Biodiversity protection, only six EU countries have a strategy for 2030

Brussels – Nature protection and conservation: European strategy exists, but national plans for its implementation are lacking. Europe of States is committed but only on paper. In fact, not even that. Because intentions are lacking in government responses, with the result that the European Commission is in no position to say whether and to what extent progress can be made. The Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, with all its targets, is therefore lagging in defiance of the EU’s “green” transition. In Brussels, the Commission attempts to downplay, while in the EU’s capital,  the Parliament asks for enlightenment.

The socialist MEP Cesar Luena asks to take stock of the situation, indeed with a question to the Commission, for what is a key part of legislation in the broader European Green Deal. Presented on May 20, 2020, the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030 is a comprehensive, ambitious, long-term plan to protect nature and reverse ecosystem degradation.

Member states have recognized that “biodiversity is declining at an alarming rate, whether on land, sea, lake or river areas. Hence the commitment to protect biological diversity and restore it where necessary. The agreed goals call for preserving 30 per cent of the EU territory and 30 per cent of marine areas by 2030, 10 per cent of which must be strictly protected. “We expected the member states to submit their commitments and thus their contribution to the 30 per cent protection target, as outlined in the strategy, by the end of 2023,” laments the MEP, who is aware that something is not adding up. 

Government strategies are lacking, acknowledges Environment and Maritime Commissioner Virginius Sinkevicius. With five months to go before the deadline, “only six Member States out of 27 have notified the European Commission of their commitments to achieve the EU protected areas targets under the 2030 Biodiversity Strategy. To date, only Denmark, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain, and Sweden have notified clear and precise plans. 

Sinkevicius is keen to point out that there were no legal obligations and that “submission of commitments is not a precondition for making progress in terms of designation of protected areas.” However, he admits, “because of the limited number of commitments received so far, the Commission does not have enough information to assess whether the EU is on track to achieve its protected area targets by 2030.” 

The community executive cannot say, in essence, whether progress is being made, and that is because of the inaction of three-quarters of the members of the 12-star club. Sinkevicius assures that “the Commission intends to continue the dialogue with the member states and review the commitments made,” which is the only thing to do in the absence of written and detailed plans. So, onward with biodiversity protection, but blindly. Indeed, not a good calling card for the EU of sustainability.