1 Digital Agenda Assembly - ICT for the Single Market: e-Government driving innovation, 17 June, Brussels 1 Enabling a greener single Information market ICT for the Single Market: e-Government driving innovation Enabling a greener single Information market Hugo DE GROOF European Commission Directorate-General Environment – Chief Scientist, Research and Innovation Unit

2 Digital Agenda Assembly - ICT for the Single Market: e-Government driving innovation, 17 June, Brussels 2 Ministerial Declaration on eGovernment Malmö, Sweden, 18 November 2009 We recognise that Europe is currently facing serious economic, social and environmental challenges. As our governments move to face and overcome these challenges, there is a growing expectation from European citizens and businesses for their governments to be more open, flexible and collaborative in their delivery of public services across Europe

3 Digital Agenda Assembly - ICT for the Single Market: e-Government driving innovation, 17 June, Brussels 3 Broader Policy Context Lisbon Declaration th Environmental Action Plan EU 2020 Strategy to become by 2010 the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion Environmental policy-making, given the complexities of the issues, needs to be based on best available scientific and economic assessment, and on knowledge of the state and trends of the environment. Information to policy makers, stakeholders and the general public has to be relevant, transparent, up to date and easily understandable. Provision for access to environmental information for public participation in policy- making will be important to the success of the Programme. Smart growth: developing an economy based on knowledge and innovation; Sustainable growth: promoting a more resource efficient, greener and more competitive economy. Inclusive growth: fostering a high-employment economy delivering social and territorial cohesion.

4 Digital Agenda Assembly - ICT for the Single Market: e-Government driving innovation, 17 June, Brussels 4 Sustainable ? Where do we stand ? State of Environment Report 2010 (SOER, EEA) the EU appears to be locked into a number of status-quo and downward trends, which are moving away from, rather than toward, sustainability

5 Digital Agenda Assembly - ICT for the Single Market: e-Government driving innovation, 17 June, Brussels 5 Inclusive ? Open ? Transparent ? EuroBarometer 2009/11 SOER % of the citizens feel badly informed about environmental issues with the greatest lack of information related to the impacts of environmental change 63% of the citizens agree that policies aimed at protecting the environment are a motivation to innovate. only 3% of the citizens can be considered 'green pragmatists'.. Transforming green attitudes to green behaviour is therefore highlighted as one of the main challenges revealed by the survey. "a new information environment to address the widespread lack of accountability and transparency, and the loss of trust among citizens in governments, science and business"

6 Digital Agenda Assembly - ICT for the Single Market: e-Government driving innovation, 17 June, Brussels 6 eGovernment Action Plan eGovernment services –offer a cost-effective route to better service for every citizen and business and participatory open and transparent government –can reduce costs and save time for public administrations, citizens and businesses –They can also help mitigate the risks of climate change, natural and manmade hazards by including the sharing of environmental data and environment related information.

7 Digital Agenda Assembly - ICT for the Single Market: e-Government driving innovation, 17 June, Brussels 7 eGovernment includes eEnvironment The use and promotion of ICTs as an instrument for environmental protection and the sustainable use of natural resources; The initiation of actions and implementation of projects and programmes for sustainable production and consumption and the environmentally safe disposal and recycling of discarded hardware and components used in ICTs, The establishment of monitoring systems, using ICTs, to forecast and monitor the impact of natural and man-made disasters

8 Digital Agenda Assembly - ICT for the Single Market: e-Government driving innovation, 17 June, Brussels 8 Environmental phenomena do not stop at national borders! 20% of the EU citizens (110 million) live within 50 Kms from a border. 60 million EU citizens live less than half an hour (25 kms) from a border

9 Digital Agenda Assembly - ICT for the Single Market: e-Government driving innovation, 17 June, Brussels 9 Natural Hazards - Floods In the period floods comprised 43% of all disaster events in Europe –100 major floods –700 dead –Half a million displaced people –25 billion Euros uninsured economic loss Along the Rhine, 10 m people live in areas liable to extreme flooding, potential damage estimated at 165 bn. Euros 101,000 kms of coastline, population doubled in last 50 years. Assets within 500 mt of coast = bn euros.

