The EU is making significant progress towards its global biodiversity targets, according to a new report, but a swifter response is vital to protect the natural systems that underpin our water, food, and economy.
The EU’s 7th National Report on Biodiversity finds that the EU has made progress toward the 45 targets under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), with two already achieved.
The assessment also highlights the importance of scaling up implementation across Member States to ensure delivery of all EU targets by 2030.
A detailed, target-by-target assessment of EU progress towards the 2030 biodiversity targets is set out in Annex III of the Staff Working Document and will be uploaded to the CBD’s online reporting tool in the coming days.
The EU’s targets, which were submitted to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in August 2024, reflect EU legislation and policies and are fully aligned with the 23 global targets in the KMGBF adopted at the 15th Conference of the Parties (CBD COP15) in 2022.
All Parties to the CBD, including the EU and its Member States, are due to report on their progress by the end of February. These reports will feed into a Global Review of Implementation at the CBD COP17 in Armenia this October, which should encourage Parties to step up their efforts where needed.
The assessment confirms that the EU – together with Member States – continues to play a leading role in financing global biodiversity action. The EU has also made a major effort to implement, supported by a comprehensive legislative and policy framework for the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of ecosystems within the EU.
But policies alone are not enough, says the report. Delivering results – from restored wetlands to healthier forests and more resilient farmland – will be decisive to safeguard citizens’ quality of life, economic stability and climate resilience.
For example, the Nature Restoration Regulation, now in force, is translating one of the EU’s key biodiversity targets into concrete action – restoring ecosystems to improve water and food security, protect communities from climate risks and support Europe’s long-term resilience and prosperity.
