Download - 1 EU biodiversity policy European Commission DG Environment Unit B2 Nature & Biodiversity.

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Page 1: 1 EU biodiversity policy European Commission DG Environment Unit B2 Nature & Biodiversity.

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EU biodiversity policy

European CommissionDG Environment

Unit B2 Nature & Biodiversity

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Presentation contents

1. Biodiversity: why does it matter?

2. Current EU biodiversity policy: the 2010 target

3. Towards a post-2010 biodiversity policy for the EU

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Part 1:

Biodiversity – Why does it matter?

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Why conserve biodiversity?

A moral duty: to conserve the sheer variety of life on earth

An environmental asset: healthy ecosystems play a vital role in regulating the environment – eg a major tool for climate change adaptation

An economic imperative: ecosystem goods and services provide a whole range of direct and indirect economic benefits

Our life support system

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Ecosystem goods & servicesare important for

Provision of goods – food, fibre, fuel, medicines

Regulation of the air we breathe and quality of our waters

Soil fertility, pollination and other essential support services

Cultural benefits – from aesthetic enjoyment to spiritual solace

TEEB Report 2008:« The annual welfare loss generated by loss of ecosystems

services will amount to 6% of the global GDP by 2050 »

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Loss of biodiversity in the EU

Europe has suffered more human-induced fragmentation than any other continent (MEA, 2001)

50% of wetlands and high-nature-value farmland gone

40% of all European bird species have unfavourable conservation status

EU Health Check 2009« 50% of species and up to 80%

of habitats of European conservation interest have unfavourable conservation

status »

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What do Europeans think of Biodiversity They are familiar with the term “biodiversity”

They consider its loss a serious problem

They believe they are not affected yet

They suggest measures to be taken

They make personal efforts (yet many don’t know what to do)

They do not know “Natura 2000”

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Part 2: Current EU biodiversity policy -

the 2010 target

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EU biodiversity policy development

EC contracting party to Convention on Biological Diversity (since 1993)

2001

European Council agrees

to halt the loss of Biodiversity by

2010

Biodiversity included in SDS and 6th EAP as

priority

2010

15 March: Post-2010 vision and

target adopted

Endorsed by EU heads of state on 26

March

2006

EC Commu-nication and Biodiversity Action Plan

(BAP)

2009

Health Check for Habitats and

Species

(only 17% are in ‘favourable condition’)

2008

Mid-term review of the Biodiversity Action Plan

(BAP)

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2006 EU Biodiversity Action Plan

Covers relevant sectors and horizontal policy areas in a unified way

Provides a joint approach by identifying what needs to be done at Community level and at MS level

4 Policy areas

10 Key Objectives

150 Priority actions

46 Targets

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2006 EU Biodiversity Action Plan

+ Supporting measures1. Ensuring adequate financing, 2. Strengthening EU decision making, 3. Building partnerships, 4. Building public education, awareness and

participation

Monitoring evaluation and review

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Monitoring Progress

European 2010 Biodiversity Indicators

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BAP mid-term assessment

Key findings (Dec 08):

Despite some progress it is highly unlikely - based on current efforts – to achieve 2010 target

Significant additional commitment needed to come close to target

At global level a significant reduction in the rate of loss of biodiversity is not being achieved

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Part 3:

Towards a post-2010

biodiversity policy for the EU

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January 2010 Communication

Aim: establish the level of ambition to underpin the EU post-2010 biodiversity policyo Maintain political momentumo Inform policy development

Trends ImplicationsAchievements and shortcomingsOptions for a 2020 target

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Post 2010 Biodiversity Policy- 2050 Vision -

Biodiversity and ecosystem services – our natural capital – are preserved, valued and, insofar as possible, restored for their intrinsic value and to continue to support economic prosperity and human well-being, and to avert catastrophic

changes linked to biodiversity loss.

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Options for a 2020 headline target1. Significantly reduce the rate of loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the EU by 20202. Halt the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the EU by 20203. Halt the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the EU by 2020 and restore them insofar as possible4. Halt the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the EU by 2020 and restore them insofar as possible, and step up the EU's contribution to averting global biodiversity loss

OPTION RETAINED BY THE ENV COUNCILOPTION RETAINED BY THE ENV COUNCIL AND ENDORSED BY THE EUROPEAN AND ENDORSED BY THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL (March 2010)COUNCIL (March 2010)

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Next steps

• Develop a fully-fledged strategy for biodiversity and ecosystem services by end 2010– Internet stakeholder consultation will be open

during the summer: views welcome!

• Seek to reach agreement at international level on an ambitious new global vision and targets at the 10th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Japan this October.

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For more information go to:

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