EUROPARC’s Position on the EU targets for Protected Areas

Cover photo: Giancarlo Giudici, Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio (IT)

The new EU 2030 Biodiversity Strategy sets ambitious goals to stop biodiversity loss and bring nature back into our lives. Find here EUROPARC’s Position Paper on the EU targets for Protected Areas, developed with 17 other members of the European Habitat Forum (EHF).

Towards the implementation of the EU 2030 Protected Area Targets

We are pleased to share here the position paper we recently adopted on the EU targets for Protected Areas, contained in the 2030 EU Biodiversity Strategy.

EUROPARC very much welcomes the high level of ambition contained in the EU Strategy, but an effort is now needed to ensure its effective implementation.

A series of questions come up as soon as we start looking at the document from a practical perspective:

  • What priority measures to improve management effectiveness of the existing protected areas?
  • Targeting to protect 30% of EU land and sea, which areas should be taken into account?
  • What role for Natura 2000 areas?
  • Which criteria to define strict protection?

Read the position paper here

With this document we therefore propose, to the European Commission and Member States, a series of recommendations, criteria and priorities to interpret the Protected Areas’ targets and pave the way towards their implementation.

Contributing organisations

This position paper was developed in partnership and through a constructive dialogue with many other major environmental organisations from across Europe. We are keen to hear also your views and any further inputs you might have.

Please feel free to share thoughts and reflections writing to Federico.minozzi@europarc.org

Read the position paper here

The role of Protected Areas in the EU 2030 Biodiversity Strategy

In particular, looking at the Protected Areas perspective, the EU’s declared ambition is that Europe must lead the world when it comes to protecting our biodiversity. The EUROPARC Federation advocates that, not only Natura 2000 sites, but that all national and regional Protected Areas are recognised as:

  • KEY ACTORS TO IMPLEMENT EU POLICIES ON THE FIELD
  • KEY BENEFICIARIES OF EU POLICIES, PROGRAMS AND ACTIONS.

More specifically, the Biodiversity Strategy and the Actions Plan should take into consideration all Protected Areas in the following points:

Download the full document