Transcript Folie 1

EU Nature
Directives and the
establishment of
Natura 2000
network in Serbia
Dr. Andreas Ranner
Office: Amt der Burgenländischen
Landesregierung,
Europaplatz 1, A-7000 Eisenstadt
[email protected]
Nature conservation in the
European Union
Two directives of main importance:
• Birds Directive (1979)
• Habitats Directive (1992)
What is an „EU-Directive“?
Legal prescription that has to be transposed into
national law(s), not word for word but aims of
the Directive have to be met.
Conservation legislation, hunting legislation,
fishery legislation etc.
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
2
Birds Directive
(formerly Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979)
Governs conservation, human use and control of
wild birds within the EU
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
3
General scheme of protection
• Protection of all naturally occurring bird species
in the wild.
• This includes their eggs and nests.
• Prohibition of:
–
–
–
–
Deliberate killing or capture by any method
Destruction, damage to eggs, nests; taking of eggs
Deliberate disturbance with significant effects
Keeping of birds that must not be hunted or captured.
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
4
Some main provisions
• The protection of migratory birds is a
fundamental principle of the Birds Directive
• Preservation, maintenance and re-establishment
of a sufficient diversity and area of habitats for all
species
• Hunting of bird species only listed in Annex II
• Regulation of trade in wild birds (Annex III)
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
5
Site Protection
• Designation of the most
suitable territories in
number and size as Special
Protection Areas (SPAs)
for species / subspecies of
Annex I of the directive
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
6
Annex I
• Includes 192 taxa
– 174 species as a whole
– 18 distinct subspecies of other species
• Strong representation of: Ciconiiformes,
Falconiformes, Sternidae, Strigidae,
Piciformes
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
7
Annex I
• Includes also several widespread
or dispersed species - difficulties
in a site-based approach
• Grouse, forest owls,
woodpeckers et al.
• Several species regionally common resp. not
threatened eg. Pernis apivorus, Dryocopus
martius, Lanius collurio
• EU-wide instrument, limited comparability with
list of nationally threatened species
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
8
Migratory
species
Article 4 (2) requires designation of SPAs for
migratory bird species, that are not on Annex I
• Especially wetlands of international importance
• Waterbirds
• Other species occuring in concentrations
• Species for which site-based conservation makes
sense
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
9
Selection and protection of SPAs
• Directive offers little help for the
selection process
• No thresholds for „most suitable
territories in number and size“
• Some clarification by important
ECJ caselaw
• Targeted legal act
• Obligation to designate SPAs cannot be replaced
by other special protection measures or by „just“
national protection status!
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
10
SPA vs IBA
• Important Bird Areas – IBAs regarded
as valid reference basis by EC and ECJ
• IBA-criteria as valid approximation to
missing clear (numerical) SPA-criteria
• 3 categories of criteria
A – global
B – European
C – European Union
• C6 –up to 5 sites for Annex I species
per NUTS region
• Any SPA should meet at least
one C-criterion
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
11
Habitats Directive
Safeguard of biodiversity through the conservation
of natural habitat types, animal and plant
species
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
12
Main aims
• Restore or maintain a favourable conservation
status of habitats and species of community
interest (= from all annexes)
• Creation of a coherent network of protected sites
– Natura 2000
• Monitoring of conservation status
• Complete protection of certain threatened species
(Annex IV)
• Possibility of regulation of human use of some
species (Annex V)
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
13
Favourable conservation status
• Important concept introduced by Habitats Directive
• Not explicitly mentioned in the Birds Directive
• Target features have to be able to maintain
themselves viable on a long-term basis: Range,
numbers, structure & functions stable or increasing
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
14
Site protection – Natura 2000
• Creation of a coherent European ecological
network of Special Areas for Conservation (SACs)
• Habitat types of Annex I
• Species of Annex II
• Also includes SPAs designated
under the Birds Directive
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
15
Natura 2000
• Peculiarities and innovative elements:
– Selective conservtion: for certain target habitat types and
species
– Systematic approach to site selection
– Coherence of the whole network
– Formulation of conservation objectives and management
measures for each site
– Rules for the assessment of projects and plans
– Monitoring of results
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
16
Annex I
• declining, small-scale or otherwise outstanding
habitat types
• 231 habitat types from coastal habitats to forests
and high mountain habitats
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
17
Annex II
• threatened, rare or endemic species
• 304 animal species, strong representation of
bats, fish, beetles, butterflies
• 585 plant species including 30 species of moss
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
18
Selection of SACs
Basic requirements
• 9 biogeographic regions in the EU
• 3 in Serbia (pannonian, continental,
alpine)
• Reference lists of habitats and
species for the biogeographic
regions within each MS
• Reference manual for habitat types
• Good data on distribution (maps)
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
19
Selection principles
• Sites shall host a sufficiently large and
representative sample of each habitat type and
each species present in a biogeographic region
• There should be a proportionate response: higher
proportion of rare habitats or species shall be
included into sites than for more abundant ones.
