Halting Biodiversity Loss by 2010

In January 2006, Wildlife and Countryside Link (Link) published a challenge to Government by setting out what we thought the 2010 biodiversity commitment meant and how progress should be measured. We agreed to look at progress on an annual basis, to highlight successes or failures around the turn of the year.

Assessment of Progress

Presented below is our final assessment carried out at the end of 2010, the International Year of Biodiversity. This year we measured overall progress against the performance indicators included in the original 2006 leaflet.  These assessments have been made at an England level, but in some cases, we have had to use broader information for the UK.

2010 was a year during which we have been encouraged by Government to celebrate progress and success, in delivering biodiversity conservation and in raising awareness on the need to do more.  But it is also a year in which it was widely acknowledged that there has been a collective failure to halt the loss of biodiversity at both global and national levels.

There are several reasons for this failure.  Incomplete implementation of existing legislation, poor integration of biodiversity into sectoral policies, gaps in data and knowledge, insufficient funding and ineffective biodiversity governance and communication are all key issues.  Underlying this has been a lack of political will to ensure that biodiversity conservation is something integral to good management of the country. For too long it has been seen as an optional add on, and one that usually has just not been added on!

2010 has been a significant year in which to reflect on progress and reset our goals and ambitions.  In March, the Council of the EU agreed a new headline target of ‘halting the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services in the EU by 2020 and restoring them in so far as feasible, while stepping up the EU contribution to averting global biodiversity loss’. In October, at Nagoya, a revised mission for the Convention on Biological Diversity and 20 sub targets (the ‘Aichi targets’) were agreed.  Meanwhile the Coalition Government has consulted on a Natural Environment White Paper which will be published in spring 2011, together with a revised England Biodiversity Strategy. 

Our report below illustrates just how important it will be to get these right.  The degradation of biodiversity is a crisis.  We need nothing less than a transformation in our commitment to delivering nature conservation in England.

Green indicates that good progress is being made, amber means moderate progress has taken place, and red means progress has been poor. 

Click on any of the traffic lights for more information, or view the Full Progress Assessment.

1. STOP THE ROT
Protecting and enhancing threatened species and habitats

Our performance indicator:
No BAP priority species and no habitats ‘still declining' by 2010.

Assssment:

Red

2. PROTECT THE BEST
Protecting and managing our finest wildlife sites

Our performance indicators:

a) Marine:
A complete Marine Protected Area network (including Natura 2000 sites, OSPAR MPAs, Nationally Important Marine Sites and Highly Protected Marine Reserves) identified and notified by 2010.

Assessment:

Red

b) Terrestrial and freshwater:
95% of UK SSSI/ASSIs in favourable condition by 2010.

Assessment:

Green

3. RESTORE THE REST
Making space for biodiversity

Our performance Indicators:

a) Wider countryside:
By 2010, there should be a positive trend in the indices for farmland and woodland bird populations, for bats and for butterflies.

Birds:		Amber/Red
Bats:		Amber/Green
Butterflies:		Amber

b) Education:
By 2010, all school children should have gained experience of the natural world through out-of-classroom learning as an integral part of school education.

Assessment:

Amber/Red

This assessment is supported by the following 21 organisations: