Biodiversity, climate change and you

EEA Signals 2010 tells six stories about people and the environmental issues they live with today.  These ‘eyewitnesses’ invite you on a journey to both familiar and distant places looking again at the foundations of life on earth — water, soil and air. Although their observations are personal and local, their plight is common and global.

These are not simply anecdotes. The wisdom of ordinary people, such as hunters, farmers, hill walkers and sports enthusiasts, offer an often untapped resource of information to complement our satellite images and research. These people also speak in plain language. They are easy to listen to.

“We rely on the richness of life on this planet for our food, shelter and such basic needs as clean air. We are a part of this diversity and cannot live without it. In Signals ordinary people observe how changes to their environment affect not only animal and plant life, but also their livelihood and lifestyle” said Prof. Jacqueline McGlade, Executive Director of EEA.

Biodiversity and Climate Change are central themes and the stories will be relevant throughout 2010 – United Nations International Year of Biodiversity – particularly on May 22, International Day for Biological Diversity.

In the stories you can follow the course of water from the summits of the Alps to the streets of Vienna and discover that climate change is affecting an ancient water cycle in the mountains with repercussions for tens of millions of Europeans. Listen to a guide, a man who has grown up in the mountains, as he describes how the very make-up of the rock is changing as temperatures increase and the frozen core crumbles.

Learn about the reindeer herders of the vast Arctic region facing winters that are no longer consistently cold. Travel to the Aegean Sea and listen to locals, such as Saim Erol — who has been fishing here for the past 20 years — describe the changes. What do you do when you pull a new fish out of the water? Where did it come from? When no one will buy it, does it have worth?

Signals 2010 was launched on Wednesday, 24 March 2010 by Spanish Minister of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs, Elena Espinosa and EEA Executive Director, Jacqueline McGlade.

Notes to the editor

Launch details: Madrid, Spain

Date: Wednesday, 24 March 2010

Venue: Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Medio Rural y Marino

Time: 12.00

What is Signals?

Signals, which is published in all 26 EEA languages, takes a story-based approach to help us better communicate with Europe’s diverse population.

Signals stories can be reused, free of charge, in print or on the web. Please acknowledge the EEA and direct readers for more information to: www.eea.europa.eu/signals/signals-2010

Contact information

For media enquiries contact:

Iben Stanhardt

Press officer

E-mail: iben.stanhardt@eea.europa.eu

Phone: +45 3336 7168

Mobile: +45 2336 1381