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The impact of environmental strategy and legislation on land use Andr ás Demeter,

The impact of environmental strategy and legislation on land use Andr ás Demeter, enlargement coordinator Nature & Biodiversity Unit, Directorate-General Environment, European Commission. Why is this small rodent becoming ever more endangered?. Because it needs short grass!.

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The impact of environmental strategy and legislation on land use Andr ás Demeter,

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  1. The impact of environmental strategy and legislation on land use András Demeter, enlargement coordinator Nature & Biodiversity Unit, Directorate-General Environment, European Commission DG Env.B2

  2. DG Env.B2

  3. Why is this small rodent becoming ever more endangered? DG Env.B2

  4. Because it needs short grass! DG Env.B2

  5. DG Env.B2

  6. Monitoring sousliksin Hungary DG Env.B2

  7. 1st Environment Action Programme Single European Act-Environment title One component of other Community policies Maastricht Treaty- A policy European Community Treaty reviewed after AmsterdamTreaty- Sustainable Development pillar Community’s institutional answer to environmental challenges 1973 1987 1993 1999 DG Env.B2

  8. Sustainable development The policy context Gothenburg European Council-June 2001 Agreement on A Sustainable Europe for a BetterWorld: A European Union Strategy for Sustainable Development “A long-term strategy dovetailing policies for economically, socially and ecologically sustainable development” To halt the decline of biodiversity by 2010! DG Env.B2

  9. 6th Environmental Action Programme… in 6 figures • 10 years programme • 4 environmental areas • 3 cross-cuttings issues • 156 actions • 3 to 4 years to present initiatives • Review after 4 years DG Env.B2

  10. Climate Change Environment & quality of life Air Nature & biodiversity Sustainable use & management of natural resources & wastes 6 EAP The Thematic Strategies in the 6th EAP Marine Soil Resources Recycling Pesticides Urban DG Env.B2

  11. Some important EU environmental legislation for rural landowners • Nitrate directive • Environmental Impact Assessment directive • Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment Directive • Water Framework Directive • Nature directives DG Env.B2

  12. Nitrate Directive91/676/EEC • Detection of polluted or threatened waters • Designation of vulnerable zones • Code(s) of good agricultural practice • Action programmes • National monitoring DG Env.B2

  13. DG Env.B2

  14. Environmental Impact AssessmentDirective 85/337/EEC • applies to projects • a public authority empowered to decide whether impact assessment is adequate • permission only granted if no significant impact or remedial measures • public participation • list of activities DG Env.B2

  15. Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive 2001/42/EC • MS-s to implement by 21 July 2004 • objective: to ensure that environmental consequences of certain plans and programmes are identified and assessed during ther preparation • integration of views of authorities • the public are informed DG Env.B2

  16. WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE • Environmental objectives for all waters • Analysis of impact and pressures including an economic analysis • Co-ordinated River Basin Management Plans with programme of measures • Public participation • Efficiency of measures DG Env.B2

  17. WFD:ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES • Surface waterNo deterioration; Good ecological, chemical status; phase out hazardous substances; Restoration; • Ground waterNo deterioration;Good qualitative and quantitative status; Balance between abstraction and recharge; Restoration • Protected areasRespect all norms and criteria for the protected areas DG Env.B2

  18. A WFD KEY CONCEPT:RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT PLANS • Characteristics of River Basin Districts • Analysis of pressures and impacts, economic analysis • Monitoring network • Established environmental objectives and derogations • Program of measures • Results of public participation DG Env.B2

  19. The Gothenburg target of halting decline of biodiversity by 2010 • Good indicator for wild bird species, e.g. in UK DG Env.B2

  20. Why dealing with nature on EU-level? • Major habitats under threat - wetlands in north & west Europe have been reduced by 60% in recent decades • Species also in decline - 45 % of Europe’s butterflies threatened, 38% of Europe’s birds threatened • Transboundary problems - eg. migratory birds • Landuse-impact of other EU-policies - agriculture, transport, fisheries, ... JOINT ACTION NEEDED! DG Env.B2

  21. DG Env.B2

  22. Natura 2000 network Global aim: Maintain or restore the favourable conservation status of certain species and natural habitat types in their natural range SPA SCI DG Env.B2

