The report covers the state of the environment in allmost all of Europes nearly 50 States. Introduction to the scope and coverage of Europe's Environment - The Dobris Assessment. Environmental change occurs as a result of both natural and human processes. Environmental systems and human activities contribute to environmental changes through the transformation and transportation of large quantities of energy and materials. Natural systems transform the sun's energy into living matter and cause changes by cycling materials through geological, biological, oceanic and atmospheric processes.
Human activities transform materials and energy into products and services.
The results of the assessment presented in the various parts of this report are necessarily detailed and specific. On several aspects, current knowledge of environmental processes and observations of facts lead with confidence to certain conclusions. On others, where data are insufficient or uncertainties are significant, best estimates can be derived on the basis of best available information. The Dobris Assessment, the report on the state of the pan-European environment. The Dobris Assessment, covering both environmental topics as well as human activities linked to pressures on the environment.