Biodiversity: the EU on track to achieve 18 of its 45 targets "but a swifter response is vital"
"The EU is making significant progress towards its global biodiversity targets, yet a swifter response is vital to protect the natural systems that underpin our water, food, and economy", according to the EU's 7th National report on biodiversity, published by the DG Envi of the Commission on 12/02/2026.
The report of the EU's progress regarding biodiversity preservation was due by the end of February to "feed into a global review of implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (adopted in 2022)" in the run-up to the UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP17), hosted in Armenia in October 2026.
Indeed, the report stresses that regarding the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, "the EU has so far fully achieved 2 of its targets and is on track to deliver on 16 further EU targets" by 2030.
However, "at the current rate, 25 out of the 45 targets risk not being met by 2030. For two targets, the level of progress could not be assessed because of insufficient EU-level data or global methodology".
"Delivering on the EU and global biodiversity targets will ultimately depend on the full implementation of existing legislation and policy", continues the report.
Among the key challenges:
• "ensuring financing, resources, capacities and stakeholder support ;
• while tackling competing priorities in the current geopolitical climate, reconciling policy objectives at all levels ;
• and integrating the immense value of healthy ecosystems and their services into socioeconomic strategies and measures".
According to Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for the Environment, Water Resilience and Competitive Circular Economy, the Nature Restoration Regulation, which entered into force in August 2024, "will help turn commitments into real improvements for people and businesses, from healthier soils and cleaner water to stronger protection against climate risks. Investing in biodiversity is not a cost, but an investment in Europe's prosperity, resilience and security."
Main results of the 7th EU report on biodiversity
According to the report, "available indicators in several areas show positive trends, such as:
- a gradual increase in the coverage of terrestrial and marine protected areas ;
- an increase in land area under organic farming and an increase in the number of assessed fish stocks that are exploited at sustainable levels in the EU ;
- an improvement in the index of population abundance of the common forest bird in certain areas in recent years".
"EU fully on track to deliver on its commitment to double EU international biodiversity financing"
The EU's 7th National Report says that "the EU and its Member States together are the largest provider of international biodiversity financing to developing countries, in particular to the most vulnerable countries".
Moreover, "the EU is fully on track to deliver on its commitment to double EU international biodiversity financing, in particular for the most vulnerable countries, compared to the previous financial framework (from €3.5Bn for the 2014-2020 budget period, to €7Bn for the 2021-2027 budget period)."
"The EU thereby provides substantial financing and investments in third countries and contributes to many global biodiversity initiatives".
"Financing for biodiversity from the EU budget is projected to be around 7.8%" in 2026
"In order to mobilise the necessary financing for biodiversity in the EU, the EU budget for 2021-2027 sets a target to invest 7.5% of the total budget in biodiversity in 2024, rising to 10% in 2026 and 2027" the report says.
"The EU has exceeded the 7.5% spending target in 2024 (7,6% allocated to biodiversity, i.e., €14.4Bn) and in 2025 (7,9%, €15.18Bn). Estimates from budgetary planning for 2026 and 2027 indicate that financing for biodiversity from the EU budget is projected to be around 7.8% and 8%, respectively."
EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: €20Bn per year needed for its implementation
"The EU has made significant progress on increasing the level of financial resources for biodiversity from all sources. The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 estimates the financing needs for its implementation at €20Bn per year, to be mobilised from both the EU budget and co-financing from Member States, the private sector and multilateral development banks", the report says.
However, "later estimates suggest significantly higher investment needs, taking into account the implementation of new legislation adopted after the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, notably the EU Nature Restoration Regulation (2024) and the EU Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive (2025)".
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