Consolidated annual activity report 2023

The EEA, together with its 38 member and cooperating countries and its knowledge network Eionet, provides vital support for the EU's environment and climate policy goals and targets. In 2023, the Agency's assessments and data continued to support the European Green Deal (EGD) and its flagship initiatives, as well as the EU 8th Environment Action Programme and the many other EU policies and legislation on the environment and climate already established under the environment acquis. The year also saw changes at the EEA's helm, some major events and a number of new publications, some produced in rapid response to fast-changing circumstances. In terms of events, a key meeting took place in Copenhagen in March 2023, with an EEA-Eionet day bringing together EEA National Focal Points, experts from Eionet groups and thematic groups, European Topic Centre managers and experts, and EEA staff. This was important to re-establish and strengthen the network after the COVID-19 pandemic and to accelerate implementation of the EEA-Eionet Strategy 2021-2030. Also in March, the EEA organised a high-level conference, 'Delivering the European Green Deal in unprecedented times', in Brussels. The event's panel discussions, keynote addresses and interviews tackled some of the most pressing environmental governance issues – from sustainability transitions and challenges in reaching the EGD's goals to providing knowledge for policymakers to act upon. The EU and its Member States have ambitious targets to achieve sustainability by 2050, as laid out in the EGD. Building on this, the 8th Environment Action Programme (8th EAP) guides EU environmental policy up to 2030. The EEA is tasked with tracking progress towards the 8th EAP's objectives and released its first annual monitoring report in 2023. Based on 28 indicators and corresponding targets, the analysis suggests the EU may not meet the majority of its 2030 goals. Areas related to production and consumption are particularly challenging. However, the outlook is positive for some objectives. For instance, the green economy's share will likely continue to increase, and premature deaths linked with exposure to fine particles should fall, in line with the EU's zero pollution action plan.