Latest ETC Reports (included in homepage)

This reflection paper supports the early scoping of the second European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA-2). It builds on the direct experience and lessons learned by the authors, who were part of the core team that developed the first EUCRA (EUCRA-1). The paper was informed by a series of expert discussions between January and May 2025, including an in-person workshop at the EEA in Copenhagen. The document incorporates input from the Joint Research Centre (JRC), ECMWF, and insights from informal consultations by DG CLIMA. Aimed primarily at the EUCRA-2 Steering Group, it explores the policy context, scope, methodology, and potential chapter structure of EUCRA-2, while stressing continuity with EUCRA-1 and alignment with relevant international, EU and national initiatives. Although not a substitute for formal scoping by the EEA, DG CLIMA, and EUCRA-2 project partners, it offers preliminary reflections and suggestions to inform the future process.

The European Air quality index has been updated and now its bands take into consideration the World Health Organization global air quality guidelines, published in 2021. A subindex per pollutant is calculated based on hourly data (including for PM, for which running 24-hours averages were considered before) and on the risk of short-term mortality. The worst pollutant subindex categorizes the index. The health messages linked to the different index categories remain unchanged.

The aim of this report is to critically evaluate methods to assess the health risk of environmental noise for Europe and propose adaptations to the previously used methodology where necessary. Part I presents a refined methods for noise exposure assessment in Europe. Part 2 presents up-to-date exposure-response associations from an Umbrella+ review. High certainty evidence was found for effects of transportation noise on all-cause mortality, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Additional, evidence is emerging for effects on depression, dementia, overweight, cognitive impairments in adults and children and behavioural problems in children. The new body of evidence shows negative effects due to transport noise at lower levels (Lden=45 dB) than those captured in the European Environmental Noise Directive. In Part 3, proposals for disability weights and quantifying economic costs of health risks are made. The proposed changes of the health risk assessment methods reflect recent progress in noise research.