COPENHAGEN, September 29, 2025: The European Environment Agency (EEA) warned on Monday that the overall state of Europe’s environment remains poor despite progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. The agency said that while the European Union has cut emissions significantly, the continent continues to face mounting pressures from climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource degradation. According to the EEA’s Europe’s Environment 2025 report, EU greenhouse gas emissions have declined by 37 percent since 1990, largely due to a reduction in fossil fuel use and the expansion of renewable energy, which has more than doubled since 2005.
The agency also noted that improvements in air quality have reduced the number of pollution-related deaths. However, it cautioned that these achievements have not reversed broader environmental decline across the continent. The report highlighted that over 80 percent of Europe’s protected habitats are in poor or bad condition. Pressures such as pollution, invasive species, overexploitation, and habitat fragmentation are undermining ecosystems. Soil degradation affects up to 70 percent of the continent, and only 37 percent of surface waters have reached “good ecological status.”
In addition, Europe’s natural carbon sinks, such as forests and wetlands, have weakened, with carbon absorption capacity declining by around 30 percent over the last decade. Water scarcity was identified as a growing concern. The EEA said one in three Europeans now lives in regions experiencing high levels of water stress. Agriculture and transport emissions have stagnated since 2005 in several member states, offsetting progress made in other sectors. At the same time, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are increasing, with significant economic and social impacts.
Biodiversity loss affects most of Europe’s natural habitats
Between 2020 and 2023, annual climate-related losses across Europe averaged €44.5 billion, more than double the average of the previous decade. The report pointed to recent disasters as evidence of accelerating climate impacts. Spain’s 2025 wildfire season was the worst on record, with more than 330,000 hectares burned in Galicia, four deaths reported, and thousands displaced. In addition, research published earlier this month by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health found that heatwaves in 2024 caused more than 62,700 deaths across Europe, with southern regions most affected.
European Environment Agency (EEA) Executive Director Leena Ylä-Mononen said the findings illustrate the scale of challenges facing the continent. She emphasized that ecosystems, economies, and societies are increasingly vulnerable to environmental stress and that reversing these trends requires urgent action. The EEA report stated that only two of the European Union’s 22 environmental targets for 2030 are currently on track, relating to greenhouse gas reductions and ozone-depleting substances.
EU environment report finds most 2030 targets off track
European Commission Vice President Teresa Ribera, responding to the report, said recent climate extremes demonstrate how environmental decline directly threatens public welfare, prosperity, and security. She stressed that safeguarding nature must be seen as a foundation for resilience and economic stability. The EEA called for full implementation of the European Green Deal, stronger enforcement of existing regulations, and accelerated measures to restore ecosystems and reduce pressures on resources. The agency underscored that environmental protection and climate adaptation are essential to maintaining long-term stability for Europe’s societies and economies.
The findings add to growing scientific evidence that while Europe has led globally in reducing emissions, urgent steps are needed to address worsening environmental conditions across the continent. The report stressed that biodiversity loss, soil degradation, water scarcity, and declining carbon sinks threaten ecosystems that millions depend on for food, energy, and security. It added that without stronger enforcement of environmental laws and investment in nature restoration, Europe risks undermining both its economic resilience and social well-being. – By EuroWire News Desk.