European marine environments and coastal areas are threatened by a variety of environmental problems.

Some of the most serious threats to marine environments are coastal pollution, eutrophication, overexploitation of resources, climate change and sea level rise.

Another major problem is the destruction of habitats and natural ecosystems.  As a result, species living in that habitat often are wiped out, and can even face extinction.

Europe has many seas of a variety of types.  The Caspian Sea, Black Sea, and the Sea of Azov are at great risk from human activities.  Common causes of sea degradation are rising populations, economic development, and high levels of pollution.

In most of Europe, large segments of the population live very close to marine environment.  This can increase the negative effect human activity has on these ecosystems.  The marine environments of Northwestern Europe have been least affected by human activities.

Pollutants that find their way into Europe's waters include synthetic organic compounds, microbial organisms, oil, nutrients, litter, heavy metals and radionuclides.  These dangerous substances come from both the land and the sea, affecting marine life of all forms.

Excessive fishing has caused fish to be removed from the sea at a rate faster than that at which they are replenished.  For example, in the North Sea, fishing has been reduced because fish populations were decreased due to fishing.