Natura 2000 - EU ambitions for a coherent ecological network

State of Play and Challenges

Saskia RichartzInstitute for European Environmental Policy

Institute for European Environmental Policy

• EU nature conservation policy• 1979 Birds Directive

• 1992 Habitats Directive

• others

• overview of EU policy/legal situation

• landscape protection

• seascape protection

• state of play

• challenges

Institute for European Environmental Policy

1979 Birds Directive (79/409/EEC)

• general duty on MS to maintain the population of all ‘species of

naturally occurring birds in the wild state’ in the European territory.

• prohibits the destruction and pollution of habitats, and the

disturbance of and trade in specimens.

• requires classification and protection of the most important

habitats – Special Protection Areas (SPAs).

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• MS are to maintain or restore, at favourable conservation status, natural habitats and species of wild flora and fauna of Community interest’.

• requires notification, adoption and protection of the most

important habitats – Special Areas of Conservation (SACs).

• ecological coherence of Natura 2000 is to be improved through the management of landscape featuresof major importance.

• introduced an ambitious legal timetable

1992 Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC)

6 years after the legal deadline we still do not have a Community list!

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‘Each Member State shall contribute to the creation of Natura 2000 in proportion to the

representation within its territory of the natural habitat types and the habitats of

species.’

In practice, the Directives apply to a substantial

number of natural and semi-natural habitats.

Natura 2000 Network

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• 198 habitat types (Annex I, HD)

• 485 plant and 221 animal species (Annex II, HD)

• 182 bird species (Annex I, Birds Directive).

Natura 2000 site protection is required for …

European dry heathMountain hay meadowsCoastal lagoonsReefs

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Water dependent Natura 2000 sites

2000 Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EEC)

• requires the development of River Basin Management Plans by 2009

• water dependent Natura 2000 sites have to reach ‘good ecological status’ by 2015

• some consider this a more stringent standard than ‘favourable conservation Status’

17%

LANDSCAPES

???%

SEASCAPES

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Classification of SPAs in the EU15

• in June 2004 over 3,600 sites covered around 7% of the terrestrial territory of the EU 15

• only four Member States are regarded as having largely completed their contribution

• 416 sites cover 37,583 km2 in the marine environment

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Designation of SACs the EU15

• in July 2004 over 16,000 sites covered around 13% of the terrestrial territory of the EU 15

• less than a handful of Member States are regarded as having largely completed their contribution

• over 1000 sites cover 61,000 km2 in the marine environment

• only two of six biogeographical seminars have been completed

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Progress and Timetable for new Member States

• most new MS were able to hand in their first draft list of sites upon accession or shortly after

• biogeographical seminars are due to start in the first half of 2005

• the biggest challenge will be to protect biodiversity in the face of increasing pressures and land abandonment as a result of developments in the common market

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New timetable for old Member States

• finalising terrestrial sites by 2005

• finalising marine sites by 2008

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Future Challenges and Next Steps

once completed…

• Management

• Monitoring and Reporting

• Connectivity

• Funding

• Revision of the Directives

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Institute for European Environmental Policy

http://www.ieep.org.uk/

European Commission’s Nature Web:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/nature/home.htm