The results show progress in many areas, but highlight the need for much greater effort to deliver commitments on implementation by Member States.
The EU said in a statement that nature’s capacity to clean the air and water, to pollinate crops and to limit the impacts of catastrophes such as flooding is being compromised, with potentially significant unforeseen costs to society and our economy.
A recent EU-wide opinion poll confirms that the majority of Europeans are concerned about the effects of biodiversity loss and recognise the negative impact this can have on human health and wellbeing, and ultimately on our long-term economic development.
The assessment, published this week and which comes midway through the strategy, highlights that much more needs to be done on the ground to translate the EU’s policies into action. Firstly, EU nature legislation needs to be better implemented by Member States.
More than three quarters of the important natural habitats in the EU are now in an unfavourable state, and many species are threatened with extinction.
Halting biodiversity loss will also depend on how effectively biodiversity concerns are integrated into agriculture, forestry, fisheries, regional development and trade policies. The reformed Common Agricultural Policy provides opportunities for enhanced integration of biodiversity concerns, but it will be the extent to which Member States put in place the measures, nationally, that will determine the success of the CAP.
Ultimately, said the EU, “natural capital needs to be recognised and appreciated, not only within the limitations of our protected areas, but more extensively throughout our lands and seas.”
The Commission is currently undertaking a fitness check of the EU Birds and Habitats Directives to assess whether it is achieving its valuable objectives in the most efficient way.
European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella, said: “There are plenty of lessons to be drawn from this report – some good progress, and good examples to be emulated, but much more work is needed to close the gaps and reach our biodiversity targets by 2020. There is no room for complacency – losing biodiversity means losing our life-support system. We can’t afford that, and neither can our economy.”
Restoring natural habitats and building green infrastructure remains a challenge for Europe. The EU Green Infrastructure Strategy – once implemented – should deliver multiple benefits across a range of sectors including agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
Invasive alien species are also one of the fastest growing threats to biodiversity in Europe, causing significant damage to agriculture, forestry and fisheries, costing the EU at least 12 billion euros a year.
A new EU Regulation has entered into force to fight the spread of invasive alien species and work is underway to establish a list of invasive species of EU concern by early 2016.
The publication of this mid-term review coincides with that of a Eurobarometer survey showing the concerns expressed by Europeans with regard to the current trends on biodiversity. At least three quarters of Europeans think there are serious threats to animals, plants and ecosystems at a national, European and global level, and more than half think they will be personally affected by biodiversity loss.