Irish Regions Office Website

December 18, 2008

Biodiversity targets slip

The EU’s intention of halting biodiversity decline by 2010 is highly unlikely to be achieved according to a pessimistic mid-term progress review of the Biodiversity Action Plan published by the European Commission on 16 December. This is the first comprehensive assessment of progress at both Community and Member State levels under four main policy areas: biodiversity in the EU, the EU and global biodiversity, biodiversity and climate change, and the knowledge base. It shows that intensive efforts will be required in the next two years if Europe is even to come close to achieving the biodiversity goal. Accordingly, priority measures for the coming years ranging from more action to manage and restore Natura 2000 sites to restoring ecosystem health and services in the countryside and in freshwater and marine environments are highlighted.

More positively, the report notes that the Natura 2000 network has been significantly extended and progress has been made in the protection of marine and freshwater ecosystems, particularly with the adoption of a marine strategy directive in May. However, the failure to adopt a draft directive on soil protection leaves a major legislative gap. In October, the European Environment Agency warned that European nature conservation sites were failing to protect vulnerable species and habitats. Less than half of species and habitats protected under EU and national schemes are safe according to the agency.
Mid-term Report:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/comm2006/pdf/bap_2008_report.pdf
Ireland summary:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/comm2006/pdf/profiles/ie.pdf

Posted by iroronan at December 18, 2008 03:01 PM