Sites designated under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives

How does designation of terrestrial Natura 2000 sites compare with the Aichi global biodiversity target 11?

Terrestrial Natura 2000 sites cover 18.2 % of the EU’s land area. This is above the global biodiversity Aichi Target 11, which aims to conserve at least 17 % of terrestrial and inland water areas by 2020.

 As of end 2017, 11 Member States had designated more than 20 % of their land area as Natura 2000 sites: Slovenia (37.9 %), Croatia (36.6 %), Bulgaria (34.5 %), Slovakia (30 %), Cyprus (28.8 %), Spain (27.3 %), Greece (27.3 %), Luxembourg (27 %), Romania (22.7 %), Hungary (21.4 %) and Portugal (20.7 %).

Note: More detailed information about progress in the designation of marine protected areas is provided in the EEA indicator Marine protected areas in Europe's seas (MAR 004).

Indicator definition

This indicator shows the current status of implementation of the Habitats (92/43/EEC) and the Birds Directives (79/409/EEC) by EU Member States. It does this by showing trends in spatial coverage of designated Special Protection Areas (SPAs), proposed Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), as well as the net area of the Natura 2000 network.  

The net percentage of protected areas helps to evaluate progress towards Aichi Target 11.

Units

The units used in the indicator are the square kilometre (km2) for area and percent (%).

Policy context and targets

Context description

Context description

The establishment of designated sites under the Habitats and the Birds Directives is a direct response to concerns over biodiversity loss. An indicator on the change in coverage of these sites is a valuable indication of commitment to conserving biodiversity and reducing its loss.

The EC Habitats and the Birds Directives aim to conserve natural habitats and wild fauna and flora within the European Union. Member States are required to propose sites for protection of the habitats and species listed in the Annexes to the Directives.

Under the Birds Directive, Member States designate SPAs. The sites designated under the Habitats Directive include sites and proposed SCIs and SACs. The Natura 2000 network is composed of both SPAs and SCIs.

The indicator shows the trends in total area covered by SCIs and SPAs as well as the combined Natura 2000 area.

Targets

Global Aichi biodiversity target 11:
By 2020, at least 17 % of terrestrial and inland water areas, and 10 % of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, are conserved through effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative and well connected systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, and integrated into the wider landscapes and seascapes.

2020 EU biodiversity targets — Target 1: Fully implement the Birds and the Habitats Directives
Action 1: Complete the establishment of the Natura 2000 network and ensure good management.

Related policy documents

• EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy
  in the Communication: Our life insurance, our natural capital: an EU biodiversity strategy to 2020 (COM(2011) 244) the European Commission has adopted a new strategy to halt the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the EU by 2020. There are six main targets, and 20 actions to help Europe reach its goal. The six targets cover: - Full implementation of EU nature legislation to protect biodiversity - Better protection for ecosystems, and more use of green infrastructure - More sustainable agriculture and forestry - Better management of fish stocks - Tighter controls on invasive alien species - A bigger EU contribution to averting global biodiversity loss
• EU Action Plan for nature, people and the economy
  Following a thorough evaluation of the Birds and Habitats Directives, the European Commission has adopted the Action Plan for nature, people and the economy  to improve their implementation and boost their contribution towards reaching the EU's biodiversity targets for 2020. The Action Plan focuses on four priority areas and comprises 15 actions to be carried out by end 2019. The Plan is complemented by detailed factsheets providing more information on each of the 15 actions. Measures will be taken at EU level, but Member States and stakeholders concerned will also need to act, with increased support and assistance from the European Commission.
• Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, including Aichi Biodiversity Targets
  In decision X/2, the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, held from 18 to 29 October 2010, in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, adopted a revised and updated Strategic Plan for Biodiversity, including the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, for the 2011-2020 period. This Plan provides an overarching framework on biodiversity, not only for the biodiversity-related conventions, but for the entire United Nations system and all other partners engaged in biodiversity management and policy development.

Methodology

Methodology for indicator calculation

Trends in proposals for sites designated under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives

Member States have been given six years following the adoption of the list of SCIs to develop and enforce the necessary measures to protect and manage identified sites and, in doing so, designate them as SACs or SPAs. The sum of the area (km²) of each site is registered in the annual versions of the GIS Natura 2000 database and grouped per year of proposal/designation.

The figures relating to the total area of Natura 2000 sites have been obtained through GIS analysis. This avoids any risk of double counting sites that have been designated under both directives. The calculation of the Natura 2000 area is only available from 2011 onwards. From 2005 onwards, the area calculation for SPAs and SCIs is also based on GIS data, but before this date tabular data have been used. 

Information is collected from national authorities by DG Environment and processed by the European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity (ETC/BD). Further improvements on data flows are under discussion.

Methodology for gap filling

No gap filling is used in this indicator.

Methodology references

No methodology references available.

Uncertainties

Methodology uncertainty

No uncertainty has been specified

Data sets uncertainty

No uncertainty has been specified

Rationale uncertainty

The main disadvantage of this indicator is that it only covers EU Member States.