ISSN

102

6-61

51

Number 28 • June 2010

E u r o p E a N C o m m I S S I o N N a t u r E a N d B I o d I v E r S I t y N E w S l E t t E r

Stepping up action for biodiversity

Natura 2000 aNd developmeNt

New EC sector-specific guidance

europeaN red lists

New reports for range of species

eu biodiversity policy

New vision and target adopted

2 natura2000

Contents Editorial

Stepping up action for biodiversityas European Commissioner for the Environment, I am concerned about biodiversity. Few readers of this newsletter can be unaware of what is at stake. the ongoing rate of loss is simply unacceptable, implying as it does potentially catastrophic consequences for our economy and our society.

the reasons too will be familiar: habitat destruction and fragmentation, inappropriate use of land, unsustainable use of natural resources, poorly implemented legislation, the insufficient integration of biodiversity into sectoral policies, too little funding for nature conservation and a lack of communication and education.

as the first results of the tEEB studies into the economics of ecosystems and biodiversity have shown, any failure to act will deprive us of our natural heritage, and severely compromise our quality of life and our economy. the studies have estimated that the annual value of the global loss of ecosystem services is €50 billion from land-based ecosystems alone. the cumulated welfare losses could reach 7% of Gdp by 2050. these are very worrying figures.

But we are taking steps to turn this around. In march, Eu heads of state and government adopted a new 2050 vision and 2020 headline target for biodiversity. the vision and target commit the Eu to protecting, valuing and restoring biodiversity and its ecosystem services, in a strategy that focuses on key ecosystems, driving forces, pressures and responses. the challenge now is to agree new global targets and negotiate a new action plan for biodiversity at the international level.

over the next five years, it will be my task to ensure that these good intentions are transformed into tangible results. this newsletter presents some of the first initiatives under way at Commission level, beginning with improvements to the implementation of the Habitats and Birds directives and the Natura 2000 network, increasing awareness among Europeans of the need to conserve biodiversity and efforts to expand the knowledge base we depend upon.

Commissioner Janez Potočnik

Natura 2000 and sustainable development ........ 3–5Commission develops new sector-specific guidance on plans and projects affecting Natura 2000 sites

European Species Red Lists............... 6–7available for a range of European species

Natura 2000 barometer ............ 8–9latest update may 2010

EU Biodiversity Policy – post 2010 ....... 10–11 a new vision and headline target approved for Eu’s future Biodiversity policy

Attitudes towards biodiversity ....... 12–13 results of the latest Eurobarometer survey and launch of the European Commission’s new biodiversity campaign

NaturaNews ...... 14–16

Cover: Scarce swallowtail, Iphiclides podalirius. © peter Creed

© iSto

ck

European Commissioner Potočnik visits Natura 2000 sites in Slovenia

© rach

el tom

kins

© m

atthieu Berro

neau

, w

ww

.cistud

e.org

© d

oppS (Bird

life in Slovenia)

3Number 28 • June 2010

The Commission has developed

new sector-specific guidance

on how to deal with wind energy

developments and non-energy

extractive industries in

relation to Natura 2000 sites

Natura 2000 and sustainable development

Natura 2000

General procedure for assessing plans and projectsarticle 6 is one of the most important articles in the Habitats directive as it determines the relationship between conservation, development and land-use. paragraphs (3) and (4) of this article set out a series of procedural and substantive safeguards that must be applied to plans and projects that are likely to adversely affect a Natura 2000 site.

this is designed to:• fully assess the impacts of

plans or projects that are likely to have a significant negative effect on a Natura 2000 site by means of an appropriate assessment;

• ascertain, through the appropriate assessment, whether the impacts will adversely affect the integrity of the site and, if this is the case, whether the plan or project can be approved if certain mitigation measures or

planning conditions have been introduced that remove or minimise the adverse effects on the site to a non-significant level; and

• provide a mechanism for approving, in exceptional circumstances, plans or projects that nevertheless have an adverse effect on a Natura 2000 site even after the introduction of mitigation measures when these plans or projects are of overriding public interest and where no suitable alternatives exist.

unlike Environmental Impact assessments (EIas) or Strategic Environmental Impacts (SEas) which are intended to inform the decision making process, the outcome of the appropriate assessment is legally binding for the competent authority and conditions its final decision. In other words, if the appropriate assessment cannot conclude that the plan or project will not adversely affect the integrity of a

Natura 2000 site, then it cannot be approved unless the derogation procedure under article 6.4 is invoked. to assist in the understanding and correct application of this article 6 procedure, the Commission has, over the years, produced several general interpretative and methodological guidance documents. Judging by the number of downloads from the dG ENv Nature website (almost 30,000 during a 10-month period in 2009), they remain an important reference source for many.

Sector-specific guidance However, various industry sectors have since also expressed a need for more detailed advice on how to apply article 6 to their own field of activity. In response to this, the Commission has decided to develop a series of sector-specific guidance documents in a range of policy areas currently including wind

©w

arick Sloss/natu

repl.co

m

Wind farm, Yorkshire, UK; and gravel extraction pit, Southern Germany

Conservation © iSto

ck

© iSto

ck

4 natura2000

Wind farm developments and Natura 2000

European wind energy has grown rapidly over the last decade and Europe is now considered the world leader in this sector. In 2008, it provided around 4% of the EU’s total electricity supply. This share is expected to more than triple by 2020 in response to the Commission’s ‘Climate Change and Energy Package’, which will mean a significant step change in wind energy development over the coming years.

Wind energy brings many benefits to society, not least in reducing greenhouse gasses. Wind energy does not generally represent a threat to wildlife. But, like all developments that affect the way we use our land (or sea), wind farms in sensitive nature areas can impact negatively on wildlife. Studies indicate that birds, bats, marine mammals and some

level of information for the Appropriate Assessment and what kinds of possible mitigation measures to consider.

