SEBI 2010 expert group on Indicators of climate change impacts on biodiversity

1. SEBI 2010 expert group onIndicators of climate change impacts on biodiversity Presentation of the SEBI 2009 report and follow-up Sophie Condé SEBI WG1 coordinator, ETC/BD

2. Political context (1) What ’ new since • the adoption of the set of indicators by CBD, PEBDLS and EU (2004) • the EC Biodiversity Communication (2006) • The mid term EC BAP review (2008) 3rd SEBI Expert Group Meeting Climate change and Biodiversity 11-12 June 2009 Paris

3. Political context (2) • G8 environment meeting in Syracuse, Italy, April 2009 • Around 20 countries decided to take measures on • Climate • Biodiversity, Economics and Business • Management of Biodiversity and Ecosystems Services • Science, Research and Policy • A common path toward the post-2010 framework on biodiversity 3rd SEBI Expert Group Meeting Climate change and Biodiversity 11-12 June 2009 Paris

4. Political context (3) • High-level conference in Athens, Greece – “Commission calls for a shake-up in EU biodiversity policy”, May 2009 • With 8 action points: • a vision of why biodiversity matters • a better understanding of where we are and what more we need to do • a fully functioning network of protected areas • biodiversity outside of protected areas • biodiversity and Climate Change • global biodiversity • integration of biodiversity into other policy areas • funding 3rd SEBI Expert Group Meeting Climate change and Biodiversity 11-12 June 2009 Paris

5. Political context (4) • The future • Setting post 2010 targets • Importance of biodiversity acknowledged • Links to ecosystem services and climate change • Further build the knowledge base • Sectoral integration! 3rd SEBI Expert Group Meeting Climate change and Biodiversity 11-12 June 2009 Paris

6. SEBI2010 outputs (1) • 2007: technical report documenting the indicators Available on EEA website 3rd SEBI Expert Group Meeting Climate change and Biodiversity 11-12 June 2009 Paris

7. SEBI2010 outputs (2) • 2009: first assessment based on the 26 indicators Available on EEA website 3rd SEBI Expert Group Meeting Climate change and Biodiversity 11-12 June 2009 Paris

8. SEBI2010 outputs (3) • 2009: first assessment based on the 26 indicators • First report based on biodiversity indicators defined within the CBD in 2004 at European level; • Takes stock of the state of biodiversity and its loss based on the most recent data; • Show what is missing to enable a comprehensive assessments 3rd SEBI Expert Group Meeting Climate change and Biodiversity 11-12 June 2009 Paris

9. SEBI2010 outputs (4) • 2009: fact sheets for the full set of 26 indicators Will be available soon on EEA website 3rd SEBI Expert Group Meeting Climate change and Biodiversity 11-12 June 2009 Paris

10. Main findings of the report (1) 3rd SEBI Expert Group Meeting Climate change and Biodiversity 11-12 June 2009 Paris

11. Main findings of the report (2) 3rd SEBI Expert Group Meeting Climate change and Biodiversity 11-12 June 2009 Paris

12. Main findings of the report (3) 3rd SEBI Expert Group Meeting Climate change and Biodiversity 11-12 June 2009 Paris

13. Main findings of the report (4) Status and trends of the components of biodiversity • Some progress has been made towards halting the loss of biodiversity within Europe but overall the status and trends of most species and habitats give rise to concern, whilst genetic diversity in livestock remains at risk. As for wildlife, the overall risk of species extinction in Europe has further increased. • Much progress has been made in designating protected areas and priority should now be given to their management. The conservation status of the species and habitats covered by EU legislation, however, remains unsatisfactory with 50-85 % of habitats and 40-70 % of species of European interest remaining in an unfavourable conservation status according to the terrestrial regions. • Data availability for ecosystems is limited. Land cover data show a further decline in the extent of grasslands and wetlands with an increase in urban, woodland and open water habitats. 3rd SEBI Expert Group Meeting Climate change and Biodiversity 11-12 June 2009 Paris

