Evaluating impact on unused land

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Scope

Does the option have the effect of bringing new areas of land ('greenfields') into use for the first time?

Definition

A great variety of human activities bring new areas of land into use for the first time. These areas are called greenfields or virgin land. Activities consuming greenfields are e.g. landfills, new construction, recreation, mining or agriculture. Human development does on the whole globe continuously encroach on virgin land. Wild areas, i.e. areas where nature remains totally untouched by human development, are hardly found in Western und Central Europe and are also rare in Eastern Europe. Hence land use planning should put a special focus on preserving such sites and sites which status has remained close to nature.

Result

Indicators:

There are no Eurostat Structural Indicators directly related to this key question. However, the following Structural Indicator is of relevance with regard to the key question:

• Sufficiency of sites designated under the EU Habitats Directive

The following Eurostat Sustainable Development Indicators are relevant to address the key question:

New areas of built-up land usually stress former rural, agricultural or forestal land, which then in turn lead to first use of former land with no former human influence. Change in land use which includes new availment of former rural, agricultural or forestal land for all activities including sealing, e.g. building activities might therefore promote a hint on first use of new areas (greenfiedls) and is addressed by the following Sustainable Development Indicator:

• Built-up areas

Additional Links:

European Environment Agency Indicators

EEA Biodiversity Indicators

• Change in area and use of grasslands (Data covering EU 9 for 1975-1995)
• Pressures on grasslands (lowland and mountain areas) (Data covering Austria, Finland, Sweden, Italy, France, Ireland, Portugal, Greece, Spain for 1999)
• Protection of grasslands (Data covering EU 15 for 1999)

See also

IA TOOLS

References

This text is for information only and is not designed to interpret or replace any reference documents.