Despite the range of concerns, evidence from a number of countries illustrates that most threats can be minimised by avoiding sites with sensitive habitats or important populations of rare or threatened species protected under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives.

As wind is in abundant supply throughout the EU, the new guidance document also places strong emphasis on the need for strategic level spatial planning. It recommends in particular that wildlife sensitivity maps are drawn up to identify areas within a region or municipality where wind farm developments might be considered a low, medium or high risk for wildlife and nature both within and outside Natura 2000.

energy, non-energy extractive industries and ports and estuaries, which may be expanded in the future. these guidance documents aim to establish a better understanding of how to apply the article 6 procedure to development plans and projects in certain sectors and to provide further advice on how to carry out an appropriate assessment in particular. ultimately, this should give the economic operators and authorities concerned the clarity they require as regards the legislative environment in which they need to operate at Eu policy level and ensure that the drive for further development, as promoted under relevant Eu policies, is fully reconciled with the obligation to safeguard rare and threatened species and habitat types protected under the two Eu nature directives. the resulting guidance is not intended to be prescriptive, but rather offers useful advice, ideas and suggestions based on practical experiences from across the Eu on undertaking development plans and projects in that sector. as such, it is hoped

the documents will become a valuable tool for competent authorities and developers, as well as consultants, site managers and other practitioners who are involved in the planning, design, implementation and approval of plans or projects in these sectors. there are clear benefits to industry from early and good application of article 6, which include avoiding unnecessary and sometimes costly delays in the consent process.

Stakeholder collaborationto assist with the preparation of each of the guidance documents, the Commission set up an ad hoc working group to bring together industry representatives, scientific experts, national authorities, NGos and relevant Commission services. this has allowed all parties to discuss and analyse together any specific areas of concern as regards the implementation of the Habitats and Birds directives. It also provided an opportunity to increase the understanding of each other’s points of view and to promote

an exchange of information on existing experiences, good practices and lessons learnt from earlier plans and projects involving rare and threatened species and Natura 2000 sites. this process of dialogue and exchange of views has been an invaluable part of the guidance development process as it ensures that final documents have full regard to the needs of the industry concerned and are ‘fit for purpose’; it also sets the ground for maintaining a constructive dialogue with the sectors in the future.

Progress to dateafter extensive discussion within the respective working groups and with other Commission departments, the guidance documents on ‘wind energy development and Natura 2000’ and ‘non-energy extractive industries and Natura 2000’ are now finalised and have been communicated to the member States in view of their publication by the Commission. the guidance document on ports and estuaries is well advanced and should be ready by the end of the year.

meanwhile, work has begun on developing two further guidance documents, this time on aquaculture and on inland waterway transportation with a view to having these published during the course of 2011. In addition to analysing the interactions between these sectoral activities and nature conservation, the documents will also look at the interface between the two nature directives and the water Framework directive in order to draw out some practical guidance and advice on these aspects as well.

Key messages already it is clear that, despite the specificities of each sector, certain issues come back time and again. Below are some of the general recommendations to come out of the ad hoc working groups: • Strategic planning makes life

easier for everyone: planning developments in a strategic manner over a broad geographical area is one of the most effective means of identifying potential conflicts and minimising the impacts

habitats such as peatlands are particularly vulnerable.

The effects depend very much on the species and habitat types present as well as on the size, location and design of the wind farm

development. The Commission’s new guidance document examines these aspects in detail and offers advice on how to handle plans and projects that may affect Natura 2000 sites, including how to gather the right

© iSto

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5Number 28 • June 2010

further clarification on how to analyse the potential effects of a NEEI plan or project on a Natura 2000 site and how to go about determining whether this will affect the site’s integrity.

Again, the importance of studying each plan or project on a case by case basis is emphasised as the type and extent of the impacts depends very much on the design and location of the project. As for wind farms, NEEI projects are not automatically excluded from Natura 2000 sites but their compatibility needs to be carefully assessed. Furthermore, the guidance recognises that some extraction projects can also ultimately be beneficial to biodiversity, especially if they are undertaken in an already impoverished environment (for instance through careful site rehabilitation at the end of the project cycle).

on nature and wildlife early on in the planning process. It not only leads to a more integrated, transparent and stable development framework for industry but also reduces the risk of difficulties and delays later on at the level of individual projects.

• The Appropriate Assessments must be based on sound information and a step-wise process: Ensuring there is a sufficiently robust information base is of paramount importance. Experience has shown, time and again, that many of the delays or problems encountered during the permit approval process are caused by the fact that the information gathered for the appropriate assessment is incomplete and that the necessary steps have not been followed. as a result, the authorities are unable to confirm that there will be no adverse effects on the integrity of the site and the whole process has to be put on hold whilst the missing information is gathered.

• Early dialogue and consultation is important: good research and consultation right from the start before work has begun on the development proposal helps developers avoid unnecessary time and expense later on. Consulting with relevant authorities and other stakeholders early on not only helps build up as complete a picture as possible of the Natura sites that might be affected and the potential impacts of the plan or project on these but also leads to a smoother, and often faster, decision-making process.

these three issues have been identified as being key to ensuring a good reconciliation between new developments and the need to safeguard Natura 2000 sites and so are given particular attention in the sectoral guidance documents. All finalised Commission guidance documents relating to Article 6 are available from http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/management/guidance_en.htm

Steps to be undertaken as part of the Appropriate Assessment.

