Future Issues in Environmental Protection: a European Perspective

The report on Europe's Environment, published in 1995 by the European Environment Agency, presents clear information on (a) the state of the environment, (b) pressures stressing it, and (c) the human activities behind these issues. It sets the style for improved presentation of environmental management issues through the use of environmental indicators. This will help the UK environmental manager to target policy and/or management response, and to view their issues -whether at local, regional or national level - within a wider European and thereby global context. Key environmental problems for Europe are transport, land degradation, diffuse pollution of water, loss of natural habitats, waste production, and a range of local pressures - such as poor air quality - caused by conurbations. Future environmental management must be capable of integrated multi-media application, and should be applied at the most appropriate level, drawing on a range of approaches from top down regulation through to a bottom up commitment by individuals.