- Biodiversity sustains human life and underpins our societies
- Over the past 50 years (1970–2020), the average size of monitored wildlife populations has shrunk by 73%, as measured by the Living Planet Index (LPI)
- Freshwater populations have suffered the heaviest declines, falling by 85%, followed by terrestrial (69%) and marine populations (56%)
- Europe’s rich array of biodiversity, habitats and species is under threat due to human activities and climate change
Europe’s nature under pressure
- Europe’s biodiversity continues to decline at an alarming rate
- Much more effort is needed to reverse current trends and to ensure resilient and healthy nature
- Many agricultural activities, intensifying land management practices, and the abandonment of extensive management are the most common overall pressures
- Urbanisation and leisure activities are the second largest pressure and it particularly affects habitats such as dunes and coastal and rocky habitats
- Forestry activities are the main source of pressure on arthropods, mammals and non-vascular plants
- The pollution of air, water and soil from agriculture in particular, affects most habitats, especially in the European Union’s Atlantic and continental regions.
Why should we protect biodiversity?
- We need nature to survive:
- It gives us the food we eat, filters the water we drink and supplies the air we breathe.
- Nature sustains our mental and physical wellbeing and is key to our society’s ability to cope with climate change, health threats and disasters.
- Our economy depends on biodiversity: Half of global GDP or EUR 40 trillion depends directly on nature
EU’s Biodiversity strategy for 2030
- One Vision: By 2050, all of the world’s ecosystems are restored, resilient, and adequately protected
- One Goal: Put Europe’s biodiversity on the path to recovery by 2030 for the benefit of people, the planet, the climate and our economy
Assessing progress in monitoring and implementing the EU Biodiversity Strategy
for 2030
- In the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the EU and its Member States committed to implement more than 100 actions by 2030
- The EU Biodiversity Strategy Actions Tracker tool is designed to track that progress
- In 2025 JRC published an updated report “Assessing progress in monitoring and implementing the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030”
BISE – Biodiversity Information System for Europe
- BISE serves as the – B, information and knowledge regarding the status and progress towards EU biodiversity targets
- This is derived from data collected through key nature-related policy instruments
Interactive Activity 7
Word bank:
Human, Directly, Supplies, Threat, Ability, Climate
Video Summary: This module introduces the fundamentals of business sustainability and climate change. It explains why sustainability matters for organisations, the risks and opportunities climate change creates, and how companies can integrate environmental, social, and economic principles into their strategies. By the end, you’ll understand the key concepts driving ESG practices and why they are essential for long-term business resilience.
Infographic
Develop an infographic that provides a summary of the module with key points, facts and figures, Minimalist and professional
Use impactful statistics from sustainability and ESG sources:
90% of S&P 500 companies publish ESG reports. [digitaldefynd.com]
Global ESG investments projected to reach $33.9 trillion by 2026. [digitaldefynd.com]
The world dumps 2.12 billion tons of waste annually, but only 16% is recycled. [theroundup.org]
Water scarcity could displace 700 million people by 2030. [theroundup.org]
Example from Copilot_21.11.2025
