Press Release: Environment: major additional effort needed to halt biodiversity loss by 2010

The EU will fail to meet its target of halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010 unless there is significant additional effort over the next two years. This was the key conclusion of the first comprehensive assessment of progress in implementing a Biodiversity Action Plan to halt biodiversity loss in the EU. Despite some encouraging results, notably with the further extension of the Natura 2000 network of protected areas and important investments in biodiversity, the integration of biodiversity and ecosystem concerns into other sectoral policies remains an important challenge. The new Communication from the Commission identified priorities for further action.