the impact of environmental strategy and legislation on land use andr ás demeter,
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The impact of environmental strategy and legislation on land use Andr ás Demeter, enlargement coordinator Nature & Biodiversity Unit, Directorate-General Environment, European Commission. Why is this small rodent becoming ever more endangered?. Because it needs short grass!. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
DG Env.B2 1
The impact of
environmental strategy and legislation
on land use
András Demeter,enlargement coordinator
Nature & Biodiversity Unit,Directorate-General Environment,
European Commission
DG Env.B2 7
Community’s institutional answer to environmental challenges
1st Environment Action Programme
Single European Act-Environment titleOne component of other Community policies
Maastricht Treaty- A policy
European Community Treaty reviewed after AmsterdamTreaty- Sustainable Development pillar
1973
1987
1993
1999
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Sustainable developmentSustainable development The policy context The policy context
Gothenburg European Council-June 2001Agreement on A Sustainable Europe for a Better World:A European Union Strategy for Sustainable Development
“A long-term strategy dovetailing policies foreconomically, socially and ecologically
sustainable development”
To halt the decline of biodiversity by 2010!
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• 10 years programme• 4 environmental areas• 3 cross-cuttings issues• 156 actions• 3 to 4 years to present
initiatives• Review after 4 years
6th Environmental Action
Programme… in 6 figures
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Sustainable use &
management of natural
resources & wastes
6 EAP
Climate Change
Nature & biodiversity
Environment & quality of
life
Marine
Soil
Pesticides
Air
Urban
Resources
Recycling
The Thematic Strategies in the 6th EAP
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Some important EU environmental legislation for
rural landowners• Nitrate directive• Environmental Impact Assessment
directive• Strategic Environmental Impact
Assessment Directive• Water Framework Directive• Nature directives
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Nitrate Directive91/676/EEC
- Detection of polluted or threatened waters
- Designation of vulnerable zones- Code(s) of good agricultural practice- Action programmes- National monitoring
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Environmental Impact Assessment
Directive 85/337/EEC
• applies to projects• a public authority empowered to decide
whether impact assessment is adequate• permission only granted if no significant
impact or remedial measures• public participation• list of activities
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Strategic Environmental Assessment
Directive 2001/42/EC • MS-s to implement by 21 July 2004• objective: to ensure that
environmental consequences of certain plans and programmes are identified and assessed during ther preparation
• integration of views of authorities• the public are informed
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WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE
• Environmental objectives for all waters• Analysis of impact and pressures
including an economic analysis• Co-ordinated River Basin Management
Plans with programme of measures• Public participation• Efficiency of measures
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WFD:ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES
• Surface waterNo deterioration; Good ecological, chemical status; phase out hazardous substances; Restoration;
• Ground waterNo deterioration;Good qualitative and quantitative status; Balance between abstraction and recharge; Restoration
• Protected areasRespect all norms and criteria for the protected areas
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A WFD KEY CONCEPT:RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT
PLANS• Characteristics of River Basin Districts• Analysis of pressures and impacts, economic analysis• Monitoring network• Established environmental objectives and derogations• Program of measures• Results of public participation
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The Gothenburg target of halting decline of biodiversity
by 2010• Good
indicator for wild bird species, e.g. in UK
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Why dealing with nature on EU-level?• Major habitats under threat - wetlands in north
& west Europe have been reduced by 60% in recent decades
• Species also in decline - 45 % of Europe’s butterflies threatened, 38% of Europe’s birds threatened
• Transboundary problems - eg. migratory birds
• Landuse-impact of other EU-policies - agriculture, transport, fisheries, ...
JOINT ACTION NEEDED!
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Natura 2000 network
Global aim: Maintain or restore the favourable
conservation status of certain species and natural
habitat types in their natural range
SPA SCI
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EU-nature conservation
policyTwo main directives:•“Wild Birds Directive”
(79/409/EEC) bird species
•“Habitats Directive” (92/43/EEC) other animal and plant species,
habitat types
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Setting up Natura 2000
Birds Directive 1) Member States classify (CC: by
accession)
2) Commission takes coordinating role
Reference list: Important Bird Areas (IBAs) based on international criteria
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Setting up Natura 2000
Habitats Directive 1) National lists proposed (AC: by
accession)2) Selection process on biogeographical
level (aim: Community list) - MS & EC - max. 3 years
3) Designation by MS max. 6 years after Community list
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What is special about
Natura 2000?• Clearly defined objectives
• Science based
• Biogeographic regions
• Site evaluation/selection on EU-level
• Management / Integration
• Legal obligation for the member states
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NATURA 2000 networkNATURA 2000 network
→ 12.000 -15.000 sites
→ 10% - 15% of the area of the
EU
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Member State Designated sites
Total area (km²)
Progress Announced Proposed terrestrial (+marine) area as of % of national terrestrial territory
Belgique/België 36 4 313 *** / 14.1%
Danmark 1 111 9 601 *** / 22.3%
Deutschland 466 28 977 ** Yes 8.1%
Ellas 151 13 703 ** Yes 10.4%
España 416 78 252 ** Yes 15.5%
France 155 11 749 * Yes 2.1%
Ireland 109 2 236 ** Yes 3.2%
Italia 392 23 403 ** Yes 7.8%
Luxembourg 13 160 ** Yes 6.2%
Nederland 1 79 10 000 *** 24.1%
Österreich 95 12 353 ** Yes 14.7%
Portugal 47 8 671 ** 9.4%
Suomi 451 27 500 ** 8.1%
Sverige 436 27 236 ** Yes 6.1%
United Kingdom 242 14 704 ** Yes 6.0%
TOTAL 3 199 272 858 8.6
NATURA BAROMETER – BIRDS DIRECTIVE – 08/10/03
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Member State Proposed sites
Total proposed area (km²)
Assessment of the
national list
Mores sites
announced
Proposed terrestrial (+marine) area as of % of national terrestrial
territory
Belgique/België 271 3184 ++ yes 10.4%
Danmark 194 10 259 ++ no 23.8%
Deutschland (2) 3 536 32 151 ++ yes 9.0%
Ellas 239 27 641 ++ no 20.9%
España 1276 118 496 ++ yes 23.5%
France (2) 1202 41 300 ++ yes 7.5%
Ireland (2) 381 10 000 ++ yes 14.2%
Italia 2 330 44 237 ++ yes 14.7%
Luxembourg 47 383 ++ yes 14.9%
Nederland 141 7 505 +++ no 18.1%
Österreich 160 8 896 ++ yes 10.6%
Portugal 94 16 500 ++ no 17.9%
Suomi (2) 1 671 60 090 ++ no 17.8%
Sverige (2) 3 420 60 372 ++ yes 13.4%
United Kingdom 601 24 721 ++ yes 10.1%
TOTAL 15 563 465 735 14.6
NATURA BAROMETER – HABITATS DIRECTIVE – 08/10/03
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Enlargement
• The long technical discussions of modifying the annexes (more than 1000 proposals from the 12 candidate countries)
• Result - new, consolidated annexes in the Treaty and Act of Accession (ca. 150 pages!)