The non-energy mineral extractive industry and Natura 2000

The non-energy extractive industry (NEEI), which is divided into three main sub-sectors – construction minerals, industrial minerals and metallic minerals – provides many of the basic raw materials for Europe’s industries. In November 2008, the European Commission adopted a Raw Materials Initiative which sets out targeted measures to secure and improve access to raw materials both within the EU and globally. It identified a range of factors which could potentially influence the competitiveness of industry.

One of these factors relates to the difficulties it sometimes faces in having access to land. Mineral resources are unevenly spread across the territory. Consequently, extraction can only take place where there are commercially viable deposits present. This has led

to situations where individual plans and projects have come into conflict with competing land uses or broader societal interests, including Natura 2000 sites.

The Commission’s new guidance document investigates the kind of

impacts a NEEI plan and project might have on various kinds of wildlife and nature and examines how these can best be avoided or minimised, for instance through more strategic mineral plans and adequate mitigation measures. It also provides

© iSto

ckph

oto

Identify the conservationobjectives of

the site

Identify the habitats and species to be considered

in the assessment:Analyse species sensitivity to

project actions & habitats presentin the project areas

Determine the e�ects on the

integrity of the site

Design preventive and mitigation

measures

Information about other

plans and projects

Consultation: competent authorities

& stakeholders

Existing information, inventories,

surveys

Design monitoring

Assess the e�ects on natural habitats & species,

ecological structure & functions

De�ne the study area

• Natura 2000 site• Project actions areas

6 natura2000

the IuCN Species red lists are known throughout the world. But, until recently, no single over-arching regional assessment had ever been made at a pan-European or Eu level. In light of this, the European Commission contracted IuCN to carry out just such an assessment for Europe as a whole (ca 40 countries) and for the Eu of 27 countries in particular. the resulting European red list is a review of the conservation status of around 6,000 European species in selected categories ranging from mammals to molluscs. underway since 2005, this mammoth task involves hundreds of experts from 40 countries, all of whom are contributing their time and collective knowledge to ensuring the reliability of the assessments. For every species native to Europe, or naturalised before 1500ad, available data was

collected on its geographic range, population, habitat preferences, major threats, conservation measures, species utilisation etc... depending on the results, they were then placed in one of nine possible categories ranging from Extinct to least Concern. Species classified as vulnerable, Endangered and Critically Endangered are considered to be ‘threatened’.

Results so farthe results so far confirm that the Eu will not meet its target of halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010. around 14–23% of all European mammals, amphibians, reptiles, dragonflies and saproxylic beetles are threatened within the Eu. the assessment also shows that over half of Europe’s amphibians, and a third of all reptiles and butterflies have declining populations.

European Species Red Lists

Threatened in EU

Declining in population in Europe

* terrestrial mammals 15% 27%

* marine mammals 23% 27%

amphibians 22% 59%

reptiles 21% 42%

Butterflies 7% 31%

dragonflies 16% 24%

Saproxylic beetles 14% 14%

* based on assessment of Eu-25

Around 14–23% of all European

mammals, amphibians, reptiles and

dragonflies are threatened

within the EU

lIFE02 Na

t/E/008614

conservation

Aurelio’s Rock Lizard, Iberolacerta aurelioi (Endangered)

Species

© m

atthieu Berro

neau

, ww

w.cistu

de.o

rg

7Number 28 • June 2010

the results are all the more worrying when one considers that many of the threatened species are endemic to Europe and found nowhere else in the world. there are however some glimmers of hope too. over half of the dragonflies, for instance, are thought to have stable populations. large-scale land conversion, canalisation of rivers and water pollution were the main causes of their decline in western Europe in the 1960s–80s, when several species became extinct over large areas. Since then, improved water management and decreasing eutrophication has had a positive impact on dragonfly populations, and many of the species dependent on running water have made a surprisingly fast recovery. But this trend is not universal; in the

mediterranean dragonfly species are still rapidly declining. a handful of species have also increased in population, such as the majorcan midwife toad Alytes muletensis. this is often thanks to intensive conservation efforts (see box).

Red Lists and the Habitats Directive the threatened status developed under the European red list provides an important snapshot of the situation based on information available at the time. as such, it serves as a useful complement to the assessments carried out under the Habitats directive as regards species’ Favourable Conservation Status. But it should be borne in mind that the two measure different aspects: the red list classifies species solely on the

Red List Threat Categories:

Extinct (EX)

Extinct in the wild (Ew)

regionally extinct (rE)

Near threatened (Nt)

least Concern (lC)

data deficient (dd)

Exti

nct

ion

ris

k

Threatened Categories

Critically Endangered (CE)

Endangered (EN)

Vulnerable (VU)

The Majorcan midwife toad is a priority species under the Habitats Directive which, as its name suggests, lives exclusively on the island of Majorca. In the mid 1990s the Balearic Regional government drew up a recovery programme for the species. Its overall objective was to increase the existing population ten-fold so that its survival could be ensured.

In order to implement the plan the government successfully applied for a LIFE-Nature project to carry out conservation actions around ten watercourses in the Sierra de la Tramuntana. Ever since, the population has been steadily increasing, but as it still has such a restricted habitat range it is considered to have an inadequate conservation status under the terms of the Habitats Directive.

basis of their relative extinction risk, whereas the favourable conservation assessments have to be able to demonstrate that the population is actually maintaining itself, its range is stable and the species continues to be a viable component of its habitat. Species not listed as threatened under the red list Criteria do not necessarily have a Favourable Conservation Status. moreover, in many western European countries loss rates have slowed as species have been reduced to very low levels. In such cases, the species may not qualify as threatened under the red list even though its population continues to decline. to be classed as vulnerable the populations’ size has to have decreased by at least 30% over ten years or three generations.

