This is a presentation I gave during the International students conference in Ghent to show the benefits of European Environmental and Health policies and to give a positive view of the future to the students.

1. European Union
and
Environment
Bruno Rakedjian
Seconded national expert in the European
Commission, water expert
DG ENV

2.  Flood
 Drought
 Fresh water
 Sea water
 Drinking water
 Bathing water
 Sanitation
 Waste
 Air quality
Industrial emissions
Chemicals
 Biodiversity
 Noise
 Climate
 Energy
 Fishing
 Agriculture
…
Environmental policiesEuropean

3. Main objective
Article 3 of the Treaty on European Union
High level of protection and
improvement of the quality
of environment
Environmental policiesEuropean

4. A powerful approach
Common policy for 28 Member
States but also for neighbouring
countries
Environmental policiesEuropean

5. A personal motto
Analyse the past
to understand the present
and
prepare the future
Environmental policiesEuropean

6. Evolution in air quality in Europe ?
or
or
Evolution in water quality in Europe ?
Environmental policiesEuropean

7. Air quality
Air qualityEU benefits

8. CITEPA inventory France
Air qualityEU benefits

9. EU-28 emission trends for the main air pollutants
Air qualityEU benefits

10. Molenbek PM 10Brussels PM2.5
Pollution alert in Paris SO2 concentration in Paris
Air qualityEU benefits

11. Water quality
Water qualityEU benefits

12. Bathing water
http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/daviz/inland-bathing-water-quality-in-2#tab-chart_1
Water qualityEU benefits

13. http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/water/interactive/bathing/state-of-bathing-waters
Bathinhg water Citizen information
Water qualityEU benefits

14. http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/explore-interactive-maps/wise-soe-bod-in-rivers
Biological Oxygen Demand in rivers EEA website
1993 2012
Water qualityEU benefits

15. http://www.cipel.org/le-leman/tableau-bord/
Geneva Lake Phosphorus
Water qualityEU benefits

16. 2015 Brésil
http://www.lesoir.be/853229/article/demain-
terre/environnement/2015-04-17/poissons-morts-
et-odeur-fetide-sur-un-site-olympique-rio
1994 PARIS BOUGIVAL
http://www.driee.ile-de-
france.developpement-
durable.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/Evenemen
ts-2003-2013_cle7c83d4.pdf
The Seine estuary
Oxygen concentration
Water qualityEU benefits

17. Water qualityEU benefits
Microbiological pollution in the Seine River

18. Fish species monitored in the Seine river
Water qualityEU benefits

19. Positive impact
Mainly due to decrease in urban waste water
emissions
About 22 billion euros investment spent each year
in urban waste water policy about 48 euros per
citizen per year
At European level the waste water policy in good
and service about 600 000 jobs
More and more renewal of collecting systems and
treatment plants
Water qualityEU benefits

20. The result of action plans, use of indicators and
Information systems
Water qualityEU benefits
French national urban waste
water portal:
http://assainissement.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/
Userfriendy access to data
After 5 years, 500 visitors per day.
Use still increasing.

21. Remaining
environmental
challenges
Environmental
challenges
Remaining

22. Help countries all around
the world to improve their
air and water quality
Environmental
challenges
Remaining

23. Challenge Air quality
NO2,
Ozone, Micro
particles

24. SHELLFISH quality in Britanny France
Challenge Shellfish quality

25. Challenge Litter/microplastic in
fresh and sea water
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_pollution#/media/File:Kamilo_Beach2_Courtesy_Algalita_
dot_org.jpg
http://aquascapeconservatio
n.org/research/marine-
debris/
https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/save-a-turtle-by-
reducing-marine-litter-in-kenya/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma
rine_pollution
http://www.senat.fr/rap/r10-652/r10-65216.html

26. Challenge Marine under noise
http://www.xchange-
madagascar.com/actualites/index.php/exploratio
n-petroliere-un-choix-cornelien-entre-or-noir-et-
biodiversite/
http://ocr.org/portfolio/shipping-noise/http://www.slideshare.net/indiawaterportal/2-seminar-
presentation-cdr-das

27. Challenges Nitrates and pesticides
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wi
ki/Eutrophisation

28. Challenges Uncontrolled
urbanisation
• Increase in sealing (impact on water quality and
quantity, increase in flooding, city temperature, air
quality,…)
• Increase in networks investments (sewage, drinking
water pipes, public transport, roads, telecoms,
electricity, gaz..)
• Increase in operational and maintenance costs
Endangered municipalities budget

29. Challenges Climate change
• Change the rain intensity and worsen rain impact
• Increase water scarcity and flooding
• Increase water pollution
• Increase air pollution
• Increase water temperature and impact of
microbiological contamination
• Increase air temperature and heat wave
• Increase sea level

30. Half full Half empty
Current situation
EU benefits
European actions helps and will
continue to improve our Environment

31. Solutions are already
here and encouraged by
the European
Commission
EU benefits

32. At source and multi benefits measures
are priority measures to be
implemented
Article 191 of the treaty on the
functioning of the European Union
"environmental damage should as a
priority be rectified at source"
EU benefits

33. Better access to
information
European policy
Creation of a generic open source waste
water website
• showing and using the data,
• disseminating the data
• tool free to be reused,
• including many functionalities,
• with maps, graphs, tables
• with individual fiches…
• and allowing regular evolution.
1. Generic website: http://uwwtd.oieau.fr/
2. web tool and documentation for
developers: https://github.com/OIEau/uwwtd

34. Biodiversity
Lampetra fluviatilis
A city with green areas is attractive
Positive impact of bats
(2000 à 7000 mosquitoes per night)
NATURA 2000
Schelde- en Durmeëstuarium van
de Nederlandse grens tot Gent
European policy

35. Integrated urban and
rural managementEuropean policy
Commission
contribution: best
practices website
http://www.nwrm.eu/
Green infrastructure such as natural water retention
measures in urban and rural areas to protect water
resources and address water-related challenging
Transversal and multi-benefit measures
http://www.nwrm.eu/

36. Energy
Solar energy
Wind energy
Energy storage
European policy

37. Mobility
Driverless vehicles for
people and goods
Electric cars trucks and bus
Electric plane
walking cycling
Freight Drones
European policy

38. RETOUR A l'ECOLE
Thanks
Bruno Rakedjian
Bruno.RAKEDJIAN@ec.europa.eu