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10 messages for 2010 - Agricultural ecosystems
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Within the framework of the CAP, the last 50 years have seen increasing attention to biodiversity, but
without clear benefits so far. With agriculture covering about half of EU land area, Europe's biodiversity is linked inextricably to
agricultural practices, creating valuable agro-ecosystems across the whole of Europe.
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10 messages for 2010 - Coastal ecosystems
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Key messages: 1) As an interface between land and sea, European coastlines provide vital resources for wildlife, but also
for the economy and human health and well-being. 2) Multiple pressures, including habitat loss and degradation, pollution, climate change and overexploitation of fish stocks, affect coastal ecosystems. 3) Coastal habitat types and species of Community interest are at risk in Europe; two thirds of coastal
habitat types and more than half of coastal species have an unfavourable conservation status. 4) Integrated and ecosystem-based approaches provide the foundation for sustainable coastal
management and development, supporting socio-economic development, biodiversity and ecosystem
services. Coordinated action at the global, regional and local levels will be key to sustainable
management of coastal ecosystems.
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10 messages for 2010 - Forest ecosystems
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Short assessment of the status of the European forest ecosystems
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10 messages for 2010 – Cultural landscapes and biodiversity heritage
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Key messages: 1) Diverse climatic conditions, varied geology and morphology and centuries of pre- and post-industrial land use created Europe's diverse mosaic of cultural and natural landscapes, rich in biodiversity. 2) Europe's landscapes have become highly fragmented and homogenised, threatening their biodiversity and affecting their multifunctional role. 3) By managing its multifunctional culture-historical landscapes and related biodiversity sustainably, Europe can secure valuable ecosystems services while preserving its cultural and natural heritage. 4) Various legal instruments and initiatives address European biodiversity heritage at the landscape level. Incorporating these into regional and local planning and involving local communities is necessary to secure Europe's biodiversity heritage and maintain multifunctional landscapes.
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10 messages for 2010 — freshwater ecosystems
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Freshwater ecosystems in Europe are rich in biodiversity but at risk. They provide essential ecosystem services to humans, such as cleaning water, preventing floods, producing food, providing energy and regulating freshwater resources...
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10 messages for 2010 — marine ecosystems
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Marine ecosystems provide key services both globally and locally, which are essential for maintaining life on our planet. However, marine biodiversity faces an unprecedented range of pressures. In recent years climate change has caused changes in species distribution and presents new challenges for marine biodiversity as oceans become more acidic.
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10 messages for 2010 — Mountain ecosystems
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European mountain regions provide essential ecosystem services for lowlands and host a great diversity of habitats and species, many adapted to specific extreme climatic conditions. Mountain ecosystems are fragile and vulnerable, and face severe threats from land abandonment, intensifying agriculture, impacts of infrastructure development, unsustainable exploitation and climate change.
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Adapting to climate change — key message 2
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A temperature rise of 2 °C or more above pre-industrial levels is likely to cause major societal, economic and environmental disruption, making it challenging for human and natural systems to adapt at affordable costs. Climate change will affect the vulnerability of European society to an array of threats to human health, almost all economic sectors, ecosystem goods and services and biodiversity.
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The European environment – state and outlook 2010
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Adapting to climate change - SOER 2010 thematic assessment
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Key messages
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Biodiversity — key message 1
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Biodiversity and the ecosystem services upon which we all depend are inextricably linked. Both are under pressure from humanity's ever-increasing use of natural resources. Europe's high resource consumption results in an ecological footprint that impacts biodiversity and ecosystem services on the continent and elsewhere in the world.
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The European environment – state and outlook 2010
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Biodiversity — SOER 2010 thematic assessment
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Key messages
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Biodiversity — SOER 2010 thematic assessment
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Biodiversity — the variety of ecosystems, species and genes — is essential to human wellbeing,
delivering services that sustain our economies and societies. Its huge importance makes
biodiversity loss all the more troubling. European species are threatened with extinction and
overexploitation. Natural habitats continue to be lost and fragmented, and degraded by pollution
and climate change. Despite actions taken and progress made, these threats continue to impact
biodiversity in Europe. The new global and EU targets to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2020
are ambitious but achieving them will require better policy implementation, coordination across
sectors, ecosystem management approaches and a wider understanding of biodiversity's value.
Located in
The European environment – state and outlook 2010
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Thematic assessments
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