An important resource for policy makersthe red lists and the accompanying species

factsheets provide an invaluable resource for conservationists, policymakers and environmental planners throughout the region. they also set a European baseline against which we can measure change in years to come and upon which we can build informed conservation policies and actions. By making the data widelyavailable, it should also encourage further research and a better, more systematic monitoring of the species in the future. Six European red list reports are now available for mammals, reptiles, amphibians, dragonflies, butterflies and saproxylic beetles. a further three reports will be published next year on freshwater fish, molluscs and vascular plants.

For more information go to:http://ec.europa.eu/

environment/nature/conservation/species/redlist/

index_en.htmPoplar Admiral, limentis populi, (near threatened in the EU)

© rich

ard Griffi

ths

Aurelio’s Rock Lizard, Iberolacerta aurelioi (Endangered)

© Josef H

lasek

8 natura2000

notably insufficient

incomplete

largely complete

recent significant progress�

MEMBER STATES

Nota Bene:

• the Natura Barometer is managed by dG ENv with the technical assistance of the European Environment agency and is based on information officially transmitted by member States.

• Numerous sites have been designated according to both nature directives, either in their entirety or partially. due to this potential overlap between sites from both directives, it is not possible to combine the numbers for SCIs and Spas to get an overall figure for Natura 2000.

• the surface area percentage relates only to the terrestrial area that has been designated, which is the overall Spa (Birds directive), proposed SCI, SCI or SaC (Habitats directive) area, not including the marine area. Some member States have designated substantial portions of their marine waters. these are included in the number of sites and areas proposed but not in the percentage surface area. work is now underway on assessing the sufficiency of national proposals for marine habitats and species for the successful application of Natura 2000 under both directives, including for offshore marine environment.

• Several member States have proposed large areas including “buffer zones”, while others have proposed only the core areas. In both cases, article 6 of the Habitats directive applies to new activities, which are foreseen outside a Natura 2000 site but likely to affect it.

• the 12 new member States that acceded to the Eu on 1 may 2004 and 1 January 2007, had a duty to classify Spas and propose SCIs by the date of their accession. all countries have submitted their lists and evaluations are ongoing.

• the global assessment of national lists may be revised upwards or downwards, following more complete scientific analysis of the data, particularly at the relevant biogeographical seminars.

barometer

BELGIË/BELGIQUE

BULGARIA

CESKÁ REPUBLIKA

DANMARK

DEUTSCHLAND

EESTI

ÉIRE/IRELAND

ELLÁDA

ESPAÑA

FRANCE

ITALIA

KÝPROS**

LATVIJA

LIETUVA

LUXEMBOURG

MAGYARORSZÁG

MALTA***

NEDERLAND

ÖSTERREICH

POLSKA

PORTUGAL

ROMÂNIA****

SLOVENIJA

SLOVENSKO

SUOMI

SVERIGE

UNITED KINGDOM

EU

Number of sites

280

228

1,082

261

4,622

531

424

241

1,448

1,367

2,288

40

324

382

48

467

28

146

168

823

96

273

259

382

1,715

3,983

623

22,529

Update May 2010

Number of sites

234

114

39

113

738

66

132

202

599

382

597

29

95

88

13

55

13

77

96

141

59

109

27

38

468

531

260

5,315

Total area sites (km2)

3,282

23,217

9,684

14,718

59,784

12,592

3,013

29,534

105,032

78,476

43,777

1,593

6,999

6,449

145

13,512

16

10,125

9,869

55,228

10,438

-

4,656

12,236

30,838

29,873

18,401

593,486

Terrestrial area (%)*

9.7

20.4

12.3

5.9

12.2

13.5

3.0

20.9

20.6

7.9

13.6

25.9

10.0

9.6

5.6

14.5

5.1

12.6

11.8

15.6

10.7

-

23.0

25.1

7.5

6.2

6.2

11.4

Number of marine sites

4

14

-

59

15

27

71

120

33

73

45

3

4

1

-

-

0

6

-

4

10

1

1

-

66

108

35

700

Marine area (km2)

315

539

-

12,180

16,055

6,502

933

1,947

1,034

34,914

2,724

109

520

171

-

-

0

4,895

-

6,490

622

-

3

-

5,567

4,018

3,125

102,663

Progress

8 natura2000

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SITES OF COMMUNITY IMPORTANCE (SCIs) Habitats Directive

SPECIAL PROTECTION AREAS (SPAs) Birds Directive

��

��

��

9Number 28 • June 2010

MEMBER STATES

The Natura 2000 Barometer:commentary on progress

the existing barometer monitors progress in the implementation of both the Habitats and the Birds directives in all 27 countries up to may 2010.

Since the last newsletter was issued in december 2009, progress has been made in a number of countries. Greece and Cyprus have significantly increased the number of Spas in their territory. In addition, Cyprus has added several new SCIs. the uK has considerably increased the marine area of their Spas, which has tripled in size, while France has also extended its marine area for Spas and SCIs.

other countries to have added sites to the Natura 2000 Network are lithuania (both Spas and SCIs) and Ireland (Spas).

the next marine biogeographical seminar will take place on 15–17 June 2010 in Brindisi, Italy, and will consider the Black Sea, mediterranean and macaronesian sea regions.

with regard to evaluating the completeness of national Spa networks, there is no biogeographical screening process, but the Commission makes use of different scientific references, including national inventories, where they exist, and the Important Bird areas (IBas) publications of Birdlife International.

