet our long-term goals. And our future prosperity and well-being depend on this, as well as our ability to create change, ”he adds.
The evolution of the emissions of equivalent tons of CO2 is striking. If the current rate of decrease is maintained, it will be impossible to reach a decrease of between 80% and 95% by the year 2050, which is stipulated in international agreements to avoid a rise in temperatures beyond what the planet can tolerate. But even if additional steps are taken, they should be especially strong in achieving those goals. Experts warn that this is not the time to relax or lower your guard.
To this end, the report highlights seven specific areas in which really courageous action will have to be taken so that Europe can bend the curve of environmental degradation and reach its planned targets by 2050. One of them is, quite simply, ‘to harness the full potential environmental policies in force ”, which, translated into plain language, amounts to strictly enforcing the laws that already exist. Other challenges are for the European Union to use its global influence to lead ambitious international agreements, as well as expand investment and support to sustainable companies and projects, foster innovation and create more knowledge and technologies at the service of caring for the planet.
The report clearly warns that “to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and the Paris Agreement will require urgent action in each of these areas over the next ten years.” In other words, “Europe will not materialize its idea of sustainability consisting of living well, respecting the limits of our planet by merely promoting economic growth and trying to manage its secondary effects,” he warns. On the contrary, “sustainability must become the guiding principle for ambitious and coherent policies and actions in society as a whole”. It is a declaration that invites us to aspire to less economic growth, but with greater care for the planet.
The other pandemic that does not rest
A clarifying example of the current climate situation on the continent has been offered in recent days by another report from the European Environment Agency, referring specifically to air quality. The results show that in 2018 (the most recent data) there were 380,000 premature deaths in the EU due to air pollution, mainly from the inhalation of fine particles, that is, tiny soot suspended in the gases emitted. In Spain, the victims due to poor air quality in 2018 were 31,600, of which 23,000 were due to fine particles, 6,800 to nitrogen dioxide and 1,800 to tropospheric ozone. These are tragic data, which however are widely exceeded by the 80,000 deaths in Germany. Deaths in Spain are concentrated in large cities and industrial centers.
Despite such shocking figures, the good side is that the measures adopted to reduce emissions that year managed to reduce deaths by 13% compared to the previous year, which meant in particular 60,000 fewer premature deaths than in 2017. “This is good news But we cannot ignore the negative part: the number of premature deaths in Europe is too high, ”says Commissioner for the Environment, Virginijus Sinkevicius.
This report coincides with others that are produced periodically on this same matter and all agree in diagnosing toxic emissions into the atmosphere as a cause of death for thousands and thousands of citizens in all the countries of the union. Motor vehicles are one of the main culprits, but that does not only mean private cars, trucks and other means of land movement. Large cruise ships, ocean liners and large tonnage freighters have also become a threat to the port enclaves where these vessels dock.
It is a silent pandemic that takes its toll every year in the form of thousands of victims around the world, yet they do not always receive the information hype and public attention that other diseases cause.
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