Europe’s nature is under threat. For millennia, humans have been transforming Europe’s natural landscapes, affecting the life that depends on these ecosystems. Our assessment shows that many terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and species are at risk of irreversible damage or, in some cases, becoming extinct. Europe is consuming more than nature can provide.
Protecting nature in Europe and the world requires changes to the way we grow food, travel, produce energy, manufacture goods, use chemicals and consume.
Agriculture provides us with the food we need to survive, but at the same time, our reliance on artificial fertilisers and chemical pesticides pollutes the soil, air, rivers, lakes and oceans, harming plant, animal and soil biodiversity, and commercial overfishing of many fish species threatens marine ecosystems.
Cities have grown at the expense of natural areas, farms and forests. In addition, roads and railways fragment the landscape, limiting the ability of many species to move and migrate. Air pollution from agriculture, transportation and industry affects many ecosystems.
Climate change will affect rainfall and average temperatures, impacting the ability of many plants and animals to survive in new climatic conditions. It will also affect seasonality, leading to more destructive weather extremes, including extended droughts.
Thanks to a series of policies and laws, Europe has made some progress towards nature conservation, for example by increasing the proportion of land and sea areas designated as protected areas.
Yet much more needs to be done to protect, restore and harness nature to help tackle climate change. The European Green Deal, with its policy packages on biodiversity, climate change, pollution and the circular economy, provides a broader and more effective transition to a sustainable Europe. Healthy ecosystems not only provide us with food and shelter, they also improve public health.