�

notably insufficient

incomplete

largely complete

recent significant progress

* % of SCI or SPA terrestrial area compared to MS terrestrial area

** The area and % of territory corresponds to the area of Cyprus where the Community acquis applies at present, according to protocol 10 of the Accession Treaty of Cyprus

*** Several marine sites, but no information on marine areas provided in the database

**** No surface areas provided in the Romanian database

natura2000barometer

Total area sites (km2)

3,269

33,430

7,854

19,319

54,342

11,321

13,560

28,076

131,434

73,556

45,309

883

7,856

9,254

399

13,973

50

14,342

8,978

38,003

16,788

32,833

6,360

5,739

48,552

64,467

29,066

719,015

Terrestrial area (%)*

10.1

29.6

10.0

7.4

9.7

16.7

10.7

16.3

24.5

8.5

14.3

13.1

11.3

13.9

15.4

15.0

13.3

8.4

10.7

11.0

17.4

13.2

31.4

11.7

12.7

13.7

6.8

13.7

Number of marine sites

2

14

-

125

53

46

96

134

97

133

162

6

6

2

-

-

1

14

-

6

25

6

3

-

98

334

49

1,412

Marine area (km2)

198

592

-

16,145

19,768

3,752

6,009

6,604

7,926

26,838

2,254

129

562

171

-

-

8

10,857

-

3,600

775

1,353

-

-

5,460

7,512

12,409

132,923

Progress

Number of sites

280

228

1,082

261

4,622

531

424

241

1,448

1,367

2,288

40

324

382

48

467

28

146

168

823

96

273

259

382

1,715

3,983

623

22,529

BELGIUM

BULGARIA

CZECH REPUBLIC

DENMARK

GERMANY

ESTONIA

ÉIRE/IRELAND

GREECE

SPAIN

FRANCE

ITALY

CYPRUS**

LATVIA

LITHUANIA

LUXEMBOURG

HUNGARY

MALTA***

THE NETHERLANDS

AUSTRIA

POLAND

PORTUGAL

ROMANIA

SLOVENIA

SLOVAKIA

FINLAND

SWEDEN

UNITED KINGDOM

EU

9Number 28 • June 2010

© Kerstin Su

nd

seth

SITES OF COMMUNITY IMPORTANCE (SCIs) Habitats Directive

��

10 natura2000

EU adopts new headline target to

2020, and long-term vision to

2050 for its Biodiversity

Policy

EU Biodiversity Policy – post 2010

Cred

it

Further progress has been made on developing a new Eu policy and strategy for halting biodiversity loss in Europe. New targets are needed as the current Eu and global bio-diversity goals expire after 2010.

Taking stock and evaluating the options to launch the discussion, the Commission issued a Communication in January laying down ‘options for an EU vision and target for biodiversity beyond 20101.’ the document takes stock of the current successes and shortcomings of the existing Eu policy and offers a new long-term vision to 2050 as well as four possible mid-term (2020) targets to reach this vision, each with increasing levels of ambition. It also outlines the work needed to be able to set and realise these ambitious Eu goals.

two issues are highlighted in particular. the first is the acknowledgment that, despite the progress made so far, there is an urgent need to step up efforts at Eu level. European biodiversity is still in serious decline and there is now also mounting evidence that entire ecosystems are at the point of collapse. this has implications well beyond the loss of wildlife and nature as it could also seriously affect the welfare of millions of people. linked to this is the realisation that society can no longer afford to undervalue, or take for granted, the tremendous economic and

social benefits that healthy, biodiverse ecosystems offer. the recent tEEB analysis (see previous issue) estimated that the annual loss of ecosystem services is equivalent to €50 billion a year. yet the benefits they provide come at a fraction of the cost of equivalent man-made solutions. Current Eu policies do not sufficiently recognise the value of such ecosystem services. mainstreaming biodiversity and ecosystem services into other policy areas and sectors should therefore be central to the Eu’s future biodiversity policy as it is not possible to

The EU’s long-term vision for biodiversity

By 2050, biodiversity and the ecosystem services it provides – its natural capital – are protected, valued and appropriately restored for biodiversity’s intrinsic value and for their essential contribution to human well-being and economic prosperity, and so that catastrophic changes caused by the loss of biodiversity are avoided.

1. Com(2010) 4 final

Healthy ecosystems and the services they provide will figure prominently in the new biodiversity strategy

Biodiversity: post-2010

policy

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11Number 28 • June 2010

The EU’s first Biodiversity Baseline

The Commission’s Communication in January stressed the importance of having a solid scientific knowledge-base upon which to build the new EU biodiversity strategy and measure progress. Responding to this need, the European Environment Agency and its European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity have produced a first biodiversity baseline for the EU in close collaboration with the European Commission.

The data used is related to species, habitats and ecosystems, which is readily available and quality checked. This comes from the SEBI 2010 indicators, the 2006 CORINE Land Cover, the Article 17 reports on the conservation status of species and habitat types protected under the Habitats Directive, and the 2008 Mid-Term Assessment of implementing the EU Biodiversity Action Plan, amongst others.

The key messages from the baseline are communicated in the form of a scoreboard supported by an executive summary. They are backed by a comprehensive set of facts and figures, which will be made available in October. The scoreboard itself provides the main signals on the current state and trends of the different biodiversity and ecosystem components (common and threatened species, major categories of ecosystems, changes in land use, main threats, impacts on and benefits from ecosystems ...). This will be the reference point against which change can be measured in order to ascertain whether biodiversity is improving or getting worse in the EU.

The baseline will be further supported by a new Biodiversity Information System for Europe (BISE) which has been set up by the European Environment Agency, together with the European Commission. Its overall objective is to build a single point of access to consistent, up-to-date and peer-reviewed information, data and knowledge on biodiversity in Europe.

Further information on: http://www.biodiversity.europa.eu/

sustain such activities through biodiversity conservation measures alone.

Focal areas for the future the Commission’s Communication identifies a number of specific areas where further action is needed: • delays in the implementation

of the Natura 2000 network should be addressed as a matter of priority.

