Land use change

Human land use, and its influence on land cover, is a major factor in the distribution and functioning of ecosystems, and thus in the delivery of ecosystem services. Our demands for food, forest products and renewable energy all compete for land as a resource. The landscape to a large extent reflects the choices that we make in this regard.

For analysing the relationship between land use changes and their impacts on biodiversity, land cover and land use information is needed at different scales – global, European and national. Land-use and maritime use data are also a prerequisite for spatial planning at local and regional level.

Recent statistics from the EEA illustrate just how significant current land use trends in Europe change our environment. In the EU, around 1 500 ha of mainly agricultural land are lost every day to infrastructure and urbanisation. This is equivalent to losing the entire agricultural land area of the Netherlands every 3–4 years.

Better spatial planning could minimize the impacts of land use changes threatening biodiversity and ecosystems. Examples of responses to those threats are the implementation of Green Infrastructure via integrated spatial planning approaches or Integrated Environmental Management Plans in Urban areas. Impact analysis calls for the thorough application of 'Environmental Impact Assessments' for individual projects such as a dam, motorway, airport or factory, and of 'Strategic Environmental Assessment' for plans, programmes and policies. Towards our seas, the Integrated Coastal Zone Management and Maritime Spatial planning highlight the need for intelligent planning on land and water.

selected links

Land cover and land use information

BISE->Topics->Green Infrastructure

Integrated Environmental Management Plans in Urban areas

Environmental Assessment - EIA and SEA 

Integrated Coastal Zone Mangement - ICZM

Maritime spatial planning