1. Measuring progress under Target 1 of the EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy

2. Target 1 – Birds Directive Target 1 - Habitats Directive
Outline of the presentation
Background (2013, 2014, 2015)
Target 1 – Birds Directive
Target 1 - Habitats Directive

3. Methodologies to measure progress towards target 1
Background on the process
Methodologies to measure progress towards target 1
Developed during 2013 and 2014
Approved by joint Ornis & Habitats Committees on April 2014
Results used in 2015
State of Nature (EEA and Commission reports)
Mid-term review of the Biodiversity Strategy

4. Background on the content

5. Background – Habitats Directive component
… 100% more habitat assessments and 50% more species assessments under the Habitats Directive show (a favourable or) an improved conservation status
NB: 'assessments' mean EU biogeographical assessments
TWO components
Species and habitat types in Favourable CS
Unfavourable species & habitat types with improved CS
Baseline for EU target: 17 % of Habitats and 17 % of species with a Favourable conservation status – Article 17 reporting

6. Background – Habitats Directive component
Change in conservation status
A – Favourable
B – Unfavourable but improved
C – Unfavourable and deteriorated
D - No change
E – Became unknown
(=) no change
(+) improving
(-) deteriorating
(x) not known

7. Background – Backcast of EU 2001-2006 CS
Very high number of ‘unknown’ assessments in (e.g. 31 % for species)
Only some 3 % of genuine change between (p) and (p+1)
Inclusion of Bulgaria and Romania in reporting
MS ‘audit trails’ from
Backcast of EU biogeographical conservation status done with simple ‘rules’:
Genuine change, no backcast needed
Non-genuine change, then backcast (p) with (p+1)

8. Species (≈28 %) Habitats (≈21 %)
Progress towards Target 1 in 2015 ( )
Species (≈28 %)
Target = 25 % (35 %)
23.1 % Favourable
4.7 % improved
Habitats (≈21 %)
Target = 34 %
16.4 % Favourable
4.4 % improved

9. Background – Birds Directive component
… 50% more species assessments under the Birds Directive show a secure or improved status
NB: 'assessments' mean assessments at the EU level
TWO components
Species with a Secure (population) status
Non-secure species with improved (population) status
Baseline for EU target: 52 % species with a Secure status - Birds in the European Union: a status assessment (BirdLife, 2004)

10. ‘Secure’ component based on adapted IUCN Red List criteria
Background – Birds Directive component
‘Secure’ component based on adapted IUCN Red List criteria

11. Background – Birds Directive component
‘Improved’ component based on combination of short- and long-term trends (of non-secure species)

12. Birds (≈60 %) Progress towards Target 1 in 2015 (2008-2012)
52 % Secure
8.5 % improved

13. General principles Proposals for measuring (final) progress in 2020
Keep methodologies as much as possible
Adapt to take into account EU enlargement
Update key data (e.g. trend periods for birds)
Compare ‘baselines’ with 2020 assessments

14. Target 1 – Birds Directive

15. ‘Secure’ - EU assessments 2013-2018 (modified IUCN Red List criteria)
Birds Directive
Same methodology as for 2015
Geographical adaptation to EU28 (or ‘new’ EU27), adaptation of periods for trends
‘Secure’ - EU assessments (modified IUCN Red List criteria)
‘Improved’ - non-secure species with improved EU population trends – compare short-term ( ) with long-term ( )

16. Birds Directive
‘Secure’ - EU population assessments

17. ‘Improved’ - non-secure species with improved EU population trends
Birds Directive
‘Improved’ - non-secure species with improved EU population trends
Contribution to Target 1: Yes / No

18. Target 1 – Habitats Directive
(c) Carlos Romão

19. ‘Favourable’ - EU biogeographical assessments 2013-2018 (sub-value A)
Habitats Directive
‘Favourable’ - EU biogeographical assessments (sub-value A)
Improved unfavourable assessments
Same methodology for assessments without changes or with genuine changes between and
New: use of conservation status trends in for assessments with non-genuine changes

20. Habitats Directive

21. Habitats Directive
Accounting for ‘Improved’ unfavourable assessments with genuine change or no-change (Table 1) (sub-value B1)

22. Trend of overall conservation status in 2013-2018
Habitats Directive
Accounting for ‘Improved’ unfavourable assessments with non-genuine changes (sub-value B2)
Trend of overall conservation status in
Improving (+) accounts for Target 1
Deteriorating, Stable, Unknown do not account

23. Thank you for your attention
Habitats & Birds Directives
In addition to measuring progress towards Target 1 (and 3, a sub-set of species/habitats)
Conservation/population status and its trends (qualifiers) can be used to compare progress between and
Many other analysis are possible and will be further explored…
Thank you for your attention