The European Commission yesterday marked World Biodiversity Day by calling on member states to take preventive action against the increasing extinction rates of plants and animals in Europe.
The UN Millennium Ecosystem Assessment found that many plants and animals are at risk of extinction in Europe.
"The extinction of plant and animals is an irreversible loss to humanity," said EU environment commissioner Stavros Dimas. "We need to be investing in sustaining the variety of life, in sustaining the health of the ecosystems that in turn underpin our prosperity and wellbeing."
Yesterday's communication from the EU calls on member states to develop strategic action plans for specifically threatened species, to prevent intensification or abandonment of nature-rich farmland and to use their available resources to minimise damage to fish stocks.
A total of 38 per cent of the infringement cases opened by the European Commission for inadequate implementation of EU law in the area of environment relate to biodiversity and nature protection. EU representatives agreed on priority objectives and concrete targets in a review of environmental policy at Malahide in Dublin in May 2004.
The commission will report annually to the EU Council of Ministers and the European Parliament on progress in implementation of the plan. At the end of 2010, it will evaluate the extent to which the EU has met its 2010 commitments.