Today’s endorsement of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 by the EU Environment Council is a welcome sign that the EU’s 27 Member States are ready to act on the nature crisis. Member states specifically acknowledged the serious risk to marine biodiversity, and committed to increased action, including with urgently advancing marine protection and addressing major threats such as ending overfishing.
Member states acknowledgement of the biodiversity crisis and the threat this poses to us, must be followed up with real life action – otherwise it will end up in the ever higher pile of useless political rhetoric. Member states can act decisively in the coming weeks by setting fishing limits for 2021 not exceeding scientific advice, and so finally end EU overfishing.
Now is the time to put aside short-term profiteering, and to make the tough decisions needed to stop the collapse of the ecosystems that support life on the planet.
What is this and why does it matter?
Today’s EU Environment Council conclusions represent Member States’ support for the European Commission’s EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. The Strategy outlines pathways for alleviating the biodiversity crisis by 2030, and will inform the EU’s ambition for upcoming global meetings such as the Convention on Biological Diversity COP, as well as providing the basis for member state policy on issues such as fisheries.
Rebecca Hubbard, Our Fish Programme Director