EuropeAid EU Biodiversity Action Plans Mikolaj Bekasiak EU Delegation Azerbaijan Gabala, 5-7 July 2010

EuropeAid Overview 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.

EuropeAid Threats 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

EuropeAid 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.

EuropeAid Successful 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.

EuropeAid 2010 Goal and the BAP 2002: EU sets goal in line with CBD To reduce biodiversity loss by : EU Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) is introduced to achieve the 2010 goal Documents and background: sity/policy/index_en.htm

EuropeAid 2006 BAP: Halting the loss of biodiversity by 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;

EuropeAid Mid-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.

EuropeAid 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;

EuropeAid Towards 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 Goal EU Council Conclusions, March 2010

EuropeAid Developing 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;

EuropeAid The 2020 strategy so far 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; Financial Perspectives) o Ability to mainstream biodiversity

EuropeAid 6 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

EuropeAid 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:

EuropeAid Other Measures TEEB recommendations; EU Business and Biodiversity Platform 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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