Members of the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) are determined that the EU should urgently and effectively contribute to tackling the sixth global species extinction by implementing a strategy based on concrete actions, ambitious legislation and sufficient financial means.
On 28 May, by a very large majority (62 votes in favour, 4 against and 12 abstentions) they adopted their position on the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030, presented in May 2020 by the European Commission. This took 5 months and an enormous amount of work to compromise with the many parliamentary committees involved (see EUROPE 12727/2, 12636/8).
The amended own-initiative report by César Luena (S&D, Spain) welcomes the strategy’s ambition to ensure the restoration, resilience and protection of the world’s ecosystems by 2050, and its legally binding targets. The text reinforces this strategy, notably by calling for an EU Biodiversity Law, modelled after the Climate Law, to establish a governance framework up to 2050.
Given the failure of previous biodiversity strategies (2010 and 2020), the new strategy must effectively address the five main drivers of change in nature: changes in land and sea use, direct use of organisms, climate change, pollution and invasive alien species, say MEPs.
They argue that the EU needs to mobilise 20 billion euros per year for biodiversity actions in Europe.
“We are very satisfied with the outcome of today’s vote. Besides having secured a majority to endorse the main targets of the Commission’s strategy, we have also gained support for our ambitious legislative proposals, particularly our call for a European Biodiversity Law”, said Mr Luena.
The EU Biodiversity Law should protect biodiversity within and beyond protected areas and guide the way to 2050 through a series of targets, including interim targets for 2030, and commitments arising from the upcoming UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) where the post-2020 global framework is to be adopted.
According to MEPs, at least 30% of the EU’s land and sea areas must be protected by 2030 and at least one third of these areas - including all the EU’s remaining primary and ancient forests - must be strictly protected and left essentially intact. National targets should take into account differences in geographical size and the share of natural areas.
MEPs believe that “favourable conservation status” should be achieved for all protected species and habitats and that at least 30% of those currently not protected should achieve this status or show a strong trend in this direction.
They also call on the EU to take the lead in global efforts to stop the trade in endangered species.
MEPs oppose the renewal of the authorisation of glyphosate after 31 December 2022 and reiterate their call for an urgent revision of the 2018 European Pollinators Initiative, with clear targets and indicators, to halt the decline of these essential insects for environment and food security (see EUROPE 12728/8).
The report calls for the establishment of a European platform for greening cities and binding targets for urban biodiversity such as a minimum share of green roofs on new buildings and a ban on the use of chemical pesticides.
Legislation for the protection and sustainable use of land is called for.
The report also stresses the importance of a holistic application of the ‘One Health’ principle by the EU and its Member States.
The report will be voted on in the European Parliament’s plenary session from 7 to 10 June. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)