1. European Red List of Habitats
The first Red List assessment of all terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats in the EU28, EU28+ and neighbouring seas
DG ENV
November 2016

2. Objectives
Assessment of all natural & semi-natural habitats in the EU28 and EU28+
Complementing information reported on Annex I habitats of the Habitats Directive
Inform and underpin EU2020 Biodiversity Strategy, MAES, habitat recovery & restoration work , ….
Provide fundamental baseline information in a structured way for each habitat assessed – useable in many ways, underpinning also the EUNIS classification

3. Some facts First ever European Habitats Red List!
Service contract by DG ENV of 30 months – final deliveries to become available in November
Budget: 1,5 million euro
Contractor: Alterra & IUCN plus naturebureau, Sue Gubbay and John Rodwell

4. Scope Assessments on two levels: EU28 & EU28+
EU28+ including in addition Iceland, Switzerland, Norway & the Balkan countries
Marine: Baltic Sea, North East Atlantic, N-Mediterranean Sea & Black Sea

5. Habitat Classification
Following a Feasibility Study in 2012, a habitat typology based on the hierarchical EUNIS Habitat Classification (level 3 for terrestrial and level 4 for marine) was used.
All in all: 490 habitats assessed
233 natural and semi-natural terrestrial habitats
257 benthic marine habitats
Relationship with Annex I habitats is complex: 1:1 relationship is only the case for a few (16% of terrestrial & only 1 type in the marine). The relationship is however described for all Annex I types.

6. Assessment method
Assessment Categories & Criteria based on a modified version of the IUCN (2013) Guidelines for the Red List of Ecosystems

7. Criteria & Categories

8. Working Method
Data were provided by territorial experts in each country or regional sea
Assessments were coordinated by the habitat/sea group
Terrestrial habitats:
Coastal (30 habitats)
Freshwaters (26)
Mires & bogs (13)
Grasslands (53)
Heath & scrub (38)
Forests (42)
Sparsely vegetated (31)
Marine habitats:
Baltic Sea (61 habitats)
North East Atlantic (86)
Northern Mediterranean Sea (47)
Black Sea (63)

9. Results: 233 Terrestrial Habitats
Overall results reveal 37% habitats threatened (in top 3 threat categories) in EU28, 32% in EU28+

10. Which terrestrial habitats are most threatened?
The most threatened terrestrial habitats are mires and bogs, grasslands, freshwaters and coastal habitats, in both the EU28 and EU28+
■ Critically
Endangered
■ Endangered
■ Vulnerable
■ Near
Threatened
■ Least Concern
■ Data
Deficient
Mires (13) Grasslands (53) Freshwaters (26) Coastal (30)
84% threatened/54% %/49% %/38% %/43%

11. Pressures & threats for terrestrial habitats
Many different pressures threaten terrestrial & freshwater habitats
and their impacts vary in different habitats
(Threat typology from Article 17)

12. Results: 257 Marine Habitats
19% of marine habitats are threatened (top 3 threat categories) in EU28, 18% in EU28+

13. Different seas show different levels of threat
■ Critically
Endangered
■ Endangered
■ Vulnerable
■ Near Threatened
■ Least Concern
■ Data deficient
Mediterranean (47) NE Atlantic (86) Black Sea (63) Baltic (61)
32% threatened/ %/23% %/10% %/8%
30% EU28+

14. Pressures & threats for marine habitats
Main pressures on marine habitats are common across the regional seas
but the impacts of threats vary with different depths

15. Outputs of the Red List
Two publications (hard copy & pdfs), flyers, poster
Assessment fact sheets for 490 habitats (pdf & database)
Red list assessment
Full habitat description
Images
Distribution maps
Links to other classifications
Occurrence and trends in range countries
Threats & pressures
Restoration potential
All integrated into the online EUNIS data-base
Territorial data (Excel)

16. Applications - example 1
To help visualise the impact of particular threats, the Red List can:
indicate which habitats are most urgently threatened by a particular pressure
provide distribution maps of the habitats
provide background data on extent and condition in each country
E.g. Traditionally managed wet meadows threatened by agricultural improvement and hydrological change T

17. Applications - example 2
To help meet restoration goals under Target 2 in the EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy, the Red List can:
indicate which habitats most urgently need restoration
highlight which threats must be alleviated
estimate time frame for restoration
list indicators of recovery
E.g. Traditionally-grown arable crops with rich and colourful annuals assessed as Endangered across Europe as a whole.

18. Thank you for your interest in the state of European habitats!
For further information about the European Red List of Habitats in the two publications on terrestrial and marine habitats, go to: