Actions for Nature – Conference

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On the 14th of September, dozens of experts and organisations that work every day for a “fit” EU biodiversity policy, gathered at the Committee of the Regions, Brussels. How to make EU policies suitable for our actual needs? Where are the opportunities? What are the solutions for the problems we face? The EUROPARC Federation was one of the organisations present there, representing the view of our Protected Areas.

The EU’s target of halting biodiversity loss by 2020 remains a serious challenge. Europe’s biodiversity continues to be dangerously eroded through habitat loss, pollution, over-exploitation of resources, invasive alien species and climate change.

The “Actions for Nature Conference”, organised by the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) and host by the Committee of the Regions, brought together 20 speakers and 14 panellists from NGOs, the European Commission, Member States, and the private sector to discuss how targeted, well-crafted and well-enforced policies can help reverse this trend.

actions for nature, conference

Mr. Daniel Calleja Crespo, DG Environment General Director, confirmed the key role of the Natura 2000 Directives in the EU policies for biodiversity and the determination to use the results of the Fitness Check process – that will be published in October – to improve the system. He also stressed that the awareness of the public is increasing, even if a lot more has still to be done in that direction.

The Conference analysed several aspects in 5 Thematic Sections:

  • “Better enforcement of EU environmental laws”,
  • “Better implementation and management of Natura 2000”,
  • “Scaling up financing for Natura 2000 management and restoration”,
  • “Addressing pressures on biodiversity from agriculture”,
  • “Addressing pressures from fisheries and energy on marine biodiversity”.

All presentations are available at http://www.eeb.org/index.cfm/news-events/news/actions-for-nature/