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The high level of biodiversity
in the acceding states
will enrich the EU,
and provide new opportunities!
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The species such as the steppe polecat (Mustela
eversmanii)or the beetle Carabus hungaricus have been
proposed by both the Czech Republic and Hungary
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Acceding states
• No transition periods for nature legislation
• Prepare national lists to be ready by accession
• Art.6.2/3/4 applies by accession• All new investments to comply with
the EC environmental acqui
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The European Commission is closely monitoring the process of setting up the Natura 2000 network in the Accession Countries• a Comprehensive Monitoring Report
was published yesterday
• a strategy for the period up to Day 1 of membership
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As regards as regards
implementing Natura 2000, the report identified…
• High level of alignment in four acceding states
(LT, LV, SI, SK)
• Concerns and hence enhanced efforts required in the other six acceding states
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Using the Opportunities...
• Rural tourism
• Extensive agriculture and forestry -
commercial asset for products
• Employment effects
• Access to funding possibilities
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LEADER+
• Action 1: support for integrated territorial rural development strategies of a pilot nature on the bottom-up approach and horizontal partnerships– One of the priority themes:
• „making the best use of natural and cultural resources, including enhancing the value sites of Community interest selected under Natura 2000.”
http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/dg06/rur/leaderplus/index_en.htm
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INTERREG III• Initiative to stimulate interregional cooperation in EU
• Strand A: cross-border• Strand B: transnational• Strand C: interregional
• INTERREG IIIC– Regional and other public authorities across the
entire EU
• financed from the European Regional Development Fund
http://www.interreg3.net
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Financing Natura 2000The Commission has set up a Working Group
on Article 8 of the Habitats Directive
Recognising that greater knowledge on the costs of
implementing Natura 2000 is required
The Group was formed in December 2001
Final report published in December, 2002
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Potential Outcome
Create a new funding instrument
Develop an existing funding mechanism to fit a
new purpose (e.g. LIFE Nature)
Build on existing funding mechanisms and
make one or more of them more explicitly
available for co-financing Natura 2000
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The overall Picture
Policy shifts in other areas – notably CAP and CFP
Impact of the Accession Countries to an enlarged EU
Funding is crucial for the implementation of Natura 2000
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Estimate of total costs for the Natura 2000 network of the 15 Member States:
3,4 to 5,7 billion € per year
Uncertainties of the questionnaire Not all MS responded
Rough estimates
Different designation regime
Agri-environmental measures not always included
Estimation of Costs
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Accuracy of the estimates has
been questioned
• a new questionnaire has been sent to MS & AC-s asking for better figures
• a communication from the European Commission on financing is expected!
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The European Commission is
proposing an extension of the Life Programme
• programme period 2004-2006
• rules more or less the same as so far
• budget allocation more or less the same as so far
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CAP ReviewNeed for awareness on:
– Enlargement– WTO– Budgetary pressures
BUTCAP changes will not alone make
perfect the Agriculture - Environment
relationship
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Regulation no. 1782/2003 (29 Sept)
Article 16 of the Amended 1257/99 Regulation
“Payments to compensate for costs incurred and income foregone may be made to farmers who are subject to restrictions on agricultural use in areas with environmental restrictions as a result of the implementation of Directives 79/409/EEC and 92/43/EEC, if and in so far as such payments are necessary to solve the specific problems arising from the implementation of those Directives.”
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The agreement of June 2003 introduced the option for increases in the payment related to Article 16 (set to a maximum 200 EURO/ha/year) up to a maximum to be specified by the Member State.
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New accompanying measures:– Support for participation in “quality”
schemes– Support for producer groups for quality
promotion– Temporary + degressive aid for better
uptake of EU legislation in Environment, health, welfare and occupational areas, by introducing the measure “meeting standards”
– Support for farm audits leading to better cross-compliance
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Rural Developments Plans of the Accession
Countries
• Commission assessment– of nature conservation considerations
(Natura 2000)– if there is a mechanism for identifying
potential adverse effects– so that opportunities are not missed
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Is this there a gloomy future Is this there a gloomy future for the Natura 2000 network?for the Natura 2000 network?
Development of transport infrastructure
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The future of nature and land use in
Europe• with enlargement, “rural Europe” will
not be the same as before• rural areas will provide benefits other
than only food production, e.g. sustainable tourism
• the enormous pressures for development must be channelled to areas with least nature values
• Natura 2000 should be looked upon as an opportunity for, and not as obstacle to development