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Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity

We enhance the knowledge base, facilitate its sharing and foster cross-sectorial policy dialogue for EU policy making in biodiversity and related fields.

Page | Last updated: 08 Nov 2021

Protect Nature

To put biodiversity on the path to recovery by 2030, the EU is committed to widen its network of protected areas and build a truly coherent Trans-European Nature Network.

Overview

To put biodiversity on the path to recovery by 2030, the EU is committed to widen its network of protected areas and build a truly coherent Trans-European Nature Network.

The key commitments by 2030 regarding Nature protection are the following :

  1. Legally protect a minimum of 30% of the EU’s land area and 30% of the EU’s sea area and integrate ecological corridors, as part of a true Trans-European Nature Network.
  2. Strictly protect at least a third of the EU’s protected areas, including all remaining EU primary and old-growth forests.
  3. Effectively manage all protected areas, defining clear conservation objectives and measures, and monitoring them appropriately.

Actions

To reach these commitments, the European Commission has planned the key following actions :

Protect Nature - actions
Key actions to be taken by the Commission Indicative timetable

Criteria and guidance for identifying and designating additional protected areas and ecological corridors, on appropriate management planning, and on how other effective area-based conservation measures and urban greening can contribute to the EU 2030 nature protection targets

2020

Assessment of the EU’s progress in meeting its 2030 targets on protected areas and whether additional action, legislative or other, is needed

by 2024

 

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