Status and trends of biodiversity, including benefits from biodiversity and ecosystem services

Despite significant efforts and some successful local conservation initiatives, the state of biodiversity, ecosystems and their services in the EU continues to show deteriorating trends. These result from land and sea use pressures, overexploitation and unsustainable management practices, as well as water regime modifications, pollution, invasive alien species and – increasingly – the impacts of climate change. The European Environment Agency’s report on the State of Nature in the EU (2020), and monitoring report on the EU 8th Environment Action Programme (2023) indicate that:

• Agricultural activities, such as the abandonment of extensive management and intensifying land management practices, are the most common pressure on biodiversity overall, followed by urbanisation pressures (especially affecting coastal habitats) and pollution.
• The common bird index shows a 12% decline in the 1990-2021 period. The decline in common farmland birds over the same period has been much more pronounced, at 36%, while the common forest bird index has decreased by 5%.
• Hunting and illegal killing are the biggest overall pressures for migratory birds.
• Habitat modifications, invasive alien species and pollution pose major pressures on terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats and species. Climate change is a rising threat.
• Only 14% of habitats assessments and 27% of non-bird species’ assessments indicate ‘good’ conservation status. Pollinators’ habitats have worse conservation status and trends than other habitats.
• Natura 2000 sites cover 18% of land and 10% of marine waters in the EU.

Further information, including data and methodologies, can be found at the EEA website. The 2020 State of European Environment report provides further information with a wider environmental scope. The 2023 monitoring report on the 8th Environment Action Programme is the first of a series of annual reports to takes stock of progress based on a set of 28 EU indicators.

Implementation of the NBSAP

Measures to Implement the Convention and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

Over the last decade, the EU has undertaken a number of initiatives addressing biodiversity loss in the EU and globally. In May 2020, the European Commission adopted the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, a comprehensive, ambitious and long-term plan to protect nature and reverse the degradation of ecosystems, anticipating the Global Biodiversity Framework. It aims to put Europe's biodiversity on a path to recovery by 2030 and contains specific actions and commitments. The strategy can be regarded as the EU National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, as provided for in Article 6 of the Convention. The strategy is a major component of the European Green Deal, and many of its targets are mirrored in other EU policy initiatives, such as the EU Farm-to-Fork Strategy and the Zero Pollution Action Plan. It implemented and complemented by various legislative and non-legislative instruments such as the Birds and Habitats Directives (which is the basis for the Natura 2000 network of protected areas), the Water Framework Directive, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the EU Soil Strategy, the EU Deforestation Regulation and the Common Agriculture Policy, the Common Fisheries Policy, EU legislation on genetically modified organisms, the ABS Regulation and many other relevant policies. A new EU Nature Restoration Law entered into force in August 2024, setting binding targets to restore degraded ecosystems, in particular those with the most potential to capture and store carbon and to prevent and reduce the impact of natural disasters. See the Commission’s website for further information on relevant policies.entered into force in August 2024, setting binding targets to restore degraded ecosystems, in particular those with the most potential to capture and store carbon and to prevent and reduce the impact of natural disasters. See the Commission’s website for further information on relevant policies.

In July 2024, the EU uploaded the EU targets to implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework in the Online Reporting Tool. They cover all targets of the GBF and for each EU target, the relevant implementing instruments are referenced. See also the profiles, National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans and national targets of the individual EU Member States.

A Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity (KCBD) supports the implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy and monitoring progress. Two online tools for tracking progress are publicly available on KCBD:

• an online actions tracker provides up-to-date information on the state of implementation of the strategy’s many actions
• a targets dashboard is under development, with indicators to show progress to the quantified biodiversity targets set by the Strategy, at the EU level and in the Member States

The Biodiversity Information System for Europe publishes the data underpinning the implementation of the strategy and EU nature legislation.