1. European Red List of Habitats
A sneak preview on the assessments of all terrestrial, freshwater and benthic marine habitats in the EU
DG ENV, unit D3
CGBN,

2. European Red List of Habitats
Objective: an overview and assessment of all habitats in the EU28 and EU28+, complementing information reported on Annex I habitats of the Habitats Directive
Structured underpinning information for each habitat
Multipurpose: EU2020 Biodiversity Strategy, MAES, restoration work , ….
First ever European Habitats Red List!
Service contract by DG ENV of 30 months, just about to end – final deliveries to become available in October
Budget: 1,5 mio euro
Contractor: Alterra & IUCN plus

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

4. Habitat Classification
Following a Feasibility Study 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.

5. Working Method
Data were provided by territorial experts in each country or regional sea
Assessments were coordinated by an expert 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)

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

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

8. Mires & bogs Grasslands
84% threatened
53% threatened

9. Forests Heath & scrub
29% threatened
17% threatened

10. Pressures & Threats
Overall, the most severe and widespread threats to terrestrial & freshwater habitats are:
Agricultural intensification (Grasslands and Heathlands & Scrub)
Urbanisation (Coastal habitats)
Modification of hydrological functioning (Freshwaters & wet Forests)
Intensive forestry (Forests)
Land abandonment (Grasslands & Heaths)
Climate change impacts are more difficult to assess but already visible in Freshwaters, Mires & bogs, Forests and high mountain Sparsely vegetated habitats

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

12. Baltic Sea NE-Atlantic
Exception: Low proportion of Data Deficiency

13. Black Sea Mediterranean Sea
High proportion of habitats were Data Deficient but, for habitats with sufficient data, the majority were threatened

14. Main pressures on marine habitats are common across the regional seas

15. Outputs of the Red List
Two publications (in hard copy & pdfs), flyers, poster
Assessment fact sheets for 490 habitats (pdf & database)
full habitat description
images
distribution maps
links to other classification systems
occurrence and trends in range countries
threats & pressures
restoration potential
Territorial data (Excel spreadsheets)

16. Applications of the Red List
The Red List and its underpinning information can be used for a wide range of analysis (including spatial), for example…. ..in conjunction with the MAES project and MSFD the Red List can:
show which habitats are at risk from the key pressures
help meet restoration targets
estimate time frame for restoration or recovery
etc.

17. Thank you for your attention!
Products from this contract will be available soon on DG ENV website and EEAs Eunis website

18. Criteria & Categories