Measuring Environmental Degradation: Developing Pressure Indicators for Europe

Measuring Environmental Degradation is a unique book that provides a comprehensive yet concise overview of the key issues of environmental significance addressed as part of the Eurostat 'Environmental Pressure Indicators Project'. The book is part of the 'Towards Environmental Pressure Indicators for the EU' (TEPI) series that has resulted from the project.

The book is divided into ten distinct chapters, each one concentrating on a particular environmental policy field, ranging from ozone layer depletion to waste and water pollution. The contributors, each experts in their chosen discipline, provide background information on the main environmental pressures faced by the EU, identify the practical actions necessary to reduce these pressures and reflect upon the process of selecting an imaginative list of pressure indicators. The indicators are intended to describe these pressures, in a highly aggregated format, in order to communicate environmental information clearly and effectively whilst retaining scientific soundness.

The book extends discussion by considering the expected benefits of communicating trends in environmental pressures to policymakers and the wider public, and considering whether central political intervention is necessary to deal with problem pressures.

As well as offering a valuable insight into the methodological issues and processes concerned with the development of pressure indicators, the book outlines the international framework for each policy field. The work benefits from the diversity of views and approaches proposed by the contributors to create an extensive overview of the subject.

This original and topical collection of essays will make valuable reading for researchers and students of environmental studies, environmental policymakers in both governmental and non-governmental institutions as well as anyone with an interest in current environmental issues.

Edited by Anil Markandya, Basque Centre for Climate Change, Spain and Honorary Professor, University of Bath, UK and Nick Dale, Department of Economics and International Development, University of Bath, UK