A joint contribution to the development of a European soil policy

1. A joint contribution to the development of a European soil policy Anna Rita Gentile EEA

2. Past work (1) Support to soil policy : not a new task for EEA and EIONET Organisation: • ETC on Soil (1996-1999) • Working groups established by Management Board on soil contamination, soil erosion and soil sealing • ETC on Terrestrial Environment (since July 2001) • Work covered the various activities of the MDAIR chain (note include information pyramid) • SESSION 1 • Past work • Current work • Specific contribution to STS • Conclusions • What • Added value • How

3. Past work (2) Reporting: • State of Environment/Environmental Signals reports (Dobris 1995, Dobris+3 1998, Turn of the century 1999, Down to Earth 2000, ES 2001-2002, Kiev 2003) Monitoring and data flows: • Proposal for a European Soil Monitoring and Assessment Framework (1999) • Establishment of data flows on soil to support EEA reporting in the 30 EEA countries, develop indicators and translate soil framework into operational terms(since 1999) Spatial dimension: • Hot-spot analysis (2000-2001) • SESSION 1 • Past work • Current work • Specific contribution to STS • Conclusions • What • Added value • How

4. Past work (3) Soil contamination: • Surveys of management of contaminated sites in Western Europe and Central and Eastern Europe (with Danish EPA) • Technical workshops (Athens 1998, Dublin 1999, Vienna 2001, Sevilla 2002): definitions, assessment of contaminated land in Europe, indicators and data flows • Contribution to international initiatives (Caracas, Clarinet, Ad-Hoc Forum on contaminated land, Common Forum) Soil erosion and soil sealing: • Expert workshops (Copenhagen 2001) • Data collections, development of indicators and assessment • Technical reports covering assessment and reporting issues and providing recommendations for further work • SESSION 1 • Past work • Current work • Specific contribution to STS • Conclusions • What • Added value • How

5. Current work (1) Continuing support to soil policy: part of EEA-EIONET statutory tasks MDIAR: • Continuing work on indicators and data flows • Core set of indicators for terrestrial environment • Assessment of state of Europe’s soil (update foreseen by end 2003) • Contribution to EEA reporting • Networking • SESSION 1 • Past work • Current work • Specific contribution to STS • Conclusions • What • Added value • How

6. Current work (2) Desertification: • Technical support to the Commission (DG DEV) on UNCCD • Technical and institutional support to UNCCD secretariat in the development of an information system to support the implementation of National Action Programmes in the Mediterranean • Technical and insitutional support to Southern European countries to assess of the sensitivity to desertification and drought and liaison with Nothern African countries • SESSION 1 • Past work • Current work • Specific contribution to STS • Conclusions • What • Added value • How

7. Specific contribution toSoil Thematic Strategy • Networking: this workshop to help clarify and coordinate EEA and EIONET contribution • A joint contribution: proposal for a EEA-ETC-EIONET coordination group to support STS • Participation to STS working groups: • Participation in the Commission’s Inter-Service Working Group on soil policy and in the Advisory Forum • Co-chair of TWG on soil contamination(Anna Rita Gentile and Francesca Quercia) • Participation in the TWG on soil erosion(Jaume Fons) • Participation in the WG on soil monitoring(Anna Rita Gentile/Timo Tarvainen) • EU reporting: Proposal to facilitate the preparation of an integrated report on the state of European soils with the contribution of all working groups and a joint publication • SESSION 1 • Past work • Current work • Specific contribution to STS • Conclusions • What • Added value • How

8. Conclusions (1) WHAT: • a joint contribution • monitoring, data flows, assessment and reporting on soil issues • monitoring: support countries to structure national networks more efficiently and contribute to European monitoring • data flows: help organise data flows from the national to the European level • assessment and reporting: help streamline national and European reporting on soil, also to serve other policy areas • European dimension: contribute to the development of a ‘unique soil assessment and monitoring concept’ • active participation in STS working groups to help develop policy options • SESSION 1 • Past work • Current work • Specific contribution to STS • Conclusions • What • Added value • How

9. Conclusions (2) ADDED VALUE OF JOINT EEA-EIONET CONTRIBUTION: • a joint vision (not just EEA’s views) • a wider stakeholders community • a link to the monitoring and assessment of other environmental media (EEA MAWP and wide EIONET) • an aid to the realisation of: • more efficient and integrated national networks • an integrated and shared ‘from monitoring to reporting’ system to serve both national and European needs (e.g European STS, EEA reporting, national strategies and reporting, etc.) • a better integrated environmental assessment of soil • SESSION 1 • Past work • Current work • Specific contribution to STS • Conclusions • What • Added value • How

10. Conclusions (3) HOW: • through a joint EEA-ETC-EIONET coordination group • SESSION 1 • Past work • Current work • Specific contribution to STS • Conclusions • What • Added value • How