English Abstract On request of GLOBE, an organization of members of the
European Parliament and of members of parliament from the USA, Japan and
Russia, RIVM has made a description of the present and future state of the
environment in Europe (including Central and Eastern Europe). The report
has been presented by N.D.van Egmond during the GLOBE conference "The
European common garden" in Strasbourg, May 1992. In the report, the present
state of the environment and the future implications of two contrasting
policy scenarios are described, one in which current trends in development
and environmental policies continue (GLOBE I), and one in which full
implementation of best available technologies and policy options in both
Western and Eastern Europe is assumed (GLOBE II). Results are given for
environmental topics on a global scale (climate change, ozone depletion), a
European scale (tropospheric transboundary air pollution, radioactivity,
acidification), and a regional scale (pollution of soil, groundwater and
surface water, local air pollution). Possible effects on public health and
ecosystems are indicated. Within the limitations of the data sets at
present available, this approach has led to the following conclusions:
Internationally accepted environmental quality criteria are currently
exceeded in many areas of Europe for many features of the environment. Only
an accelerated environment policy as indicated in the GLOBE II scenario will
result in a European environment in which most adverse effects on human
health and ecosystems are avoided. This scenario, which still not
guarantees sustainability for all features is technically
feasible.
