Another deadline to miss ?

The EC announced on 01/09/10 a decision outlining the criteria necessary to achieve ‘Good Environmental Status’ (GES) for Europe’s seas the definition of which is a requirement under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive which aims to achieve GES in all EU marine waters by 2020.

According to the EC’s Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik “We want our seas to be healthy and productive. Today’s decision is a starting point in establishing precise objectives for the achievement of good environmental status. The adoption of this decision during the International Year of Biodiversity marks a further step in the development of the post-2010 EU biodiversity strategy.”

It is worth remembering that this year the UK (along with many other countries) missed two international targets, set by the European Union and United Nations, that were aimed at halting the decline in our biodiversity – so how much trust should we place in the next goal.

The EC’s decision on the criteria for GES of marine waters focuses on different aspects of the marine ecosystems and includes biological diversity, fish population, eutrophication, contaminants, litter and noise.

GES means that the overall state of the environment in marine waters provides ecologically diverse and dynamic oceans and seas which are healthy and productive. Use of the marine environment must be kept at a sustainable level that safeguards potential uses and activities by current and future generations.

This means marine species and habitats must be protected to ensure the human-induced decline of biodiversity is arrested.

To achieve the EU’s objective of good environmental status for all marine waters by 2020, Member States have to develop marine strategies which serve as action plans for applying an ecosystem-based approach to the management of human activities.

Given their previous achievements against goals it is very difficult to have any confidence that there will be any significant progress towards this one.

Category: EU Government News