The EEA report Functional urban areas have land take and land degradingAnalyzes new data from Urban Atlas of Copernicus Land Monitoring Service. The data is centered on Land use and socioeconomic trends662 functional urban zonesCities and their commute zonesThe UK and the European Union (EU). These areas account for 23% of land and are home to 75% of UK and EU citizens.
The data shows that between 2012 and 2018, there was a significant increase in the number of people who used these services. Urban land takingThe EU and UK grew by 3 581 km2 soil sealingThe distance between crops and pastures increased by 1 467 km. The soil sealing resulted in a loss of potential carbon sequestration. This was estimated at 4.2million tonnes of carbon during the monitoring period.
Nearly 80% of land was acquired in Zones for commutersThe EEA report reminds us that these areas are important for wildlife, carbon sequestration and flood protection as well as for the supply of food and fibers. The EEA report explains that commuter zones have more artificial areas per person than cities. This means that their land use efficiency is lower. Urban areas are subject to increasing pressures on nature. Habitats in urban areas become fragmented due to land take.They are approximately four times smaller in rural areas than they are in urban areas.
The EEA report warns against land take overs. BiodiversityEurope is more vulnerable to natural catastrophes. To prevent biodiversity decline and adapt to changing climates, it is crucial to stop land degradation and restore wetlands, peatlands and coastal ecosystems. Climate change. Similar messages were raised in the second. Global Land Outlook report Convention of the United Nations to Combat Desertification
At the EU level, there is currently no legally binding target for soil sealing or land take. The new however, EU soil strategy for 2030Calls on Member States for 2030 Land Take Targets, with the goal of reaching Land take neutralityBy 2050
