Environment
The Habitats Directive
EU measures to conserve Europe’s wild flora and fauna
Overview
Europe has a stunning diversity of wild animals, plants and habitats, many of which are not found anywhere else in the world. However, much of Europe’s natural heritage has been lost over the years due to urban sprawl, intensive agriculture, forestry and fisheries, pollution, and other human activities. This has led to the large-scale disappearance and degradation of many valuable natural areas and the species that live in them. Today, over a quarter of Europe’s animal species are at risk of extinction.
Preserving and restoring Europe’s rich biodiversity is one of the EU’s top priorities, as outlined in the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030. Biodiversity is not only important in its own right; it is also essential for our economy and well-being.
The Birds and Habitats Directives form the cornerstones of EU biodiversity policy. They provide a strong legislative framework for all EU countries to protect the most valuable and threatened biodiversity. Together, the two directives have also created the Natura 2000 network – which is now the largest coordinated network of protected areas in the world.
