European Environment Agency (EEA)
The European Environment Agency (EEA) is an agency of the European Union established on December 10, 1990, with its headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark. Its primary mission is to collect, analyze, and disseminate reliable information about the environment to aid in the development and implementation of policies aimed at environmental protection and improvement across Europe. The EEA addresses critical global environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, air pollution, and human health in relation to environmental conditions.
The agency operates under the guidance of an executive director and a management board, supported by an advisory committee of scientists. EEA collaborates with EU institutions, member countries, and international organizations, including the World Health Organization and the World Bank, to promote sustainable environmental policies. Additionally, it coordinates the European Environment Information and Observation Network (Eionet), which compiles and assesses environmental data from various sources.
EEA's work is significant not only for EU member states but also for candidate and neighboring countries, making its findings accessible to a broad audience, including businesses and academia. With an emphasis on proactive measures, the agency also seeks to identify potential future environmental challenges and recommends strategies to address them effectively.
On this Page
Subject Terms
European Environment Agency (EEA)
IDENTIFICATION: Agency of the European Union that collects and disseminates information about the environment
DATE: Established on December 10, 1990
The European Environment Agency plays a key role in the European Union’s programs to protect and improve the environment in Europe. Through its sharing of the data it collects the agency also significantly contributes to the development and implementation of policies to benefit the environment on a global basis.
The European Environment Agency (EEA) was created in 1990 by a European Union (EU) regulation. In 1993 Copenhagen, Denmark, was chosen as the location for the agency, which began operations in 1994. EEA operates under an executive director and a management board assisted by an advisory committee of scientists. EEA’s main function is to provide objective, dependable information about the state of the environment, environmental trends, various policies that have been implemented, and the effectiveness of those policies. EEA also attempts to anticipate environmental problems that may arise in the future. The agency addresses the major environmental issues of global importance, including climate change, air pollution, biodiversity, health concerns in relation to the environment, and the necessity for sustainable production and consumption.
As an organization created by the European Union, EEA assists the EU and its thirty-eight member and cooperating countries and various institutions operating within the EU, such as the European Parliament and the Committee of the Regions, in the making of decisions and policies that affect the environment. The five areas of focus are biodiversity and ecosystems, climate change mitigation and adaptation, human health and the environment, circular economy and resource use, and sustainability trends, prospects, and responses.
EEA makes information about the available to EU candidate countries, EEA cooperating countries, and the EU’s neighboring countries under the EU Neighbourhood Policy. It works cooperatively with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Environment Canada, and the State Environmental Protection Agency of China. EEA also works with international organizations such as the World Health Organization, the World Bank, and the United Nations to promote environmentally sound policies. EEA makes its information available to all segments of the general public and is of particular assistance to individuals and groups in the business and academic communities.
The regulation that created EEA in 1990 also established the European Environment Information and Observation Network, known as Eionet, which is coordinated by EEA. Eionet collects and records data, which it then collates and assesses. The network is composed primarily of environmental agencies and ministries and other environmental organizations of member countries of EEA. In addition to Eionet, EEA has established the European Topic Centre, which collects and analyzes data on specific topics such as climate change and land use. EEA also works in cooperation with the EU Statistical Office and the EU Joint Research Centre. In partnership with the European Commission and its member countries, EEA participates in a program to interconnect their databases through a shared environmental information system.
In 2004 EEA developed the first environmental management program introduced by an EU entity, a system designed to help EEA employees understand their roles in the agency and to encourage them to participate in projects to improve the environment. EEA went on to help other agencies develop management systems.
EEA released its first report on climate risks Europe faces in 2024. The agency found that member nations were not adequately prepared for climate change's impact. The report urged immediate action to protect coastal communities from flooding and deaths due to heatwaves and other extreme weather conditions.
Bibliography
Dilling, Rasmus. “Improving Implementation by Networking: The Role of the European Environment Agency.” In Implementing EU Environmental Policy: New Directions and Old Problems, edited by Christoph Knill and Andrea Lenschow. New York: Manchester University Press, 2000.
European Environment Agency. The European Environment: State and Outlook 2005. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2005.
Hunter, Janet R., and Zachary A. Smith. Protecting Our Environment: Lessons from the European Union. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2005.
Weise, Zia. "5 Things We Learned from the EU's Big (and First) Climate Risk Report." Politico, 11 Mar. 2024, www.politico.eu/article/5-things-we-learned-eu-first-climate-change-risk-report-eea/. Accessed 17 July 2024.
"Who We Are." European Environment Agency, 2024, www.eea.europa.eu/en/about/who-we-are. Accessed 17 July 2024.