The EU Biodiversity Strategy & the Common Agricultural Policy

Vujadin Kovacevic, European CommissionDG ENV.D.2, Biodiversity

CEEweb Academy on CAP and Green Infrastructure,18 October 2016, Budapest

addressing main drivers of biodiversity loss and aiming to reduce key pressures

Mid-term review - October 2015

Target 2 Ecosystem Restoration & Green

Infrastructure

Objective: By 2020 maintain and enhance ecosystems and their services, within and beyond protected areas, by:•Restoring at least 15% of degraded ecosystems, through strategic Restoration Prioritisation framework (Action 6a) •Establishing ‘Green Infrastructure’ throughout the EU (Action 6b)

The EU’s Green InfrastructureStrategy

The EU GI Strategy (2013) is made up of four main

elements:

•• Promoting Green Infrastructure in main EU

policy areas

•• Supporting EU-level GI projects

•• Improving access to finance for GI projects

•• Improving information and promoting innovation

Green Infrastructure

A strategically planned network of natural and

semi-natural areas with other environmental

features designed and managed to deliver wide

range of ecosystem services (in terrestrial, aquatic,

coastal & marine environments)

Connectivity - ecological coherence - healthy

ecosystems - ecosystem services

Fragmentation – key challenge in Europe

Integration into spatial planning

Spatial and

functional structure

delivering nature

benefits to people

The EU’s Green InfrastructureStrategy

Assessing opportunities of developing a TEN-G instrument

•could act as important flagship for promoting GI at national, regional and local levels and boosting the importance of GI in policy, planning and financing decisions.

•contract on assessing costs and benefits of a TEN-G available on DG ENV website: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/ecosystems/docs/green_infrastructures/GI%20Final%20Report.pdf

N2000: Backbone of a future TEN-G network

Spatial Planning & Integrated land management: Ensuring

space for ecosystems

•Degraded, fragmented ecosystems - lower species richness – impact on ecosystem services. EEA's report: Spatial analysis of green infrastructure in Europe (2014).

Green Infrastructure in agricultural landscape

•Core areas of high biodiversity value – in/out of Natura 2000 network;

•Restored habitats that help reconnect natural areas, such as a restored reedbed or wild flower meadow;

•Natural features acting as wildlife corridors or stepping stones, e.g. small watercourses, ponds, hedgerows, woodland and flower strips;

•Buffer zones that help improve the general ecological quality and permeability of the landscape to biodiversity

•Multi-functional zones where compatible land uses can join forces e.g. food production and recreation

Why should we consider GI in agricultural landscape?

•Biodiversity – intrinsic value; healthy ecosystems, long term resilience of ecosystem functions

•‘Ecological intensification’ - optimal management of nature’s ecological functions and biodiversity to improve agricultural system performance, efficiency and farmers’ livelihoods;

•Multifunctional landscape delivering multiple benefits to the society e.g. health benefits, climate change mitigation and adaptation, socio-economic benefits (cultural heritage, employment, economic diversification etc.)

Why should we consider GI in agricultural landscape?

•Pollination – improved quantity (e.g. 30% oilseed rape, 50% apples and blueberries etc.) and quality of produce (e.g. shelf-life of strawberries, nutritional value of apples)

Garibaldi et al. (2016) Science

Why should we consider GI in agricultural landscape?

Biocontrol – usually in synergy with pollination.

Sutter & Albrecht 2016(QUESSA project) – 23% improved yields quantity

Image courtesy of Professor Felix Wackers

EU projects

Green Infrastructure in agricultural landscape

Target 3 Increase the contribution of agriculture and forestry to maintaining and enhancing biodiversity

3A) Agriculture: By 2020, maximise areas under agriculture across grasslands, arable land and permanent crops that are covered by biodiversity-related measures under the CAP so as to ensure the conservation of biodiversity and to bring about a measurable improvement in the conservation status of species and habitats that depend on or are affected by agriculture and in the provision of ecosystem services as compared to the EU2010 Baseline, thus contributing to enhance sustainable management.

•Continuing decline in the status of species and habitats of EU interest associated with agriculture•CAP reform 2014-2020 provides a range of instruments to support biodiversity. These opportunities need to be taken-up by Member States on a sufficient scale•Local examples demonstrate success of sustainable agricultural practices. If implemented more broadly, they could put the EU back on track to achieve the target by 2020

Changes (2007-2012 vs 2001-2006) in conservation status for habitats of Community interest associated with agricultural ecosystems (grassland and cropland)

Source: EEA 2015

Target 3A Mid-term review evaluation

Action 8 Enhance direct payments for environmental public goods in the EU Common Agricultural Policy

Target 3A

•ecological focus area (EFA) covering 5 % of arable area, in particular with a view to safeguarding and improving biodiversity on farms;

•crop diversification, most notably with accompanying benefits for soil quality;

•maintenance of permanent grassland with its associated environmental benefits, in particular carbon sequestration, and protection of environmentally sensitive grassland.

Review of greening after one year [SWD, June 2016]

EFAs before weighting factors [14%] After weighting factors [9%]

Review of greening after one year [SWD, June 2016]

Declared environmentally sensitive permanent grassland •16% of total permanent grassland•40 % of total permanent grassland in Natura 2000

Action 9 Better target Rural Development to biodiversityConservation

Target 3A

Action 9 Better target Rural Development to biodiversityConservation

M4-4 Non-productive investmentsM8 Investments in forest areaM10 AECMM12 Natura 2000/WFDM15 Forest environmental and climate services and forest conservation

Target 3A

Action 9 Better target Rural Development to biodiversityConservationPriority 4

Target 3A

Thank you for your attention