1. 8th Meeting Expert Group on Reporting under the Nature Directives
Role of data from reporting and policy: examples
2 December 2010
Carlos Romão

2. Pollution
Climate change
Overexploitation
It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ( )
Policies Strategies
Action plans
Legislation …
Natura 2000, Protected areas
Conservation measures, management
Habitat loss
Invasive alien species

3. The EU biodiversity policy
Halting the loss of biodiversity
Birds Directive
Habitats Directive
Strategy & Action Plan
WHERE DOES EU STAND IN 2010?
EU post-2010 strategy & sub-targets!
EU biodiversity baseline
SEBI 2010 indicators
BAP report(s)

4. Where does EU stand in 2010: (i) biodiversity baseline

5. Baseline: main data sets
Corine Land Cover
1990 / 2000 / 2006
Article 17 reports
Conservation status
Range/Distribution, surface area, population size, future prospects, structure & functions
Trends
Pressures & threats
Maps!!!
European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity

6. Land cover changes
in the EU
(23 countries covered)
Changes in agro-ecosystems (mixed cultivated land)

7. Conservation status of
Annex I habitat types
Conservation status of
Annex II species

8. Grasslands
Heath & Scrub
Forests

9. Wetlands
Reducing the number of ‘unknown’ assessments will increase our capacity to act in a targeted way
Lakes & Rivers
Marine

10. European Red Lists Contracts financed by the European Commission
Amphibians
Reptiles
FW Fish
Plants
Mammals
In developing the guidelines, several issues had to be considered, such as:
- Eligibility for assessment at the regional level. Which species should be considered appropriate for assessment within your region?
- Regional extinction. How should species that have become extinct within the region, but exist elsewhere be defined and identified?
- Contact with other populations. How should populations that cross borders or experience immigration from outside the region be treated?
Dragonflies
Saproxylic Beetles
Butterflies
Molluscs
Contracts financed by the European Commission

11. Article 17 data on threats and pressures could not be explored: inappropriate format, lack of focus

12. Natura 2000 data
SCIs
SPAs
GIS boundaries & surface areas extensively used, including in research projects
Other data little used: not up to date, inappropriate format, lack of harmonisation

13. A data overview of the network of Special Protection Areas in the EU25
ETC/BD, 2005 – 25th Anniversary of the Birds Directive
“The degree of completeness of the network appears to be different from species to species and between countries. Unfortunately, current data availability and quality does not allow a comprehensive evaluation. The evaluation of the contribution of the SPAs network for maintaining or achieving favourable conservation status for European wild birds is therefore still fragmentary.”
On the 30th anniversary of the birds directive, is SPA data better?
NO! Just more out of date…

14. Where does EU stand in 2010: (ii) SEBI indicators
2007
2009

15. SEBI indicator 13
SEBI indicator 21
SEBI indicator 16

16. Where does EU stand in 2010: (iii) assessments
Data reported by countries used as far as possible: statistics, indicators, …

17. Print screen from http://www. bbc. co

18. The best is the enemy of the good
Data and data gaps
Diversity, distribution, abundance, trends
Genetic diversity, species, ecosystems
Data compatibility and harmonisation (comparability)
Data infrastructures & information systems
Better understand links between state and trends of biodiversity and
Pressures and threats
Effects of conservation measures/management (responses)
Ecosystem services
The best is the enemy of the good
Voltaire ( )

19. Keep trying. Take care of the small circle around you
Keep trying. Take care of the small circle around you. When you have succeed with them, then move outwards, one small step at a time. Audrey Hepburn ( )

20. Thank you for your attention
Thank you for your attention