Environmental Issues in Europe

The environmental situation in Europe is far more complicated than on other continents. More so than any other continent, Europe is filled with a variety of fully developed, industrial nations. Matters are complicated even further by the fact that each country has unique economic backgrounds and subsequently, specific environmental concerns that are couple with their country's endeavors. As a whole however, there are some issues that can be highlighted and can be considered universal environmental issues. The main environmental issues facing Europe today are air pollution and various forms of chemical pollution.

One of the most easily recognized environmental issues throughout Europe is air quality. Cities stretching throughout Europe, including: London, Madrid, Rome, Berlin, Copenhagen Budapest and Dublin all exceed at least one of the World Health Organization's guidelines for air quality. The cause of this poor air quality comes from a variety of factors. Many countries in Europe rely heavily on road transportation, which results in millions of vehicles engaging in the daily transport of people and goods throughout the continent. As a result, nearly 70% of the total air pollution and 40% of greenhouse gas emissions are created by automobiles. Air pollution is not limited to automobiles however. A great deal of the continent's air pollution comes at the hands of industrial production. In countries such as Germany, Hungary and the Ukraine, a great deal of manufacturing is still powered by coal. This greatly reduces air quality, by releasing soot and harmful smoke into the atmosphere. This air pollution has also led to the environmental issue of acid rain. The carbon, sulfur and nitrous oxide that come from coal burning factories react with the air to cause precipitation that has a low pH. The result is acidic rain, which is detrimental to human health, plants, trees and animals. In Germany alone, many of the trees in the black forest are in danger of dying as a result of acid rain.

Another result of having multiple industrialized nations in one continent is a dramatic increase in the presence of chemicals and waste. The introduction of dangerous chemicals into the environment is a result of the different type of production facilities throughout Europe, which range from nuclear power facilities to steel manufacturers. Similar to the rest of the modern world, Europe is having tremendous difficulty processing the various forms of chemical waste they create, along with other general problems of waste management. As a result, there has been a significant amount of water pollution and soil contamination. The effects of these forms of pollution can easily be seen. Europe's agricultural land, water supply, and overall societal health have all been greatly affected by pollution. These environmental issues will only become more prevalent with increases in population and demand.

One does not have to look far to discover the many environmental issues that Europe is facing today. There is however, a great deal of hope. Unlike many other parts of the world, namely the United States, Europe has a great deal of solidarity when engaging their environmental issues. As a continent, many guidelines have been set in regards to pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental factors. These legislative mandates are assisting in environmental improvement, but there is still a lot that must be done to tackle the various problems of population growth and industrialization that continue to plague Europe.