The European Union is aware of the importance of biodiversity in our ecosystem and has been active several times to protect and preserve it.

In recent years, many scientists and experts have regularly warned about the loss of biodiversity through studies demonstrating that our ecosystem is under threat, that plants and animal species are on the verge of extinction, and that agricultural crops are less diversified.

For several years, the European Union, conscious of this societal challenge, has set the objective of protecting biodiversity. The LIFE programme was thus created in 1992, the only financial instrument specifically dedicated to the environment, nature protection and climate action, until today. To consolidate its action at the political level, in 2001 a first environmental action plan was launched, later reinforced by the adoption, in 2010, of a new biodiversity strategy that will be implemented until 2050. This strategy, aimed at stemming biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation in the EU, set targets to be achieved by 2020 in particular in the following priority areas: nature conservation and regeneration, preservation and improvement of ecosystems and their services, control of invasive species, sustainable use of fisheries resources and more sustainable agriculture. 

Today, the assessment of the EU Biodiversity Strategy is not satisfactory and many objectives have to be achieved. According to data from the European Environment Agency (EEA), 42% of mammals, 15% of birds and 52% of freshwater fish are still at risk in Europe.

In order to better tackle societal, economic and environmental challenges, a new action plan has been defined in 2017 for the preservation of biodiversity and nature protection.

However, environmental policies at EU level are not enough as biodiversity conservation is a global issue.

Man’s future and life depend on biodiversity. That’s why intensified collaboration at the global level should be encouraged.