nature and biodiversity newsletter | July 2020 1 Nature and Biodiversity Newsletter Number 48 | July 2020 NATURA 2000 ISSN2443-7727 EU biodiversity strategy for 2030 Environment 2 nature and biodiversity newsletter | July 2020 © Jennifer © Jacquemart /ECAudiovisual – Service Natura 2000 nature and biodiversity newsletter July 2020 Contents 3–5 EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 6–7 Restoring ecosystems across land and sea 8–9 Natura2000 barometer – update June 2020 10–13 The new Farm to Fork Strategy 14–16 Natura News © Suzi © Eszterhas/naturepl.com Editorial Over the past few months, COVID-19 has caused major disruption to our society, economy and taken a heavy toll on lives and livelihoods. We are now beginning to come to terms with the true scale of its impact, and finding ways to kick-start recovery in Europe and around the globe. © Jan Skriver© We will draw many lessons from the pandemic. But one thing has become abundantly clear – the intimate connection that exists between our health, our economy, and the natural environment. Our new Strategies for Biodiversity and Farm to Fork, launched in May as part of our wider European Green Deal, acknowledge these connections, and will help rebuild society with a new drive to protect and strengthen the natural world we depend on. The Recovery Package proposed by the Commission one week after the adoption of the new strategies follows the same logic, and enjoys the same level of ambition. It marks a new determination to build back © iStock © better, basing the strength and competitiveness of our economy on its sustainability, and opening the way to a future that is circular, climate-neutral, digital and socially just. I am truly proud of the two new Strategies. They are comprehensive, ambitious, and achievable. And they reinforce each other, bringing together nature, farmers, business and consumers in a common effort to deliver greater sustainability. Implementation of the Strategies needs to be inclusive, and I will strive to create a common sense of ownership, for the young and the old, those living in cities and those in the countryside, NGOs and industry, environmentalists, as well as farmers, fishers and foresters. We will all benefit, collectively, when we bring © Klein Hubert/naturepl.com© & nature back into our lives. There is plenty of work ahead, and I am counting on you and your support, your ideas and input as we travel this path together. By striking the right balance, we will deliver a greener, healthier, more resilient society. Cover: Field of poppy flowers, Málaga province, Andalusia, Spain. Virginijus Sinkevičius © Alamy European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries nature and biodiversity newsletter | July 2020 3 © robertharding/Alamy © Stock Photo The slopes of the Vrsic pass in the Julian Alps, Gorenjska, Slovenia. The Biodiversity Strategy calls for the strict protection of all the EU’s remaining primary and old-growth forests. EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 Bringing nature back into our lives “ The EU Last December, the European pandemic has illustrated just world has already lost €3.5 – Commission launched its how intricate the link is between 18.5 trillion per year in ecosystem Biodiversity ambitious European Green Deal. our own health and that of our services from 1997 to 2011 due (see previous issue). The Deal natural environment. It has to land cover change alone. Strategy will maps out a new, sustainable become increasingly clear that Restoring and protecting also help kick and inclusive growth strategy to protecting and restoring Europe’s nature will also be a vital ally in boost Europe’s economy, improve biodiversity is essential for re- the fight against climate change. start Europe’s people’s health and quality of enforcing our own resilience to Many of the problems facing economic life, and turn Europe into the future pandemics. climate and biodiversity are world’s first climate neutral The EU Biodiversity Strategy intrinsically linked. But just as recovery after continent by 2050. will also help kick start Europe’s the crises are linked, so are the Five months later in May, the economic recovery after solutions. COVID-19. ” Commission published its new COVID-19. Investing significantly To address all these issues, EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2030. in nature restoration and nature the new Biodiversity Strategy It forms an integral part of the based solutions will create new sets as a headline target to Green Deal and, together with the jobs and provide fresh business ensure that ‘by 2050 all of the Farm to Fork Strategy announced opportunities for many sectors of world’s ecosystems are restored, the same day, aims to bring the economy. resilient and adequately nature back into our lives. The economic case for protected’, in line with the The two new strategies set out restoring biodiversity is truly 2030 Agenda for Sustainable a comprehensive package of EU- compelling. The World Economic Development and the Paris wide actions and commitments Forum recently stated that Agreement on Climate change. to put Europe’s biodiversity back biodiversity loss and ecosystems The four main pillars of the on the path to recovery by 2030, collapse are among the biggest new EU Biodiversity Strategy and transition towards a more threats facing humanity in the are to protect nature, to restore sustainable food system. next decade, threatening the nature, to enable transformative The timing couldn’t be more very foundations of our economy. change and to set an ambitious appropriate. The recent COVID-19 According to their estimates, the Global Agenda. 