Our priorities in a European context

Contributing to biodiversity policy

Biodiversity policy at the European level was formally recognised at the European Council in Gothenburg in 2001. There the EU committed to halting the decline of biodiversity in the EU by 2010.

A commitment, including by the European Union, to a biodiversity target was also confirmed by the UN Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) in 2002. The target called for a significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010.

In 2006 the European Commission launched its Biodiversity Communication and an Action Plan to achieve the 2010 target. The Action Plan includes more than 150 measures[ag4] that specify action required by Member States and the EU Institutions.

Working towards the target requires close co-operation between the different levels of governance. The target is unlikely to be met, but European and international policy-makers are committed to developing a new target beyond for 2010.

The EU and global targets are delivered through a range of legislative measures, which place obligations on Member States to protect biodiversity and the natural environment. Examples include the Birds Directive, the Habitats Directive , the Water Framework Directive and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

The European Community Biodiversity Clearing House Mechanism website provides an overview of EU policy as well as all relevant links to documents and EU websites.

EU Environmental Action Programme

A framework for policy-making is set out in the Environmental Action Programme (EAP). The current EAP covers the period 2002-2012 and identifies four priority areas. They are: nature and biodiversity; climate change; environment and health and natural resources and waste. Aims and objectives are pursued through strategic approaches, new legislation, changes to existing legislation and better implementation of existing legislation. The programme’s Thematic Strategies cover soil, marine environment, air, pesticides, urban environment, natural resources and waste prevention and recycling.

Pressures on European Biodiversity

Our priorities are linked to direct pressures, which result in changes to the environment.  They have an impact on species and genetic diversity and alter the structure, function and extent of ecosystems.

These priorities - also identified by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment - include:

Climate change

A series of policies and measures have been put in place under the EU European Climate Change Programme. A White Paper on adaptation was produced in 2009 and a series of more detailed papers have also been prepared on farming, health, water, coasts and marine issues. Also in 2009 a Commission Ad Hoc Expert Working Group on Biodiversity and Climate Change produced the discussion paper ”Towards a Strategy on Climate Change, Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity”.

Habitat change: One of the biggest factors affecting habitats in the EU is agricultural land use, managed through the Common Agricultural Policy.  Other pressures include transport and energy infrastructure and urbanisation.  Pressures include urbanisation, transport and energy infrastructure and land use change.

Over-exploitation: Over- exploitation of natural resources occurs through unsustainable hunting, fishing and the extraction of raw materials and directly links to the sustainable consumption and production agenda.

Invasive non-native species: It is estimated that Invasive Non-Native Species[jb20] cost the EU at least 12 billion Euros a year. An EU Invasive Species Strategy is being created to deal with the problem and an Invasive Non-Native Species Strategy [jb22] for Great Britain is in place. JNCC is involved in implementation of the GB strategy as well as advising on details of the EU strategy .

Pollution: Pollution poses a serious threat to biodiversity and ecosystem services. A major concern is nutrient enrichment of ecosystems and the transboundary nature of pollution. There are a range of EU directives and strategies that address pollution, including the EU Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution, the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive and the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution.

Mainstreaming biodiversity into other EU policies

In order to move towards a sustainable way of life all policies must fully reflect the importance and value of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Policy beyond the environmental area often present additional risks to biodiversity and compound the effects of direct pressures. We aim to highlight these risks when EU policy is being developed. Examples include:

Energy: Policy on energy in the EU brings together many directives and measures that address all aspects of energy production, distribution and pricing. Renewable energy production is guided by the 2008 Renewable Energy and Climate Change Package and two Directives, the Renewable Energy Directive and the Fuel Quality Directive.

Transport: Growth in both freight and passenger movement increases pollution, breaks up habitats and puts stress upon the environment. There are a number of actions that are working towards enhancing sustainable transport covering trans-European transport networks, air, road, rail, maritime and urban transport as well as inland waterways.

Spatial planning: Increasing urbanisation, infrastructure development, and land use change habitats throughout Europe are becoming ever more fragmented. The Natura 2000 network (along with national protected areas) are at the heart of the EU’s strategy to reconnect habitats and build an ecologically-coherent green infrastructure for Europe.

Sustainable development: Sustainable development (SD) became an overarching objective of EU policy in 1997 through the Treaty of Amsterdam. The 2001 EU Sustainable Development Strategy (EU SDS) strengthened the objectives and aimed to improve quality of life, manage and use resources better, make use of ecological and social innovation and ensure prosperity, environmental protection and social cohesion. Since 2001, the EU has been working to embed SD in all its policies. The EU SDS added a third environmental dimension to the Lisbon Strategy, which focuses on economic and social renewal.

Sustainable consumption and production (SCP): SCP is one theme within the EU SDS. Increasing resource use and production of waste compounds pressure on natural resources, the environment and biodiversity. The EU has developed a range of instruments and policy areas to address consumption and production issues, including Green Public Procurement and thematic strategies on the Sustainable Use of Natural Resources and on Waste Prevention and Recycling.

Territorial cohesion: Europe is highly diverse and the territorial diversity of the EU is seen as a vital asset that can contribute to sustainable development. To make this diversity a strength territorial cohesion is addressed through the focus on new relationships that bind EU territories at different levels with new forms of cooperation and co-ordination.

Economic, social and cultural values of biodiversity

If we are to achieve our nature conservation aims it is essential that the true value of biodiversity and the role of healthy ecosystems is recognised. The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) study deals with these issues and helps to raise understanding of the importance and value of biodiversity to society.