Biodiversity
Habitat loss and fragmentation, unsustainable agriculture and climate change are leading drivers of biodiversity loss in the EU. Under the EU’s Biodiversity Strategy 2010-2020 all EU Member States committed to help halt biodiversity loss by 2020. This target will not be met.
At the core of the EU’s biodiversity policy are the EU Birds and Habitats Directives which underpin the world’s first and largest international network of protected areas, Natura 2000. It covers about 18% of the EU's land and over 9% of its seas.
'There's no more time to lose – we need to bring Europe’s nature back! The EU must put forward a legally binding restoration initiative to benefit people, nature and the climate.'
Sabien Leemans
Senior Policy Officer, Biodiversity
@SabienLeemans
What WWF is doing
- Fully implement the Birds and Habitats Directives and support the required financing;
- Effectively enforce existing EU laws on nature protection;
- Properly and consistently integrate biodiversity protection into key economic sectors through its agriculture, water, infrastructure and development, and climate and energy policies;
- Improve green connectivity throughout the EU.
WWF will work to ensure the EU develops and implements an ambitious post 2020 Biodiversity Strategy, with adequate finance support, and we advocate for a strong EU leadership position at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity COP in 2020 to lead the way in a Global Deal for Nature and People to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.
Contacts
Sabien Leemans
Senior Biodiversity Policy Officer
+32 486 80 04 37
@SabienLeemans
Edel Shanahan
Junior Communications Officer,
Biodiversity and Agriculture
+32 473 94 79 66
@edel_shanahan
Preventing Paper Parks: How to make the EU nature laws work
The WWF Preventing Paper Parks report shows EU protected areas at risk due to lack of proper implementation of EU nature laws, series of wrongdoings by member states, and legal actions started by the Commission. It also illustrates the importance of nature protection and sustainable development going hand in hand.
WWF calls on the European Commission and Member States to step up their efforts by addressing the following priorities:
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Complete the designation of marine Natura 2000 sites;
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Develop conservation measures and management plans for all Natura 2000 sites;
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Increase investment in Natura 2000;
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Strengthen enforcement across Europe.