2022 is a pivotal year for nature. It is the year that world leaders will adopt a new deal for nature and people – a post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework – at the UN Biodiversity Conference COP15 in Montreal. It also marks the 30th anniversary of the EU’s Habitats Directive and Natura 2000. A...

The new Commission starts its mandate with high ambitions thanks to the new European Green Deal. Our first objective is to make Europe climate neutral by 2050. But, this must be accompanied by much wider environmental initiatives, starting with a new EU Biodiversity Strategy. Adopted in April 20...

2019 will be an important year for the EU’s biodiversity policy. After almost a decade of hard work, the time has come to start taking stock of our successes and failures as regards our ambitious target to halt the loss of biodiversity in the EU by 2020, and kick start its recovery as much as po...

In this issue of the newsletter, we present some key findings from our new report on the State of Nature in the EU. The report assesses the conservation status and trends of some 2,000 species and natural habitats protected under the Birds and Habitats Directives. In a nutshell, the report shows...

Compared to seven years ago, there is now much greater recognition of the socio-economic value of nature in general and of the multiple benefits that Natura 2000 and Green Infrastructure, in particular, can bring to society. This will hopefully encourage policy makers to take greater account of ...

Croatia joined the EU on 1 July, adding another precious jewel to the EU’s biodiversity crown. As the newest Member State, it is expected to adopt the EU ‘environmental aquis’ and implement the Birds and Habitats Directives from the first day of accession. Several years have gone into preparing ...