10 Digital Agenda Assembly - ICT for the Single Market: e-Government driving innovation, 17 June, Brussels 10 Directive on the Assessment and Management of Floods A preliminary flood risk assessment –Including art.4 a-f (e) Likelihood of future floods and projected impact of climate change and land use trends Prepare flood risk maps by 2013 – with 6 yearly updates Flood risk management plans by 2015

11 Digital Agenda Assembly - ICT for the Single Market: e-Government driving innovation, 17 June, Brussels 11 Floods Information Services Source: GMES BICEPS Report

12 Digital Agenda Assembly - ICT for the Single Market: e-Government driving innovation, 17 June, Brussels 12 Floods – FLAPP findings FLAPP* 'Flood Awareness & Prevention Policy in border areas OBSTACLES TO COOPERATION BETWEEN AUTHORITIES IN FLOOD MANAGEMENT Different levels of experience and knowledge on both sides of the border may be an obstacle to successful cooperation. –Different levels of data availability between counterparts will also result in a lack of meteorological and hydrological data for the whole river system. –Another possible obstacle is the use of different, non-compatible models, monitoring techniques etc. –In many cases it is not clear for water managers where to get specific knowledge and information. –Valuable knowledge at private institutes may be (too) expensive for public water managers. Together, these problems can lead to the use of data of different quality on both sides of the border. * FLAPP: EU- co -funded network

13 Digital Agenda Assembly - ICT for the Single Market: e-Government driving innovation, 17 June, Brussels 13 Environment and Health 20 million Europeans suffer from respiratory problems every day 10% of European children suffer from asthma In the EU in 2000, about 350,000 were seriously affected due to air pollution caused by fine particulate matter. Current levels of ground-level ozone cause more than 20,000 premature deaths each year and dangerous levels of 'smog', linked with high summer temperatures and nitrous oxide emissions, are on the rise.

14 Digital Agenda Assembly - ICT for the Single Market: e-Government driving innovation, 17 June, Brussels 14 Environment & Health Assessment of Health Impacts Exposure Data Health Data Socio-economic data Geographical data Environmental data Air Pollution Cancer Cases Directive on Ambient Air Quality Atmospheric modelling and measurements of air pollution demonstrate beyond doubt that the pollution emitted in one Member State contributes to measured pollution in other Member States. This shows that individual Member States cannot solve the problems alone and concerted action at the EU scale is required.

15 Digital Agenda Assembly - ICT for the Single Market: e-Government driving innovation, 17 June, Brussels 15 Source: GMES BICEPS Report Air Quality Impact Information Services

16 Digital Agenda Assembly - ICT for the Single Market: e-Government driving innovation, 17 June, Brussels 16 Noise Information Services

17 Digital Agenda Assembly - ICT for the Single Market: e-Government driving innovation, 17 June, Brussels 17 European Environment and Health Action Plan European Environment and Health Action Plan EU Environment and Health Information System Information on environment and health is scattered: not easily accessible, often not comparable, and not of the right quality.. Environmental data sets are generally not gathered for exposure and health purposes (i.e., with incomplete geo- referencing and little or no cross referencing to human exposure) and so are of limited direct use for health assessment purposes. Grass roots problem: Geo-traceability …..

18 Digital Agenda Assembly - ICT for the Single Market: e-Government driving innovation, 17 June, Brussels 18 Marine Environment Information Services Source: GMES BICEPS Report Driving forces Pressures State Impact

19 Digital Agenda Assembly - ICT for the Single Market: e-Government driving innovation, 17 June, Brussels 19 Conclusion Feeds into discussion … Is there a need for eEnvironment cross border services ? What are the critical factors for their full scale deployment ? Potential to deliver Innovation - opportunities ?