EuropeAid

EU Biodiversity Action Plans

Mikolaj BekasiakEU Delegation Azerbaijan

Gabala, 5-7 July 2010

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EuropeAidOverview of EU Biodiversity

• 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.

EuropeAidThreats to Biodiversity

• Overexploitation • Unsustainable use of natural resources• Fragmentation of natural habitats, • Pollution, • Ocean acidification• The introduction and spread of invasive species • Climate change

• 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

EuropeAidThreats 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.

EuropeAidSuccessful Responses: NATURA 2000

• 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.

EuropeAid2010 Goal and the BAP

• 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/biodiversity/policy/index_en.htm

EuropeAid2006 BAP: Halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010 - and beyond

• Division of tasks for EC and EUMS to achieve goal;

• Very Comprehensive Approacho 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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EuropeAidMid-term 2008 BAP review

• “…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.

EuropeAidEvaluating 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;

EuropeAidTowards a 2020 biodiversity strategy

“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 GoalEU Council Conclusions, March 2010

EuropeAidDeveloping a 2020 Strategy

• 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;

EuropeAidThe 2020 strategy so far

• Headline Target, 5 strategic goals, 20 sub-targetso 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; 2014-2020 Financial Perspectives)

o Ability to mainstream biodiversity

EuropeAid6 Proposed sub-targets for discussion

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

EuropeAidConsulting 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

EuropeAidOther Measures

• 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;

EuropeAid

Thank you for your attention.

For more information: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/index_en.htm