A new report by the European Commission draws a mixed picture for Europe's habitats and species, with over half (60 %) of species protected under the Habitats Directive still in an unfavourable status.
The Commission has adopted a new report providing the most comprehensive picture yet on the ‘State of Nature in the EU’. The findings of this largest ever assessment show that the majority of birds have a secure status, and some species and habitats are doing better. However, the report concludes that while targeted conservation actions have brought successes, much greater effort is required for the situation to improve significantly.
The EU Birds and Habitats Directives form the cornerstones of Europe’s legislation on nature conservation and provide the legal framework to protect around 2,000 of Europe’s most vulnerable species and habitat types.
Member States are asked to report back to the European Commission every six years on the conservation status of those species and habitats protected under the EU’s Directives on their territory. The Commission then pools all the data together, with the help of the European Environment Agency.
The results have been now published by the Commission in the ‘State of Nature in the EU’ (May 2015) which is based on a detailed technical report prepared by the European Environment Agency.
Encouragingly, it shows that the status of more than half of all wild bird species assessed (52%) is secure. On the other hand, around 17% of the species are still threatened and another 15% are near threatened, declining or depleted.
On other species protected under the Habitats Directive, the report shows that over half (60%) have an unfavourable assessment with only 23% in a favourable conservation status at EU level. Habitat types are described as a serious cause for concern - on the whole, they have a worse conservation status and trend than species. Across the 27 EU member countries, the overwhelming majority of habitats have an unfavourable status, with only 16% of the assessments classed as favourable, 47 % unfavourable-inadequate and 30 % unfavourable-bad and still deteriorating.
Modifications in water conditions most frequently reported pressures
Commenting on pressures and threats on terrestrial ecosystems, agriculture and human-induced modifications of natural conditions are the most prominent problems for all three groups (birds, other species and habitats).
For “modifications in natural conditions”, changes in water-body conditions, hydrological regimes, reduction of habitat connectivity and water abstraction are the most frequently reported pressures. This is consistent with the recent assessments carried out under the Water Framework Directive.
Commenting on the report, Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella, said:
“This report is significant and timely. While it shows a mixed picture overall, it clearly demonstrates that efforts to improve vulnerable ecosystems can be highly effective. It also underlines the scale of the challenges that remain. We have to rise to those challenges, as the health of our nature is linked to the health of Europe's people, and to our economy.”
The report is the first assessment to cover both the Birds and Habitats Directives, and it results from the largest collaborative data-collection and assessment of nature ever undertaken across the Member States in the period 2007-2012.
Looking ahead, the report concludes that significant pressures and threats from changes in agricultural practices and continuing modifications of hydrological conditions, as well as over-exploitation and pollution of the marine environment, need to be tackled to reverse these trends.
The reports serve as input to the coming Mid-Term Review of the EU Biodiversity Strategy. The findings of the report will also feed into the ongoing Fitness Check of the Birds and Habitats, which is part of a broader exercise of taking stock of EU legislation to ensure that it is fit for purpose.
Click here to download ‘State of Nature in the EU’