Biodiversity Policies

Policies on biodiversity protect ecosystems and species to preserve Europe’s natural heritage and ensure ecosystem services that sustain agriculture, mitigate climate impacts, and build environmental resilience–the basis of EU citizens’ health and prosperity.

Key Connections

• • Ecosystem services and Nature-Based Solutions: Biodiversity supports pollination, soil fertility, and carbon storage, which are critical to agriculture and climate action. These solutions also strengthen urban resilience.
  • Natura 2000 impact: A vast network of protected areas delivering benefits to communities through tourism, cultural identity, and ecosystem health.
  • Citizen engagement: EU programmes like LIFE foster public involvement in biodiversity restoration projects.

Facts

• • Agriculture: Losing its traditional role in society and becoming a highly profitable industry, farming has destroyed habitats and polluted ecosystems. Due to agricultural intensification, farmland bird populations have declined by 40% since 1990.
  • Urban sprawl: By 2050, an estimated 83.7% of Europe’s population will live in urban areas, intensifying habitat loss and fragmentation as cities expand into natural landscapes.
  • Climate change: Rising temperatures and extreme weather push ecosystems toward tipping points, worsening biodiversity loss.

What is harming Europe’s nature – EEA

Action

Addressing biodiversity decline demands systemic changes in agriculture and urban planning. While local efforts like green roofs or pollinator corridors help, integrating nature-based solutions at scale is critical for climate resilience, sustainable landscapes, and biodiversity preservation.