Introduction to the Workshop on Target 1 of the 2020 Biodiversity Strategy

Stefan Leiner, DG ENV

European Commission

Nature Directors Meeting

Denmark, 22 May 2012

Target 1 - to fully implement the Birds and Habitats Directives

To halt the deterioration in the status of all species and habitats covered by EU nature legislation and achieve a significant and measurable improvement in their status so that, by 2020, compared to current assessments:•(i) 100% more habitat assessments and 50% more species assessments under the Habitats Directive show an improved conservation status; and•(ii) 50% more species assessments under the Birds Directive show a secure or improved status

Target 1 - 4 key actions

1. Completing and managing the network2. Ensuring adequate financing of Natura 2000 (not

subject to this presentation)

3. Increasing public awareness, stakeholder involvement & improving enforcement

4. Improving and streamlining monitoring & reporting

Action 1: Network to be largely completed by 2012 (1)SCI and SPA designation

• Habitats Directive: 6 new Union Lists* adopted on 18 November 2011

• Plus 166 SCI/SAC sites (now 22 558 sites)• Total SCI/SAC area : 728 745 km² (+ 2,65 %)• Most expansion in the marine

But: update of “reserves” based on end 2010 list

• Still 833 reserves left (MAJ, MOD, SR)• Of these 712 terrestrial, 121 marine

* (Alpine, Atlantic, Boreal, Continental, Mediterranean, Pannonian)

Sufficiency of Natura 2000 network Terrestrial part (species and habitat types)

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CY SK SI PL LT RO CZ IT PT AT BG LV MT DE EE FI ES FR GR SE BE HU UK LU IE NL DK

SR

IN MAJ

IN MOD

IN MIN

SUF

SR: Scientific reserve, further inventories requiredIN MAJ: Major insufficiency IN MOD: Moderate insufficiency IN MIN: Minor insufficiencySUF: Sufficient designation of sites

Sufficiency of Natura 2000 networkMarine part (species and habitat type)

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LV SI LT FI EE MT PL BE RO BG CY NL IT GR IE SE PT UK DE DK FR ES

SR

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SR: Scientific reserve, further inventories requiredIN MAJ: Major insufficiency IN MOD: Moderate insufficiency IN MIN: Minor insufficiencySUF: Sufficient designation of sites

Q1

• Will the SCI and SPA designation process be largely completed by 2012?

Action 1: Completion of the Network (2) SAC designation and management of the sites

• Natura 2000 Seminars• Boreal Natura 2000 seminar: Preparatory Workshop

held in Helsinki, 25 & 26 January 2012; Pilot Seminar: Finland, 28 – 29 May 2012

• Atlantic Seminar: Preparatory Workshop: 20 – 21 June 2012, ATL Seminar: End 2012 in NL

• Next: Alpine Seminar: June 2013, Lead: Austria

• SAC designation• Paper on SAC designation finalised• Paper on Conservation objectives finalised• Experience shared on the establishment conservation

measures• Many sites are improving and well managed, but

many are under pressure and degrading• 6 year deadline for SAC designation increasingly

overdue

SAC designation deadlinesituation as of may 2012, based on SDFs

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DK LU SE UK DE NL GR ES IT PT FR FI IE AT BE SK HU

unknown

Deadline passed

Deadline not passed

SAC designated

Q2

• Is the SAC designation process on track? What are remaining key challenges?

Action 3: Stakeholder awareness & involvement and enforcement (1)

Habitats Directive/LIFE 20 Years celebrations•Natura 2000 Brochure •5 Natura 2000 LIFE site live events•SuperAlp! walk

•Key celebratory Conference in October in Hohe Kempen •Also other events in MS (BE-Flanders, Latvia, Germany (NGOs), Eurosite PL/CZ Transboundary, …) •LIFE project events: more than 190 announced so far•LIFE brochure: The Voices of LIFE

Natura 2000 campaign•End phase of Biodiversity Campaign

Action 3: Stakeholder awareness & involvement and enforcement (2)

• Enforcement• Still many complaints and infringements• Confidence building initiatives (large

carnivores, cormorants)• Illegal Killing of Birds: outcome of contract on

“stocktaking” discussed with stakeholders, “roadmap” to be prepared for Ornis ctee, activities underway (EU-TWIX, training for judges, web-page)

• New Commission communication (see presentation by Liam Cashman on day 1)

Action 3: Stakeholder awareness & involvement and enforcement (3)

• Guidance• Already a lot existing (Art 6, Species protection, Hunting,

reporting, marine designations, wind energy, ports & estuaries, extractive industries,…)

• Discussion finalised: soon to be issued: Natura 2000 & Inland water transport Natura 2000 & Climate Change Natura 2000 & Wilderness Natura 2000 & Aquaculture

• Work ongoing: Art 6 guidance doc update Natura 2000 and agriculture Forestry & Natura 2000 Revision of Bird Species Action Plans and Management Plans Cormorants: guidance on derogations to be published in 2012 Natura 2000 & Energy infrastructure Study on evaluating and improving permitting procedures

related to Natura 2000

• Key message of many: integrated planning key• They need to be better used and applied

Q3

• How can implementation, compliance and stakeholder involvement and public awareness be further improved? Is there still guidance missing?

Action 4: Reporting & monitoring

• Last 2 meetings of Habitats Committee (prepared by Reporting Group and support of EEA/ETC) finalised formats & guidelines for Art.17, Art.12 & SDF data-flows• Technical implementation of tools to support MS (helpdesk, training,

Reference Portals, etc…)• Natura 2000: SDF software is ready for use, transition phase ends

September 2012, essential to keep SDF databe up to date• Work-plan 2012-2015: Art.17 MS deadline 30/6/2013; Art. 12 MS

Deadline 31/12/2012, evaluation od data, peer review, consolidation in 2014, final report early 2015

• Ongoing work towards integrated biodiversity monitoring and reporting mechanism (BISE) and more synergies with other env legislation (e.g. WFD, MSFD)

These provide major info on implementation of Biodiversity Strategy

Essential that MS have systems in place to provide good, timely and updated data!

Q4

• Are the necessary systems in place in the MS to ensure full and timely delivery of the BD Art 12 and HD Art 17 reports and updated info on Natura 2000 in the SDFs?

Target 1 linked to other targets of the BS