1 Europe's water: An indicator-based assessment Topic report 1/2003 EEA project managers: Peter Kristensen Anita Künitzer Jock Martin Niels Thyssen ©EEA,

1

Europe's water:

An indicator-based assessment

Topic report 1/2003

EEA project managers:

Peter Kristensen

Anita Künitzer

Jock Martin

Niels Thyssen

©EEA, Copenhagen, 2003

Selected data and recent trends

2

Trends in concentrations of various pollutants in Baltic and Mediterranean Seas and in the north-east Altantic

3

Trends in concentrations of various pollutants in mussels of north-eastern Altantic in different time periods

4

Trends in concentrations of various pollutants in mussels of Mediterranean Sea in different time periods

5

Source: Environment

Agency of England and

Wales (2002).

Effects of endocrine disrupting pollution on wild fish in England

Note: appearance intersex is one of important alterations caused by endocrine-disrupting chemicals, such as tributyltin used for boat painting as a fungicide

6

Questions:What is ecological condition of surface water?

Is the deterioration of aquatic systems prevented?

Indicators Assessment

7

Questions:What is ecological condition of surface water?

Is the deterioration of aquatic systems prevented?

Indicators Assessment

8

Percentage of ‘less than good’ rivers in different European countries

9

Introduced freshwater species with an ecological effect

10

Non-indigenious marine species arrived in European seas

11

Phosphate concentration in various groups of EU countries

12

Concentration of oxygen demand in rivers of various groups of EU countries

13

Nitrate concentration in rivers of various groups of EU countries

14

Discharge of organic matter from point sources

Positive key messages:

• In most of western Europe over past 15-30 years biological treatment of waste waters increased and decrerased organic discharges

• During 1990s also ten new EU member countries reduced markedly discharge of organic matters (in 5 of them by more than 75% in the period 1992-2000)

15

Concentration of Cd and Hg at river stations

16

The use of pesticides in ‘old’ 15 and new 10 (AC) EU countries

Positive trend: In new EU countries a steady decline of pesticide consumption

Negative trend: In old 15 EU countries repeated rise of pesticide consumption since 1993