14. Main findings of the report (5) Threats to biodiversity • Some threats to biodiversity have decreased significantly, whereas others have not, as specified below. • Acidification and eutrophication caused by excess nitrogen are declining but invasive alien species and climate change appear to have increasingly negative impacts. • Natural and semi-natural land is under pressure, especially from urban sprawl and abandonment of agricultural land. Fragmentation is a threat to forest areas. • Water quality is improving in freshwater and largely unchanged in transitional, coastal and marine waters. Overexploitation of marine fisheries is a major threat to marine ecosystems. • Nitrogen balances on farmland are decreasing, though they are still high. 3rd SEBI Expert Group Meeting Climate change and Biodiversity 11-12 June 2009 Paris

15. Main findings of the report (6) Ecosystem integrity and ecosystem services • Water quality in freshwater systems is improving. • In the marine environment, pollution levels are relatively constant and the state of marine fauna is worrying due to unsustainable fishing practices. • On land, habitat fragmentation is a major concern. 3rd SEBI Expert Group Meeting Climate change and Biodiversity 11-12 June 2009 Paris

16. Main findings of the report (7) Sustainable use • Forestry is generally sustainable in terms of wood volume harvested, but a stronger biodiversity focus is needed. • Agriculture still exerts a high pressure on the environment, despite agri-environmental measures and increasing organic production. • Commercial fisheries appear unsustainable, with as much as 45 % of assessed stocks being overexploited. • Overall, Europe uses more resources and produces more waste than it can sustainably produce and absorb respectively. 3rd SEBI Expert Group Meeting Climate change and Biodiversity 11-12 June 2009 Paris

17. Main findings of the report (8) Status of access and benefits sharing - Status of resource transfer and use - Public opinion • A significant proportion of patent applications is based on genetic resources, but additional work is required to link the data with wider economic and geographical information. • Spending on biodiversity is only a small part of the EU budget and more information on funding from other sources is needed. • Public awareness of biodiversity is low and urgently needs attention. 3rd SEBI Expert Group Meeting Climate change and Biodiversity 11-12 June 2009 Paris

18. Main findings of the report (9) For the next assessment • to determine target values and baselines for each indicator where possible. • will focus more strongly on interactions, responses and integration of biodiversity concerns into sectoral policies. • a deeper analysis will be done of the impact of Europe and its policies on biodiversity in the world 3rd SEBI Expert Group Meeting Climate change and Biodiversity 11-12 June 2009 Paris

19. SEBI2010 outputs (4) Interlinkages report (short term recommendations) • Accompany each indicator by a clear interpretation guidance. The indicators may produce contradictory messages (up and down). • Provide state and trend information (absolute and relative) and ranges. • Show underlying positive or negative exceptions in addition of the average results. • Use major ecosystem types (biome) and country groups as intermediate spatial scales between (pan) Europe and countries in order to show the diversity within Europe. • Reorder the focal areas in: i) state, ii) threats, iii) goods & services and sustainable use and , iv) response. They do better match the 4 policy key questions 3rd SEBI Expert Group Meeting Climate change and Biodiversity 11-12 June 2009 Paris

20. SEBI2010 outputs (5) Interlinkages report (long term recommendations) • Build models of the major cause-effect relationships (DPSIR) in a concerted scientific effort. The few models which do exist can be used as starting point. • Make temporal scales, spatial scales, baselines, assessment principles and critical levels more coherent. Current indicators draw on existing data and indicators as suggested by the CBD, coming from different institutions developed for different purposes. Consequently, they offer a scattered picture hampering clear policy conclusions. • Determine critical levels in order to assess whether marine ecosystems, forest and agriculture are sustainably managed. • Connection must be made with the European Platform Biodiversity Research Srategy and national biodiversity research strategies to reinforce research on these issues 3rd SEBI Expert Group Meeting Climate change and Biodiversity 11-12 June 2009 Paris

21. SEBI2010 outputs (5) 3rd SEBI Expert Group Meeting Climate change and Biodiversity 11-12 June 2009 Paris

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25. Thank you for your attention! 3rd SEBI Expert Group Meeting Climate change and Biodiversity 11-12 June 2009 Paris