Biodiversity under pressure: EU sharpens conservation goals!

Biodiversity under pressure: EU sharpens conservation goals!

On October 16, 2025, the “AI National Park” project team will report to the University of Freiburg that significant progress has been made in recording biodiversity and disturbance factors. As part of this project, standardized procedures will be developed to carry out a comprehensive inventory of biodiversity in the areas involved.

A central goal of the project is to formulate concrete recommendations for action that are based on scientific findings. In this way, the management strategy for the protected areas is to be optimized. The planned measures also include the data-based redirection of visitor flows in sensitive areas during the breeding and breeding season, especially for capercaillie, in order not to unnecessarily disturb the animal populations.

Adaptive management and technological progress

The project also makes it possible to adapt hunting plans for hoofed game. Such a move could promote positive developments in forested areas. An innovative aspect is the use of camera traps to capture larger mammals. Documenting wild animals such as deer, foxes and wild boars could help gain greater insight into the behavior and habitat of these species.

At the same time, the EU Parliament adopted its biodiversity strategy for 2030 in June 2021 European MPs determined. This strategy aims to restore, make more resilient and adequately protect the EU's ecosystems by 2050. A key element of this strategy is the aim to protect at least 30 percent of the EU's marine and terrestrial areas, including forests, wetlands and other critical habitats.

Conservation measures and biodiversity

In addition, it is required that ten percent of the areas remain largely untouched. The binding nature of these goals should be ensured through cooperation between the EU states and regional and local authorities. MEPs also expressed concern about the decline of pollinators, which poses a threat to biodiversity and food security. In this context, a revision of the EU pollinator initiative is called for. The aim is to create a new framework for observing these important insects.

The initiative aims to establish reliable measures, clear time-bound targets and indicators and promote capacity building. It is also planned to define concrete goals to support biological diversity in urban areas. For example, there should be stricter requirements for the proportion of green roofs in new buildings and the promotion of urban agriculture. Reducing the use of chemical pesticides is also part of these efforts.

The EU's comprehensive goals also include that at least 25 percent of agricultural land should be farmed organically by 2030, while the use of dangerous pesticides should be reduced by 50 percent. In addition, the aim is to reduce fertilizer consumption by at least 20 percent in order to reduce nutrient losses.

These initiatives reflect an increasingly urgent need to protect and promote biodiversity in both urban and rural areas. The combination of technical innovations and political measures could be a decisive step for the future of ecosystems in Europe.