• action should be taken to fill major policy gaps at Eu level, for instance in relation to protecting soil biodiversity or controlling invasive alien species.

• Biodiversity and the valuable ecosystem services it provides should be better integrated into other Eu policies.

• adequate funding for biodiversity conservation should be made available.

• there should be a solid scientific baseline on the state of biodiversity and ecosystem services in Europe against which progress towards reaching the headline target can be monitored (see box).

A political mandate securedthe options presented in the Commission’s Communication were discussed by the 27 European Environment ministers at a meeting on 15 march. this resulted in agreement on the following headline target, which closely resembles the Commission’s most ambitious option: ‘To halt the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services in the EU by 2020, restore them in so far as feasible, while stepping up the

EU contribution to averting global biodiversity loss.’ the new vision and headline target were subsequently endorsed by European Heads of State and Government at the European Summit meeting on 26 march 2010.

Next steps Now that political agreement has been reached on the overall target to be achieved, the process of putting a new Eu biodiversity strategy in place can begin in earnest. Considering the complexity of the issues at stake, the strategy will need to set clear, ambitious yet realistic and achievable sub-targets. It must also be embraced by all stakeholder groups whose activities are interlinked with biodiversity. that is why stakeholder consultation

figures prominently in the development of the strategy. the Green week in early June (see News roundup) provided a first opportunity to comment and share views on the Commission proposals. this is being followed up by an eight-week consultation exercise on the European Commission website. the Eu strategy will then be finalised by the end of the year, taking into account the outcome of the 10th Conference of parties of the Convention on Biological diversity in Nagoya, Japan in october, which is due to adopt a global strategic plan for the Convention for the period 2011–2020.

For more information go to:http://ec.europa.eu/environment/

nature/biodiversity/policy/index_en.htm

Biodiversity needs to be better integrated into other policies

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what do Europeans think about biodiversity? that was the theme of a new Eurobarometer Survey entitled ‘Attitudes towards biodiversity’ published in march 2010. the report summarises the results of interviews conducted on over 27,000 randomly selected people from 27 Eu member States. It repeats the questions asked in an earlier survey in 2007 so that comparisons can be made regarding changes in people’s attitudes between then and now. It also adds new questions on emerging policy issues. altogether 12 questions were asked in order to clarify how familiar people are with the term ‘biodiversity’ and with the concept of biodiversity loss. the following issues were examined in particular: • the level to which Eu citizens

feel informed about biodiversity issues;

• opinions about the major causes of biodiversity loss;

• perceived seriousness of biodiversity loss at domestic, European and global levels;

• expected impacts of biodiversity loss;

• opinions on why it is important to stop biodiversity loss;

• personal efforts being taken to preserve biodiversity;

• awareness of the Natura 2000 Network; and

• perceptions about the most important roles of nature protection areas.

A third of Europeans have never heard of the term ‘biodiversity’ according to the Eurobarometer Survey, two-thirds of Eu citizens were familiar with the term, but only 38% actually knew what it meant (up 3% from 2007). the other 28% had heard of it but could not explain what it

signified. as in 2007, awareness levels were highest in Germany and austria (87–88%). at the other end of the spectrum, 73% of Cypriots, 70% of danes and 65% of Slovaks interviewed stated that they had never heard the term ‘biodiversity’. around six in ten Eu citizens also considered themselves not well informed about biodiversity loss.

People still think biodiversity is about species protection when asked what biodiversity loss means, most people still believe it to be primarily a species-focused concept. Sixty-two percent thought it would mean that certain animals or plants will disappear or become endangered whilst a further 18% thought it would result in a decline of natural habitats. almost all those interviewed also considered that the conservation of biodiversity

European attitudes towards biodiversity

Over eight in ten Europeans

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Conservation volunteers at a local nature reserve in the UK

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European Commission’s biodiversity campaign

To help raise the profile of biodiversity within Europe, the European Commission launched a major awareness-raising campaign at the beginning of the year to coincide with the International Year of Biodiversity. The main aim of the campaign is to familiarise Europeans with the problems caused by biodiversity loss and the impacts this can have on their daily lives. It also illustrates what individuals can do to help to stop this decline.

The campaign is built around the slogan ‘Biodiversity – we are all in this together’. It is accompanied by a logo of a human being which, upon closer examination, turns out to be made up of hundreds of icons of different species. The objective is to emphasise that our lives are closely connected with that of other animals and plants and that we are all part of the same system.

The campaign is made up of several elements. It has a dedicated website, available in 23 languages, and an innovative facebook application where the public can express their support by ‘biodiversifying themselves’ or becoming friends of certain wild animals. Once on the fan page of their favourite species, participants can chat with like-minded people, create e-cards and receive or pass on tips and tricks for saving biodiversity.

Major publicity events have also been held in six European capitals to launch the campaign. At these occasions, outlines of dead animals were painted on

the streets to draw people’s attention to biodiversity loss and to re-emphasise the fact that we are all interconnected. The second phase of the campaign which began in May takes a more positive note and is intended to make citizens more aware of the role they can play in slowing and preventing the loss of biodiversity. The campaign will run until the end of the year.

More information is available on the campaign website on http://ec.europa.eu/environment/biodiversity/campaign/

was, first and foremost, a moral obligation. By contrast, only a tiny minority (2%) thought it could cause economic problems or lead to a loss in material wealth. most Eu citizens also saw no immediate personal impact from the loss of biodiversity. only a sixth of respondents (17%) said that they had already been affected by biodiversity loss but the majority (72%) recognised that it could have an impact on their lives and those of their children in the future.

