1. Current use of spatial reference grids in European Environment Agency
Andrus Meiner, EEA

2. Direct and indirect spatial reference (position) Source: http://crs
Direct and indirect spatial reference (position) Source: (Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie)

3. Environmental issues and use of reference grids (1)
Air pollution, ozone and UV
emissions
deposition
concentrations
exposure
calculated critical loads, exceedances
Biodiversity assessment
species distribution (atlases)

4. Environmental issues and use of reference grids (2)
Climate change and hydrology
temperature change
average annual runoff
Land cover
land cover distribution
fragmentation
Soil
erosion risk

5. Current use of reference grids Number of maps in 3 latest EEA main assessment reports
EMEP grids: 50 km and 150 km, /17 maps
air pollution modelling, deposition
UTM 50 km, 5 maps
species distribution mapping (atlases)
Equal area 10 km grids, /10 maps
supports geographical comparisons based on area
land cover, river basin management
Lat / Long cells: 30’ x 30’, also others /8 maps
various uses: deposition of hazardous substances, erosion risk, mean temperature, seismicity
regular sampling grids (ICP Forest 16 km grid) /2 maps

6. EMEP grid Monitoring for CLRTAP Projection: Polar Stereographic
Resolution
Original 50 x 50 km (on project plane)
Derived 150 x 150 km and 1˚x 1˚
Cell area on earth vary 1750 – 2850 km2
Conversion to geographical (lat/long) coordinates supported

7. EMEP 50 x 50 km grid

8. EMEP 50 km grid: reprojected EEA version

9. Example of EMEP 50 km grid: ecosystems protected against acidification

10. Example of EMEP 150 km grid: HCB concentration in soil

11. UTM grid by CGRS/AFE Chorological Grid Reference System/Atlas Florae Europaeae
Widely used in species distribution mapping
Spatial reference system:
UTM (and UPS)
WGS84 datum
grid is based on Military Grid Reference System
Resolution
standard 50 x 50 km
irregular cell size on the UTM zone boundaries

12. UTM 50 x 50 km grid

13. New AFE Grid cell locations Source: http://www. fmnh. helsinki

14. Example of UTM 50 grid

15. Other grids 10 km equal area grid Lat/long grids
Lambert Azimuthal Equal Area projection and WGS84
Centerpoint 52˚N 20˚E
Used in land cover mapping and analysis
Lat/long grids
Different resolution (30’ x 30’ etc)
Variety of applications

16. Example of 10 km grid: CORINE Land Cover

17. Example of 10 km grid

18. Example of lat/long grid cells

19. Example of lat/long grid (water erosion vulnerability 1990, IMAGE 2 by RIVM)

20. Conclusions
EEA is not a grid developer, but is interested in European common grid
EEA priorities :
Compatibility through clear relation to ETRS89
use WGS84 datum
agreed projections LAEA, TMzn and LCC
Convertability to geographical lat/long coordinates
Efficiency for data storage and access, like quadtree hierarchical data structure