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
20
Selection criteria
•
•
•
•
Geographic distribution must be covered
Ecolgoical/genetic Variation must be reflected
„Uniqueness“: the only significant occurrence
„High national value“: Most representative
samples shall be included
• „High diversity“: sites with a high number of
habitats/species
• Network coherence: sites with a relevant role
to ensure the coherence (migration rutes, relic
location, ecological corridor…)
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
21
Delimitation of sites
• Definition of site-boundaries only according to
scientific criteria
• No taking account of socio-economic
requirements or interests (not even of
„overriding“ public interest) when choosing and
defining site-boundaries
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
22
Designation of sites
• Submission of completed
Standard Data Form (SDB)
• Creation and submission of site map
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
23
SAC selection process
• MS produces a list of site proposals: pSCIs
• Biogeographic seminars: Selection of SCIs in a
joint consultation of MS, European Commission,
external experts (NGOs, ...)
– > 60 % representation: sufficient
– < 20 % representation: insufficient
– between 20 and 60 %: case by case
• MS provides protection within 6 years: SACs
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
24
Birds Directive
Annex 1
Hab.-Directive
Migr.
species
MS
Annex. I
Habitat types
Annex II
Process between EC and
MS
pSCIs / SCIs
SACs
SPAs
Species
Natura 2000
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
25
Size-reduction or deletion
of sites
• Only possible when those areas are not the most
suitable for the relevant species (anymore)
because
– They have been designated erroneously
– They have lost their importance due to non-anthropogenic
reasons (eg changes of range), including climate-change
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
26
What are the consequences for a site of
becoming a Natura 2000 area ?
(SPA, SAC or both)
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
27
Management
• Management plan or at least some kind of
appropriate conservation measures
• Appropriate statutory, administrative or
contractual measures
• Not obligatory for SPAs, but equally useful
• Protected area management
Example Austria: PA caretakers, local steering
groups (only in some areas)
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
28
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Necessity for good data
Definition of clear conservation objectives
Good overview on land-use, impacts, threats
Definition of necessary management measures
Financing
Monitoring
Involvement of relevant stakeholders
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
29
Non-deterioration
• No deterioration of natural habitats or habitat for
species (target habitats and species)
• No significant disturbance to (target) species
• = Conservation status of target features must not
deteriorate
• Target features have to be able to maintain
themselves on a long-term basis (range,
numbers, structure & functions)
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
30
Projects and Plans
• Appropriate assessment
• Procedure laid down in Art. 6(2)-(4) of the
Habitats Directive
• Also applicable to SPAs
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
31
• Impacts of plans or projects must not adversely
affect the integrity of the site
• Agreement to projects or plans only after
ascertion that they will have no adverse effects –
no prove of adverse effects necessary!
• If assessment of effects is negative, agreement
to plan or project only for imperative reasons of
overriding public interest (IROPI)
• Compensation measures necessary
• For priority targets opinion of the Commission
necessary (except public health or safetey)
• Assessment also for ongoing activities with
regular permits
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
32
Ongoing land-use: Agriculture
• „regular“ agriculture (current/traditional
practices) mostly not affected
• Opportunities through additional funding for
extensive use or set-asides
• Involvement of farmers important
• Mostly voluntary involvement/measures
• Intensification, change of methods can cause
problems (eg. afforestation for energy-wood)
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
33
Financing
Some main sources:
• LIFE+ as a main instrument for targeted
conservation activities
– Natura 2000 designation as prerequisite
• Agri-environment funds, rural development funds
– Depending on national implementation good possibilities
for financing of management measures
– Importance of shaping of national programs
– Agri-environment funds: concentration on Natura 2000
sites
– RDF also for forestry measures (eg nest protection)
• Necessary incentives for voluntary measures
• Structural funds
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
34
Opportunities
• Win-win scenarios through clever use of agrienvironment or other funds for Natura 2000
• Local involvement through local steering bodies
including relevant stakeholders
• Impetus for promoting regional/local products,
tourism (eco-tourism), publicity (branding)
• Natura 2000 is within the EU the main instrument
for the conservation of biodiversity (eg
obligations under Bern, Ramsar, Biodiv
Convention)
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
35
Non-designation of SPAs
• „factual SPA“: site that has not been designated,
although it fulfills the criteria (eg IBA)
• Art. 6 Habitats Directive is not applicable
• Instead: Art. 4 (4) – „avoid ... deterioration of
habitats or any disturbances... as these would be
significant“
• In theory stronger protection (no reference to
overriding public interests - IROPI)!
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
36
Situation in EU27
Network still
not complete
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
37
Sufficiency still not reached
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
38
Thank you for your attention
Workshop „Building Capacity“, Zrenjanin, 27-28 October 2010
Andreas Ranner: EU Nature Directives, Natura 2000
39