The European Commission has published its latest assessment of the state of nature in the EU, showing that the most frequently reported pressures for habitats and species “stem from agriculture”.
The report provides a review of the situation of Europe’s most vulnerable species and habitats protected under EU nature laws.
Pollution of air, water and soil also impacts habitats, as well as climate change, over-exploitation of animals through illegal harvesting and untenable hunting and fishing.
If not addressed, this decline will “inevitably result in the continued erosion of our biodiversity and the vital services it provides, putting human health and prosperity at risk”.
Most frequently reported pressures stem from agriculture
According to the report, the most frequently reported pressures for both habitats and species stem from agriculture, which “reflects the relative scale of agricultural land use and changes in farming practices [intensification and abandonment of extensive agriculture]”.
The report states:
“Extensive agricultural management creates and maintains semi-natural habitats with diverse fauna and flora. Since the 1950s, however, more intensive and specialised farming has contributed increasingly to ongoing biodiversity loss.
Grasslands, freshwater habitats, heaths and scrubs, and bogs, mires and fens have been most severely affected. Semi-natural habitats depending on agriculture, such as grasslands, are particularly threatened and their conservation status is significantly worse than for other habitat types that do not depend on agriculture.
Compared to 2015, assessments of agricultural habitats show an overall deterioration in conservation status. ‘Good status’ decreased from 14% to 12%, and ‘bad status’ increased from 39% to 45%.
Only 8% of agricultural habitats show an improving trend, whereas 45% are deteriorating.
Many species of birds, reptiles, molluscs, amphibians, arthropods and vascular plants are also impacted and farmland biodiversity continuous to decline.
A clear need for action
The report underlines the “clear need for action” if we are to have “any serious chance” of putting Europe’s biodiversity on a path to recovery by 2030, as envisaged in the new EU Biodiversity Strategy.
In this regard, the full implementation of the goals and targets proposed in the strategy, as well as in Farm to Fork, will be essential, according to the commission.
The assessment shows that while there are protected species and habitats that are managing to hold the line despite being subject to major pressure, the majority “have poor or bad status at EU level”, with some showing continued deteriorating trends.
Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius said this assessment shows, “yet again, very clearly, that we are losing our vital life support system”.
As much as 81% of protected habitats are in poor condition in the EU. We urgently need to deliver on the commitments in the new EU Biodiversity Strategy to reverse this decline for the benefit of nature, people, climate and the economy.
Hans Bruyninckx, executive director of the European Environment Agency, added that safeguarding nature requires “fundamental changes to the way we produce and consume food, manage and use forests and build cities”.