Biodiversity loss is recognised as a serious problemmore than eight out of ten Eu citizens felt that biodiversity loss was nevertheless a very or fairly serious problem. In addition to being a moral obligation, the vast majority agreed that protecting biodiversity was important because ‘our well-being and quality of life is based upon nature and biodiversity as it provides pleasure and recreation’ and because ‘biodiversity is essential in tackling climate change’. But, when it comes to identifying the most important threats to biodiversity, many of those interviewed appear to be poorly informed. more than a quarter of Europeans believe that air and water pollution are the most important threats and

a similar proportion indicated man-made disasters such as oil spills or industrial accidents as the biggest problem. only 19% considered intensive agriculture, deforestation and over-fishing to be the main threats and an even smaller percentage (9%) recognised changes in land use, for instance through road, housing or industrial developments or conversion of natural areas into farmland, as the principal cause of biodiversity loss in Europe.

Most Europeans willing to help preserve biodiversityFinally, the Eurobarometer also revealed that the majority of Europeans seem willing to make some personal efforts to help preserve biodiversity. most of those interviewed (70%) said they were already doing so now and a further 20% stated they would be willing to if only they knew how. the European Commission’s reply to this is the awareness-raising campaign, which will have an educational component and materials for download, even a tip per week about what you can do for biodiversity.

The Eurobarometer survey No. 290 of March 2010 ‘Attitudes towards biodiversity’ can be downloaded from http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_290_en.pdf

Advertising for the EU campaign in major capital cities across the EU Young girl participating in EU Biodiversity campaign in Sofia, Bulgaria

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Stencil used in the EU campaign launch

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New Business and Biodiversity Platform launched

In 2007, a European conference on Business and Biodiversity highlighted the importance of engaging businesses in the conservation of biodiversity. this prompted the Commission to launch a new Eu-wide Business and Biodiversity Initiative, called the B@B platform. the purpose of this web-based tool is to support businesses wishing to integrate biodiversity considerations into their core activities and help them find solutions to biodiversity challenges related to their sector of activity. Six business sectors will be prioritised in this first year: agriculture, food supply industry, forestry, extractive industries, financial sector and tourism. the B@B platform will facilitate information and knowledge exchange amongst different actors, host a resource centre, showcase good practice examples from different parts of the Eu and offer guidance on how to best integrate biodiversity considerations into individual businesses.

For further details go to: http://ec.europa.eu/

environment/nature/partnerships

Financing Natura 2000

the Commission is currently updating its evaluation of the financial needs of managing the Natura 2000 Network. the first analysis, undertaken in 2004, was instrumental in ensuring a better integration of Natura 2000 management costs into the Eu’s new funding programmes for the period 2007–2013. However, since then the Eu has grown from 15 to 27 member States and the number of sites in the Network has increased substantially. It is therefore necessary to take stock again. although the prime responsibility for funding Natura 2000 rests with the member States, article 8 of the Habitats directive provides for the possibility to use Community co-financing where appropriate. In light of this, the Commission has asked member States to update their financial estimates on managing Natura 2000 sites. the new cost analysis will allow all parties to make an informed decision over the best way to secure funds for the future. preliminary results indicate that the total estimated cost of

implementing Natura 2000 is likely to be consistent with the previous 2004 figure – around 6 billion€/year over a 5–10 year horizon. But it is also emerging that member States have failed to take sufficient advantage of the opportunities available for co-financing Natura 2000 activities under the various Community financial instruments. all these issues will be discussed at a dedicated conference in Brussels on 15–16 July. the workshop will look at the financial needs of Natura 2000 and exchange experiences on the current use of Eu funds. particular attention will be paid to highlighting the economic benefits derived from Natura 2000 and examining ways in which this can be evaluated effectively. thereafter, the Commission will elaborate a new Communication on financing Natura 2000 in 2011 with a view to influencing the next Eu financial perspective and programming period after 2013.

Further information will become available on:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/

natura2000/financing/index_en.htm Fly-fishing in Austria

Poppy fields in summer, Italy

Promoting Natura 2000 amongst wildlife recreational users

on 17–18 November 2009, a conference was held in Brussels on ‘promoting Natura 2000 and sustainable wildlife use’. Its aim was to promote a greater involvement of the hunters’ and anglers’ community in the implementation of the ‘Birds’ and ‘Habitats’ directives and in the conservation and management of Natura 2000 sites. various projects and local initiatives were showcased at the conference to illustrate how this cooperation can work in practice. led by a partnership of FaCE and Elo, the project organised a series of regional workshops for the 12 newest member States in order to raise awareness of the Natura 2000 Network amongst its wildlife users and examined ways to include other wildlife recreational users, such as anglers. an assessment of the Sustainable Hunting Initiative (SHI) was also carried out by IuCN.

the results of the project and the conference are available

under: www.usenatura2000.eu

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The Birds Directive given a ‘facelift’

the Birds directive has been subject to a codification exercise and has consequently been given a new reference: it is now directive 2009/147/EC of 30 November 2009. there are no substantial changes in the directive that would affect its enforcement. the ‘new’ version is only a consolidation of previous amendments. For instance, the annexes have been brought up to date, some of the recitals have changed and the wording in a number of articles has been slightly modified in order to increase the accuracy and make the text easier to read.

the new version is available under:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/legislation/

birdsdirective/index_en.htm

Soil biodiversity, the invisible hero

did you know that every year soil organisms process an amount of organic matter equivalent in weight to 25 cars on an area the size of a soccer field? or that some fungi can reach several hundred metres in length?

to controlling invasive alien species. at the Conference, participants explored ways to improve the focus and the outreach of this and other strands of lIFE+, taking into account the changes already made to the 2010 application brochure in this regard. you too can have your say on the future of lIFE+ Nature & Biodiversity via the new online lIFE Community Forum.

details are available on: http://ec.europa.eu/

environment/life/index.htm

LIFE Projects help conserve protected species

last year saw the publication of the first ever Europe-wide assessment of the conservation status of species and habitat types protected under the Habitats directive (the so called article 17 report). a new lIFE Focus publication shows how lIFE Nature projects are helping to improve the conservation status of a range of species and habitats covered by the directive. the lIFE Focus publication is

available under:http://ec.europa.eu/

environment/life/the EC brochure on the

article 17 report is on: http://ec.europa.eu/

environment/nature/info/pubs/docs/brochures/healthcheck.