  23. EU-nature conservation policy Two main directives: • “Wild Birds Directive” (79/409/EEC) bird species • “Habitats Directive” (92/43/EEC) other animal and plant species, habitat types DG Env.B2

  24. Implementing the Birds Directive –nesting and migratory species DG Env.B2

  25. Setting up Natura 2000Birds Directive 1) Member States classify(CC: by accession) 2) Commission takes coordinating role Reference list: Important Bird Areas (IBAs)based on international criteria DG Env.B2

  26. Setting up Natura 2000Habitats Directive 1) National lists proposed (AC: by accession) 2) Selection process on biogeographical level (aim: Community list) - MS & EC - max. 3 years 3) Designationby MS max. 6 years after Community list DG Env.B2

  27. What is special about Natura 2000? • Clearly defined objectives • Science based • Biogeographic regions • Site evaluation/selection on EU-level • Management / Integration • Legal obligation for the member states DG Env.B2

  28. State of play in 2003 DG Env.B2

  29. NATURA 2000 network → 12.000 -15.000 sites → 10% - 15% of the area of the EU DG Env.B2

  30. 10 Acs - Pannonian - 20 habitats - 77 animals - 88 plants DG Env.B2

  31. NATURA BAROMETER – BIRDS DIRECTIVE – 08/10/03 DG Env.B2

  32. NATURA BAROMETER – HABITATS DIRECTIVE – 08/10/03 DG Env.B2

  33. DG Env.B2

  34. Enlargement • The long technical discussions of modifying the annexes (more than 1000 proposals from the 12 candidate countries) • Result - new, consolidated annexes in the Treaty and Act of Accession (ca. 150 pages!) DG Env.B2

  35. DG Env.B2

  36. The high level of biodiversity in the acceding states will enrich the EU, and provide new opportunities! DG Env.B2

  37. For example, the second EU member state to have the flying squirrel will be Estonia DG Env.B2

  38. 2 of the 13 new bird species in Annex I also proposed by Bulgaria (and HU, PL, SK) DG Env.B2

  39. The species such as the steppe polecat (Mustela eversmanii)orthe beetle Carabus hungaricus have been proposed by both the Czech Republic and Hungary DG Env.B2

  40. and…some countries asked for GEOGRAPHIC RESTRICTION for • wolf • bear • beaver • lynx DG Env.B2

  41. Acceding states • No transition periods for nature legislation • Prepare national lists to be ready by accession • Art.6.2/3/4 applies by accession • All new investments to comply with the EC environmental acqui DG Env.B2

  42. The European Commission is closely monitoring the process of setting up the Natura 2000 network in the Accession Countries • a Comprehensive Monitoring Report was published yesterday • a strategy for the period up to Day 1 of membership DG Env.B2

  43. As regards as regards implementing Natura 2000, the report identified… • High level of alignment in four acceding states (LT, LV, SI, SK) • Concerns and hence enhanced efforts required in the other six acceding states DG Env.B2

  44. Should there always be a conflicts between conservation goals and economic interests? DG Env.B2

  45. DG Env.B2

  46. A concern for the Commission DG Env.B2

  47. Using the Opportunities... • Rural tourism • Extensive agriculture and forestry - commercial asset for products • Employment effects • Access to funding possibilities DG Env.B2

  48. LEADER+ • Action 1: support for integrated territorial rural development strategies of a pilot nature on the bottom-up approach and horizontal partnerships • One of the priority themes: • „making the best use of natural and cultural resources, including enhancing the value sites of Community interest selected under Natura 2000.” http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/dg06/rur/leaderplus/index_en.htm DG Env.B2

  49. INTERREG III • Initiative to stimulate interregional cooperation in EU • Strand A: cross-border • Strand B: transnational • Strand C: interregional • INTERREG IIIC • Regional and other public authorities across the entire EU • financed from the European Regional Development Fund http://www.interreg3.net DG Env.B2

  50. Financing Natura 2000 The Commission has set up a Working Group on Article 8 of the Habitats Directive • Recognising that greater knowledge on the costs of implementing Natura 2000 is required • The Group was formed in December 2001 • Final report published in December, 2002 DG Env.B2

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