EU 2010 biodiversity baseline 7th Meeting of the CGBN Brussels, 2 March 2010

EU 2010 biodiversity baseline Outline of the presentation: Rationale for the baseline Main specifications / characteristics Content Examples

Rationale for the baseline (i) What will be in the ‘baseline’? Facts & figures on the state and trends of biodiversity & ecosystems components Why biodiversity is important and why is it urgent to act: provide arguments and rational

Rationale for the baseline (ii) Why do we need that? To support development of post-2010 target(s) and sub-targets For measuring/monitoring progress and achievement from 2011 to 2020

Main specifications/characteristics (i) Target audience: policy makers Laymen language, clear layout Compilation and re-arrangement of EXISTING data and information No new data collection, no new assessments or evaluations (except for updates) Snapshot at EU level and/or biogeographical level when relevant

Main specifications/characteristics (ii) Use validated, published, peer reviewed data (e.g. EU reporting) Statistics/indicators from on-going and regular reporting: possibility to compare different points in time ‘One-off’ data not useful to monitor progress; may be useful to give context Provide links ‘biodiversity / human well-being’

Content Executive summary – the what & why Available for the Greenweek 1st week of June Executive summary – the what & why Scoreboard – summ. of facts & figures Facts & figures Species and genetic resources Ecosystems Ecosystem services Pressures

Examples of data sets and sources

Conservation status of species 17% of the assessments across the EU were favourable 52% unfavourable 31% unknown Show differences between biogeographical regions Stress knowledge gap between Marine / Terrestrial assessments

IUCN Red List categories EU 25 Mammals -terrestrial Mammals - marine Reptiles Amphibians Threatened (CR, EN, VU) 24 (14.5%) 6 (23%) 27 (21%) 18 (22%) Not threatened (NT, LC) 132 (80%) 8 (31%) 99 (77%) 63 (77%) Data Deficient (DD) 9 (5.5%) 12 (46%) 2 (2%) 1 (1%) Total 165 26 128 82 Amphibians Nearly a quarter are considered threatened in Europe 59% have declining populations, 36% are stable and only 2% are increasing All amphibian species considered threatened are endemic to Europe and are found nowhere else in the world Habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation are the most significant threats to amphibians in Europe Source: IUCN 2007

Birds in Europe Birds EU25 (2004) Pan-Europe (2004) Unfavourable and threatened (CR, EN, VU) 54 (12%) 226 (43%) Unfavourable but not threatened 159 (36%) Secured 232 (52%) 298 Total 445 524 48% of EU birds have an unfavourable conservation status Proportionally, birds have a worst conservation status in the EU – but improving - than in Pan-Europe – which is worsening Marine, coastal and wetland bird species are increasing in the EU Farmland birds are still declining, although less than last years; populations remain at very low levels compared to those of 1990 Source: BirdLife International 2004

Other data Endemic species: EU particular responsibility Genetic diversity Crops and crop wild relatives More than 80 % of the Euro-Mediterranean flora consists of crops and their wild relatives EU27: more than 16 000 crop and crop wild relative species occur; 3 % of them are included Annex II, IV and V of the Habitats Directive 70 % of species listed in Annex II, IV and V of the Habitats Directive are included in the CWR Catalogue Livestock races Alien/invasive (pressures/threats)

Agro-ecosystems Corine Land Cover – Land use change Conversion of agricultural areas into other classes between 1990 and 2000 Example of graph not the good one Will update with CLC 2006 for EU (except GR and UK?)

How are ‘agro-species’ doing? Grassland butterflies, population index (1990=100) Source: De Vlinderstichting/Butterfy Conservation Europe/Statistics Netherlands, 2008. Common birds in Europe, population index (1980=100) Source: EBCC/RSPB/BirdLife International/Statistics Netherlands 2008 Both SEBI 2010 indicators

Conservation status of species and habitats dependent on agro-ecosystems