4 nature and biodiversity newsletter | July 2020 new impetus to this work by Finally, as the Overseas 1. Nature protection: Key commitments to 2030 improving implementation and Countries and Territories also • Legally protect at least 30% of the EU’s land area and 30% increasing resources. host important biodiversity of its seas The Biodiversity Strategy also hotspots, the Commission will • Strictly protect at least a third of the EU’s protected areas, goes one step further in calling encourage relevant Member including all remaining primary and old-growth forests for an increase in protected area States to consider promoting • Create ecological corridors as part of a true Trans European coverage so that more areas biodiversity rules and regulations Nature Network of high biodiversity value or that match those already Effectively manage all protected areas potential can be safeguarded. applicable in the EU. • The target is to protect at least 30% of the land and 30% of the A new Nature Restoration surrounding seas. Plan for Europe 2. Restoring nature: Key commitments to 2030 Additionally, the new Strategy The second pillar of the new • Legally binding targets to be proposed in 2021 calls for at least one third Biodiversity Strategy focuses • Ensure no deterioration in any protected habitats and of these protected areas – on restoring nature across species by 2030, and a favourable status or strong positive representing 10% of EU land and significant parts of the European trend for at least 30% 10% of EU seas – to be strictly territory. Recognising that • At least 25% of agricultural land to be Organically farmed protected. In particular, all the restoration efforts up to now • At least 10% of agricultural land to be transformed into of EU’s remaining primary and have been somewhat piecemeal biodiverse landscape features old-growth forests should be and small-scale, the strategy • Reduce use of pesticides and fertilisers by 20% mapped, monitored and strictly proposes two strands of actions • Plant 3 billion additional trees respecting ecological principles protected, along with significant to strengthen the EU legal • Reverse decline in pollinators areas of other carbon-rich framework for nature restoration. • Remediate contaminated soil sites ecosystems, such as peatlands, Firstly, and subject to an • Restore 25,000km free flowing rivers; grasslands, wetlands and impact assessment, the • New Urban Greening Platform: the Green City Accord; seagrass meadows. Commission will put forward • Halve the number of ‘red list’ species threatened by Invasive It will be up to the Member a proposal for legally binding Alien Species States to designate the EU nature restoration targets • Reduce damage to seabed and through bycatch additional protected and strictly in 2021 to restore degraded protected areas. Designations ecosystems, in particular those should either help to complete with the most potential to Protecting Nature in the EU Whilst this is a remarkable the Natura 2000 network or capture and store carbon and to The EU already has a robust achievement in its own right, it be under national protection prevent and reduce the impact of legal framework in place to is clear that further efforts are schemes. All areas will also natural disasters. protect its most valuable, rare needed to ensure the effective need to have clearly defined This will identify the conditions and threatened species and conservation and management conservation objectives.. in which the targets must habitats under the Habitats and of the Natura 2000 sites within To assist in this process, the be met, as well as the most Birds Directives. Thanks to this, the network, and to bring the Commission will put forward effective measures to reach the EU has succeeded in building species and habitats they protect criteria and guidance for them. The impact assessment an extensive EU-wide Natura up to a favourable conservation identifying and designating will also look at the possibility 2000 network that covers around status across their natural range additional sites later in the year. of an EU-wide methodology to 18% of its land and 8% of its in the EU. The new Biodiversity This will include a definition map, assess and achieve good surrounding seas. Strategy will give an important of strict protection, as well condition of ecosystems so as guidance for appropriate they can deliver benefits such © iStock © management planning.