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we depend on soil for food, fibres, construction materials, clean water, clean air and climate regulation. Soil biodiversity is the driving force behind this productive capacity, but that diversity faces numerous threats. mis-managing soil biodiversity could worsen climate change, jeopardise agricultural production and compromise the quality of ground water. all these issues are explored in greater detail in a new report published in march 2010 entitled: Soil biodiversity: functions, threats and tools for policy makers. the report will be officially presented at a high-level conference on ‘Soil, Climate Change and Biodiversity: where do we stand?’ that will take place on 23–24 September 2010 in Brussels.

For more information go to: http://ec.europa.eu/

environment/soil/index_en.htm

Species conservation through Rural Development

the European Commission has financed a new study which looks at how the conservation of certain species of wildlife protected under the Habitats and Birds directives can be supported through the rural development programmes (2007–2013). the first part of the report looks at the opportunities offered by the Cap and rdp for

wildlife conservation, particularly in relation to the provisions of the Habitats and Birds directives. the second part contains a series of factsheets for the 12 endangered animal species: skylark, great bustard, corncrake, bittern, hamster, great capricorn beetle, capercaillie, meadow viper, large blue butterfly, ortolan bunting, scops owl, and yellow-bellied toad. Each eight-page factsheet provides key information about the species ecology, its threats and beneficial farming/forestry practices. It also highlights the relevant measures available under the Cap (e.g. pillar I and pillar II) which can be used to assist in their conservation. these are illustrated by practical examples from different countries/regions.

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/

natura2000/management/best_practice_en.htm

LIFE Nature and Biodiversity – preparing the future

on 31 may–1 June, the Commission organised a conference on the funding of nature and biodiversity projects under the lIFE+ financial instrument. as thoughts start turning towards funding beyond lIFE+ (which ends in 2013) the conference aimed to provide stakeholders with an opportunity to voice their views on what has worked well so far and what should be changed ahead of the next lIFE regulation. particular attention was paid to the funding of projects under lIFE+ Biodiversity. this new funding opportunity was introduced in 2007 and aims to co-finance innovative or demonstration projects that contribute to the implementation of the Eu’s current Biodiversity action plan. Eleven projects have been funded so far with subjects ranging from action plans for wild bees in urban habitats Mole, a typical soil species

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Green Week 2010

this year’s Green week on 1–4 June was dedicated entirely to the theme of ‘Biodiversity – our lifeline’. Some 30 individual sessions were held during the four-day conference, providing participants with an opportunity to learn about, discuss and debate key issues relating to the following themes: • the state of biodiversity and

nature in Europe and the world today, and perspectives for the future path to be taken by Eu policies on biodiversity and nature post-2010;

• current pressures on ecosystems; and

• the benefits brought by biodiversity and nature, and possible solutions to the current rates of loss, including the economic dimension of biodiversity and ecosystem services.

If you missed the event you can watch some of the sessions

online, or catch up on other news and presentations during the week, on: http://ec.europa.

eu/environment/greenweek/home.html

New publication: 10 messages for 2010

to mark the International year of Biodiversity, the European Environment agency is publishing a series of concise, thematic assessments of biodiversity. Every month one theme is highlighted until the meeting of the Conference of parties of the Convention on Biodiversity in october. So far seven of the ten publications have been produced. they cover: climate change and biodiversity, protected areas, freshwater ecosystems, marine ecosystems, forest ecosystems, urban ecosystems, and agricultural systems.

Go to http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/10-messages-

for-2010

DG Environment’s ‘Science for Environment Policy’ news alert service

Science for Environment Policy is a monthly electronic newsletter designed to help the busy policy maker keep up to date with the latest environmental research findings. Subscription to the service is free, and past articles can be accessed by theme.

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/

research/newsalert/index_en.htm

EU Commissioners encouraged to visit Natura 2000 sites

Birdlife recently invited president Barroso and all the European Commissioners to visit a Natura 2000 site in their home country. Such visits would not only raise the profile of Natura 2000 locally but would also stress the Commission’s commitment and efforts to preserve Europe’s common heritage. Janez potočnik, European Commissioner for the Environment, was the first to take up the invitation. on 20 april he spent the day visiting the Iški morost nature reserve in the ljubljana’s marshes area and the Škocjan Bay nature reserve, famous as one of the most important North adriatic wetlands. during his visit, Commissioner potočnik stressed the economic and environmental relevance of the Natura 2000 network, and declared biodiversity conservation to be one of his top priorities during his mandate.

http://www.birdlife.org/news/extra/europe/visit-potocnik.html

the newsletter does not necessarily reflect the official view of the European Commission. reproduction is authorised, except for commercial purposes, provided the source is acknowledged

printed on recycled paper that has been awarded the Eu Ecolabel (http://ec.europa.eu/ecolabel)

the Natura 2000 Newsletter is produced by dG Environment, European Commission

AuthorKerstin SundsethEcosystems ltd, BrusselsCommission EditorSusanne wegefeltdG EnvironmentDesignNatureBureau, uK

the newsletter is produced twice a year and is available in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and polish. to be added to the mailing list, or to download the electronic version, visit http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/info/pubs:natura2000nl_en.htm

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