Environmental indicator report 2016 : in support to the monitoring of the 7th Environment Action Programme

With this report and its scoreboard of indicators, the European Environment Agency (EEA) is responding to the mandate given to it to support with indicators the monitoring of the General Union Environment Action Programme to 2020, 'Living well, within the limits of our planet' (7th EAP). The scoreboard tracks progress towards the achievement of three of the nine priority objectives of the 7th EAP - natural capital; resource-efficient, low‑carbon economy; and people's health and well‑being - by 2020. The analysis shows that EU environmental policies have been more successful in reducing pressures and improving efficiency than on reducing overall impacts on people's health and well-being or in ensuring the resilience of natural systems. The approach taken in this report emphasises quantifiable objectives and indicators. These are mostly derived from reporting by EU Member States and their immediate neighbours to meet agreed commitments in existing policies at the EU and international levels. As such, the results should be considered alongside other EEA assessments, most notably its latest European environment - state and outlook report (SOER 2015). SOER 2015 provides an overview of the state of, trends in and prospects for the environment in Europe by combining quantitative, qualitative, broad and long‑term perspectives in an integrated, comprehensive assessment.