Transcript EuropeAid EU Biodiversity Action Plans Mikolaj Bekasiak EU Delegation Azerbaijan Gabala, 5-7 July 2010 Qui ckTime™ and a decompressor are needed to see this pi cture.

EuropeAid
EU Biodiversity Action Plans
Mikolaj Bekasiak
EU Delegation Azerbaijan
Gabala, 5-7 July 2010
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Overview of EU Biodiversity
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• 488 species of birds, 260 mammals, 151
reptiles, 85 amphibian species, 546 freshwater
fishes, 482 known species of butterfly;
• between 20 and 25,000 species of vascular
plants and more than 100,000 species of
invertebrates;
• The Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot alone is
home to over 22,000 endemic plants and many
endemic reptile species.
Threats to Biodiversity
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Overexploitation
Unsustainable use of natural resources
Fragmentation of natural habitats,
Pollution,
Ocean acidification
The introduction and spread of invasive species
Climate change
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Up to 25% of animal species - including mammals, amphibians,
reptiles, birds and butterflies face the risk of extinction
22% of marine mammals and 13% of birds are listed as
"threatened".
52% of the species and 62% of the habitats covered by the EU
Habitats Directive are considered to be in an unfavourable status
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Threats to EU biodiversity continued
• a continued expansion of artificial surfaces (e.g. urban
sprawl, infrastructures) and abandoned land at the
expense of agricultural land, grassland and wetlands
across Europe.
• EU countries currently consuming twice what our land
and seas can produce. Our ecological footprint
increased by 33% over the last 40 years. The impacts
are felt well beyond Europe's geographical borders,
affecting a wide range of species and habitats, from
coral reefs to rainforest.
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Successful Responses: NATURA 2000
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• Has halted the destruction and degradation of vital
habitats such as wetlands, which are now provided with
a higher level of protection across Europe than ever
before.
• Where there has been well planned delivery of actions,
as in the case for threatened bird species, this has been
effective in halting biodiversity loss.
• The EU's Natura 2000 network of Protected Areas has
expanded to cover 17% of the EU's land territory and is
still expanding both on land and at sea, making it the
largest network of protected areas in the World.
2010 Goal and the BAP
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• 2002: EU sets goal in line with CBD
“To reduce biodiversity loss by 2010”
• 2006: EU Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) is
introduced to achieve the 2010 goal
• Documents and background:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiver
sity/policy/index_en.htm
2006 BAP: Halting the loss of biodiversity
by 2010 - and beyond
• Division of tasks for EC and
EUMS to achieve goal;
• Very Comprehensive Approach
o 10 priority areas;
o
4 supporting measures,
o 154 actions in total
• Integration into sectoral
strategies;
• Not binding but stressed as
essential;
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Mid-term 2008 BAP review
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• “…the EU is highly unlikely to meet its 2010 target of
halting biodiversity decline. Intensive efforts will be
required over the next two years, both at the level of the
EC and by the Member States, if we are even to come
close to achieving this objective.”
• Targeted measures under EU nature legislation have
proved capable of reversing the declining trends of
threatened species and habitats, but much greater
efforts are needed to replicate these successes on a
larger scale.
Evaluating BAP 2006
• Too comprehensive: lack of prioritisation of
objectives;
• Absence of clear baseline to adequately judge
progress;
• Not aligned with EU financial and planning
cycles, so difficult to integrate into policies;
• Potential lack of ownership of EUMS due to
voluntary nature;
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Towards a 2020 biodiversity strategy
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“Halting the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of
ecosystem services in the EU… and restoring them in so far
as feasible, while stepping up the EU contribution to
averting global biodiversity loss”
Headline Goal
EU Council Conclusions, March 2010
Developing a 2020 Strategy
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• Focus on main drivers of biodiversity loss at EU and
global level
o over-exploitation;
o Pollution;
o land use change/fragmentation;
o invasive species;
o climate change;
• Devise a strategy to respond to these and deliver on the
2020 EU target;
• Ensuring compatibility with the global post-2010
framework to be developed under the CBD;
The 2020 strategy so far
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• Headline Target, 5 strategic goals, 20 sub-targets
o Prioritization and simplification
• Baseline on bio-diversity in EU conducted
o Basis for monitoring
• Benefits from existing EU nature legislation (NATURA 2000,
climate change policy, Water and Marine Framework
directive etc…)
o Reinforcement of ownership
• In sync with key policies (review of CAP and CFP; 20142020 Financial Perspectives)
o Ability to mainstream biodiversity
6 Proposed sub-targets for discussion
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1.
Integration and sustainable use of resources - for instance
through coverage of the agriculture/biodiversity interface
2.
Overexploitation - for instance through coverage of the
fisheries/biodiversity interface
3.
Fragmentation and "Green Infrastructure" - i.e. investments in
our natural capital aimed at stopping fragmentation and sustaining
crucial benefits we derive from ecosystems
4.
Invasive Species - a largely unaddressed threat to biodiversity at
EU level
5.
Nature Conservation - to achieve the "favourable conservation
status" objective under the Habitats Directive
6.
Contribution to global biodiversity - in recognition of the EU's
impact on global biodiversity, and the need to reduce it
Consulting the 2020 Strategy
• Stakeholder consultation on 3 June in Brussels
was held (Industry, Civil Society, EC and MS);
• 10 week Internet based consultation to be launched
shortly;
• More information at:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/consultations_en.htm
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Other Measures
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• TEEB recommendations;
• EU Business and Biodiversity Platform (B@B).
o aims to strengthen the links between business and
biodiversity protection;
o will work with interested businesses to promote an
awareness of biodiversity protection within the sector
(focus 2010: agriculture, food supply industry,
forestry, tourism, extractive industries and financial
sector);
o Pan-European scope;
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Thank you for your attention.
For more information:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/index_en.htm