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Species of European interest (SEBI 003/CSI 007) - Assessment published May 2010: Around half of the species of Community interest (those species which, within the territory of the European Union are listed in Annexes II, IV and V of the Habitats Directive) have an unfavourable conservation status, with variation across biogeographic regions (1) . There are still significant gaps in knowledge, especially for marine species. (1) The reporting format uses three classes of Conservation Status. 'Good' (green) signifies that the species or habitat is at Favourable Conservation Status (FCS) as defined in the Directive and the habitat or species can be expected to prosper without any change to existing management or policies. In addition, two classes of 'Unfavourable' are recognised: 'Unfavourable-Bad' (red) signifies that the habitat or species is in serious danger of becoming extinct (at least locally) and 'Unfavourable-Inadequate' (amber) is used for situations where a change in management or policy is required but the danger of extinction is not so high. The unfavourable category has been split into two classes to allow improvements or deterioration to be reported. (Assessment, monitoring and reporting under Article 17 of the Habitats Directive: Explanatory Notes & Guidelines DRAFT 2 January 2006).
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Species of European interest
Protecting the tree of life: Europe is a continent of breathtaking natural beauty and dramatic contrasts. The EU’s 27 Member States stretch from the frozen Arctic Circle in the north to the warm Mediterranean waters in the south. From the wave-lashed Atlantic coast in Ireland to the snow-capped Carpathian mountains in Romania, the EU includes a vast range of natural habitats and a great diversity of flora and fauna. Our natural heritage includes several thousand types of habitat, 520 species of bird, 10 000 plant species and at least 100 000 species of invertebrate. Yet, in comparison with other regions in the world, these numbers are relatively modest. Europe is the most urbanized and densely populated continent in the world. It is also one of the most polluted. These factors have taken their toll on the natural environment.
Located in Environmental topics › Biodiversity › Multimedia
NATURA 2000: Safeguarding Europe's biodiversity: Preserving and restoring the biodiversity and ecosystems of different habitats, from the countryside to mountains to the marine environment, is a major objective for the European Union. It is committed to halting the loss of its biodiversity by 2010.
Located in Environmental topics › Biodiversity › Multimedia
Distribution and abundance of animal species (CLIM 024) - Assessment published Nov 2012: Observed climate change is having significant impacts on European fauna. These impacts include range shifts as well as local and regional extinctions of species. There is a clear poleward trend of butterfly distributions from 1990 to 2007 in Europe. Nevertheless, the migration of many species is lagging behind the changes in climate, suggesting that they are unable to keep pace with the speed of climate change. Distribution changes are projected to continue. Suitable climatic conditions for Europe’s breeding birds are projected to shift nearly 550 km north-east by the end of the 21st century under a scenario of 3 °C warming, with the average range size shrinking by 20 %. Habitat use and fragmentation and other obstacles are impeding the migration of many animal species. The difference between required and actual migration rate may lead to a progressive decline in European biodiversity.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Distribution and abundance of animal species
Weighted population trend of species predicted to lose range in response to climatic change (92 species): How to read the graph: The weighted population index of species expected to lose in range due to climatic change has decreased by 20% since 1989.
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
Corine biotopes in Baltic and Phare countries: Map of Corine biotopes boundaries in Baltic and Phare countries
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
Number of mountain Species of Community Interest (Annex II and IV of the EU Habitats Directive) endemic to mountain regions, mountain ranges, and islands of Europe: -
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
Conservation status of species of European Union interest in forest ecosystems in EU-25: Conservation status of species per biogeographical area in forest ecosystems. Statistics by region on the left, overall statistics on the right.
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
Green tip - the lights: Located in Multimedia centre
Proportion of species of Community interest (Annex II and IV of the EU Habitats Directive) endemic to Europe: -
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs