Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-02-02-Speech-1-184"
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"en.20090202.18.1-184"2
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"Mr President, halting the loss of biodiversity is a priority for the Union and for the Commission. It is quite literally a question about the future of life on Earth. But, despite the fundamental importance of preserving biodiversity, progress to date has been limited.
For this reason, the Commission considers the European Parliament resolution timely. It represents a very welcome input into the Prague conference. Thank you very much to the rapporteur.
In December 2008, the Commission adopted the first comprehensive assessment of progress made at both European Community and Member State levels. Despite the positive developments that have been made in recent years – for instance the Natura 2000 network – the EU’s biodiversity is still under continuous pressure due to habitat destruction, pollution, climate change and the impact of invasive species. The Commission’s conclusion was that we are highly unlikely to meet our 2010 target of halting biodiversity decline – and that further intensive efforts will be required, both at Member State and EU levels.
Against this background, the Commission welcomes the consistent support that Parliament has given to efforts to protect Europe’s rich and varied natural heritage. We greatly welcome the initiative of Mr Hegyi for producing this important resolution on wilderness in Europe.
I would like to start by making the general observation that many of the issues highlighted in the report are already being followed up by the Commission.
For example, in December 2008, the Commission adopted a communication, ‘Towards an EU Strategy on Invasive Species’. We are also launching an overall reflection on the future of EU biodiversity policy and look forward to the input of the European Parliament on these questions. Issues such as improving implementation and the relationship between biodiversity and climate change must be explicitly considered.
It is also important to add one clarification to the report. There is an ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of our nature legislation – the so-called Article 17 reports – but there are currently no plans to amend our legislation, and the main focus is on more effective implementation.
Turning to the subject of wilderness, Europe is densely populated and only 1-2% of the territory has not been affected by human intervention. But while these wilderness areas are small in area, they are of high value in both scientific and cultural terms. They can even, as is the case in the common trans-border National Park of the German Bavarian and Czech Bohemian forests, be a symbol for European cooperation and integration.
Most of these areas are already a part of the Natura 2000 network. However, this report provides the inspiration to look again at the wild and nearly wild areas in the EU and to see if there are instances where additional European actions can help protect these special places. The Commission has commissioned a number of studies and is cooperating with the Czech EU Presidency. A conference will take place in Prague in May 2009. This Conference will offer a platform to consider the issues related to wilderness areas in Europe and identify measures needed to ensure their conservation.
Let me conclude by confirming that the Commission recognises that Europe’s landscape is the result of a long process of human intervention. The concept of a living landscape that balances the needs of nature with the needs of man is the basis of the thinking that underpins Natura 2000. We certainly do not intend to re-convert our existing landscapes into wild nature, but we need to publicly commit ourselves to preserving the last remaining wild areas of Europe."@en1
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