Halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010 Managing Europe’s ecosystems and wild species

Original presentation of EEA can be seen at the EEA page

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Biodiversity monitoring and indicators

According to EEA the European targets on biodiversity to the year 2010 need more information and activities concentrated on:

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Protection and restoration of nature Change in farmland, grasslans and forests Eutrophication of water and soil Fragmentation and isolation of habitats and species and loss of wild genetic resources

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Pressures from economic activity, climate change and invasive species

Biodiversity monitoring and indicators

The Pan-European Biological and Landscape Strategy Reaching the target of significantly reducing the loss of biodiversity by 2010 is a widely accepted global goal, in Europe with an even stronger goal: to stop the loss by 2010. Biodiversity indicators are among the best tools to assess and inform about the progress towards the 2010. Hence large efforts are presently undertaken by many national and international organisations to develop and coordinate work on 2010 relevant biodiversity indicators. The Convention on Biological Diversity is now the overall global organisation in this development, working with several other organisations who have alreday been active in biodiversity or biodiversity related indicators for some time (EEA)

The EU Habitat directive is a very strong instrument for biodiversity protection

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15 older EU Member States: 17.5 % of the area should be protected sites (2003).

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They need active protection, management and reduction in the pressures on them

The number of threatened species differs between regions

Many words and promisses of politicians:

EU 6 th Environmental Action Programme „Environment 2010. Our future, our choice ”: « Halting biodiversity decline with the aim to reach this objective by 2010, including prevention and mitigation of impacts of invasive alien species and genotypes » Second meeting of the International Working Group on Biodiversity Monitoring and Indicators (IWG BioMIN) Copenhagen 25-26 July 2003 (

Dominique Richard

ETC/NPB)

Many words and promisses of politicians:

From: Pan-European level Kiev Conference, May 2003 „ We, the European Ministers of Environment and Heads of Delegations of the States participating in the process of the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity,.. reinforce our objective to halt the loss of biological diversity at all levels by the year 2010, and to work towards it through concerted actions and a joint commitment to achieve the following key targets ” Second meeting of the International Working Group on Biodiversity Monitoring and Indicators (IWG BioMIN) Copenhagen 25-26 July 2003 (

Dominique Richard

ETC/NPB)

From : Int. Conf., London 21 - 23 May 2003 Ex :

2010 - The Global Biodiversity Challenge

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Understanding of biodiversity

Agreement on the need to consider all three levels of biodiversity (species, ecosystems, genes) - At the same time, recognition of the difficulties to monitor at ecosystem and genetic level. In particular, need to develop indicators on ecosystem function, goods and services.

- Danger to consider biodiversity only through services provided. But need to broaden the scope and not only consider species richness, rarity etc…

CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (CBD )

Third Biodiversity in Europe

Conference Madrid, Spain; 19-21.01. 2004

Pan European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy (PEBLDS), plays a role as an instrument for regional implementation of the CBD in the pan European region, The

World Summit On Sustainable Development (

WSSD) recognised at the highest political level that biodiversity is essential for sustainable development. This political momentum should be maintained to achieve the 2010 target.

Since the WSSD also confirmed the CBD as the key instrument, it needs to be closely involved in the follow up.

Third Biodiversity in Europe Conference

Madrid, Spain;19-21.01. 2004

The Governments participating in the PEBLDS process chose five priority issues for the pan European region from the COP 7 agenda to highlight and discuss at the Madrid Conference: Follow up of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Protected Areas and Ecological Networks, Marine and Coastal Biological Diversity, Mountain Biological Diversity, Transfer of Technology and Technology Cooperation.

Recent activity: 4 th Biodiversity in Europe Conference 22-24 February 2006, Lake Plitvice National Park, Croatia

PROTECTED AREAS AND ECOLOGICAL NETWORKS

4 th Biodiversity in Europe Conference background:

The number of protected areas has been increasing significantly over the last decade. However, while the number and size of protected areas have been increasing, biological diversity loss continued unabated. The existing global system of protected areas is inadequate in several ways:  it is incomplete and does not cover all biomes and critical species  protected areas are often not fulfilling their biodiversity conservation objectives  participation of local communities in establishment and management of protected areas is inadequate  protected areas are often poorly funded

4 th Biodiversity in Europe Conference

Activities to be completed by 2006

1.1.1 Establish national protected area targets and indicators 1.1.2 Establish and expand protected areas in high priority areas including large, unfragmented, intact, irreplaceable or highly threatened areas 1.1.3 Address the under-representation of marine and inland water ecosystems in protected area systems 1.1.4 Review existing and potential forms of conservation, including all governance types 1.1.5 Conduct national and regional gap analyses 1.2.1 Identify lessons learned in integrating protected areas into broader landscape-scale strategies 3.1.1 Identify legislative and institutional gaps and barriers that impede effective establishment and management of protected areas and provide an effective policy framework 3.2.1 Conduct a national capacity-building needs assessment & establish capacity building programmes 3.4.1 Conduct a financial needs assessment 3.4.9 Review and disseminate studies on the value of protected area ecosystem services 4.2.1 Develop and adopt management effectiveness evaluation methods and standards

4 th Biodiversity in Europe Conference

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Implementation of the Programme of Work

Global Action

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Pan European action

Pan European Ecological Network Emerald Network and Natura 2000

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Implementation on EU-level Obstacles to implementation and challenges for the Pan European Region

Recent activity:

New European Community biodiversity portal launched

A new, enhanced version of the European Community's Biodiversity Portal - the Clearing House Mechanism (EC-CHM) was launched 14 Dec.2005 in Tallinn, Estonia. The Portal is a tool for exchanging biodiversity information and helping cooperation between European Community Institutions, Member States and the rest of the world. It was developed and is managed by the European Environment Agency in Copenhagen.

New European Community biodiversity portal

This version is multi-lingual and can build in national biodiversity portals anywhere in the world, free of charge. It boasts simple and cost effective maintenance and development, easy graphical interface, syndication and simple to use 'Portable Tool Kit' software. The Portal gives public access to biodiversity news and events, and contains informative sections and links, such as 'Who's Who', 'Cooperation' and 'Organisations and Networks'. Currently, the Portal provides information on the progress of the Streamlining European Biodiversity Indicators by 2010 Process. (EEA)

New European Community biodiversity portal http://biodiversity-chm.eea.eu.int/information/indicator/F1090245995 Towards a List of 'Worst invasive species threatening biodiversity in Europe‘:

the Expert group on 'Trends in invasive alien species' is developing a list of 'Worst invasive species threatening biodiversity in Europe'.

You are hereby invited to comment on the list, the balance of species and the criteria used.

SEBI2010 - Streamlining European 2010 Biodiversity Indicators