EU Confronts Biodiversity Crisis: Green Week Explores Solutions

As the European Union grapples with the alarming trend of species extinction, the Green Week conference has opened its doors to discuss the pressing need for biodiversity conservation. According to recent reports, nearly 15% of birds in the EU and 7.5% of marine fish species in European waters are threatened with extinction. This crisis demands immediate attention, and the EU is taking steps to address it. With its Biodiversity Strategy aiming to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity by 2020, the Commission is undertaking a mid-term assessment and a fitness check of nature legislation.

Key Takeaways:

• 15% of birds in the EU are threatened with extinction, while 7.5% of marine fish species in European waters are at risk.
• The EU's Biodiversity Strategy aims to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity by 2020.
• Targeted conservation action prompted by EU initiatives has led to successes, with 20 once-threatened species now classified as Least Concern.
• Sharks and rays are the most threatened group, with 40.4% of them threatened with extinction, and 39.7% experiencing declining populations.
• The Critically Endangered Angelshark, once found throughout European waters, is now restricted to the Canary Islands.
• Iconic birds such as the Sociable Lapwing, Yellow-breasted Bunting, and Slender-billed Curlew are among the 10 species classified as Critically Endangered.
• The EU's Biodiversity Strategy includes actions to improve the effectiveness of EU nature legislation, including the Birds and Habitats Directives.
• Commissioner Karmenu Vella emphasizes the need to find ways of building on conservation successes and spreading them to other areas.

Statistics:

• 533 bird species were assessed in the report, with 13% (67) of them categorized as threatened.
• 40.4% of shark and ray species are threatened with extinction, while 39.7% are experiencing declining populations.
• 10 bird species are classified as Critically Endangered, including the Sociable Lapwing, Yellow-breasted Bunting, and Slender-billed Curlew.
• 20 once-threatened bird species are now classified as Least Concern, including the Dalmatian Pelican, Eurasian Thick-knee, Black Kite, and Lesser Kestrel.
• The EU's Biodiversity Strategy aims to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity by 2020.

Sources:

• European Commission press release.
• European Commission's Biodiversity Strategy.
• European Commission's State of Nature report.
• European Commission's Red Lists report.