Latest ETC Reports (included in homepage)

This report explores the development of a framework and indicators for monitoring transitions in European food systems, highlighting systemic changes essential for sustainability. Using a scoping study approach, it evaluates 18 selected indicator frameworks to identify key elements, relationships, and sustainability considerations. The study emphasises the need for comprehensive frameworks that encompass environmental, social, and economic dimensions while addressing gaps such as feedback loops, cross-system interactions, and governance structures. Concrete proposals for indicators are provided, complemented by expert-driven recommendations to fill data gaps. The report also offers broader lessons for improving sustainability transition monitoring, including integration with policy and actor relations. Insights aim to support the advancement of food systems monitoring and inform future European environmental reporting.

This report assesses the potential health benefits of reducing noise annoyance from road traffic and railway noise by increasing green space exposure in European agglomerations. Using data from the Environmental Noise Directive (END) and green space availability based on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), two scenarios were evaluated: achieving the WHO recommendation for universal access to green spaces (i.e. at least 0.5 hectares within a 300 m or a 5-minute walk from home) or a 10% increase in NDVI. The findings show that increased green space availability could reduce the number of highly noise-annoyed adults by up to 9.6% for road traffic noise and 6.8% for railway noise, potentially preventing almost one million highly annoyed adults in Europe. These results highlight the importance of promoting and enhancing urban green spaces to mitigate noise-related health impacts and improve overall well-being.

This report provides guidelines for the development of socioeconomic indicators to assess future exposure and vulnerability to future climate hazards and inform science-policy assessments.