Source: Green City Accord
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Chapter 2.4: Green Cities
This chapter is part of the report 'EU research & innovation for and with cities' that provides an overview of the main EU Research and Innovation (R&I) actions for and with cities to help them accelerate their transition towards sustainability and climate neutrality.
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Green City Accord
The Green City Accord is a movement of European mayors committed to making cities cleaner and healthier. It aims to improve the quality of life for all Europeans and accelerate the implementation of relevant EU environmental laws. By signing the Accord, cities commit to addressing five areas of environmental management: air, water, nature and biodiversity, circular economy and waste, and noise.
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EUROCITIES
EUROCITIES is the network of major European cities; its members are the elected local and municipal governments of major European cities. We work with over 145 of Europe’s largest cities and 45 partner cities to improve the lives of over 130 million residents across 39 countries. That’s the ‘cities’ part of ‘Eurocities’. Hundreds of cities have already committed to getting carbon emissions down to zero, welcoming migrants and refugees, and governing through dialogue with their residents.
These local governments, which are really there on the ground with the citizens and residents, are essential partners for turning EU policies and ambitions into reality. As such, cities must be included directly in European decision making and should be in direct receipt of European funds. That’s the ‘Euro’ part of ‘Eurocities.’ So Eurocities, Europe plus cities, equals a better future for all.
Source: Eurocities
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ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability
ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability is a global network of more than 2500 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development. Active in 125+ countries, we influence sustainability policy and drive local action for low emission, nature-based, equitable, resilient and circular development. We bring sustainability to a rapidly developing urban world.
ICLEI makes sustainability an integral part of urban development and creates systemic change in urban areas through practical, integrated solutions. We help cities, towns and regions anticipate and respond to complex challenges, from rapid urbanization and climate change to ecosystem degradation and inequity.
The local and regional governments in our network confront these challenges by incorporating sustainability into day-to-day operations and policy. We invest in the capacity and knowledge needed to design solutions and make decisions informed by data, scientific evidence and local realities and pressures. Our five pathways towards low emission, nature-based, equitable, resilient and circular development are designed to create systemic change.
We work in cities, towns and regions of all sizes, with varying capacities and challenges. Many have set and reached ambitious targets and are at the forefront of sustainability, pioneering new solutions and challenging the status quo. Others are taking early steps towards transformation, strengthening their systems and capacities to achieve sustainability goals.
Across the world, ICLEI brings the latest global knowledge and solutions to the local context.
The ICLEI network is united for worldwide action.
Our Members and team of experts work together through peer exchange, partnerships and capacity building to create systemic change for urban sustainability.
ICLEI creates connections among the local, regional, national and global governmental levels. We advocate for robust national and global sustainability policies that reflect the interests of local and regional governments and their communities.
ICLEI forges strategic alliances with international organizations, national governments, academic and financial institutions, civil society and the private sector. We create space for innovation within our multi-disciplinary teams and work alongside our partners to create new ways to support sustainable development at the urban scale.
We impact global sustainable development.
When a pioneering group of local and regional governments founded ICLEI, they took action before sustainability was widely viewed as fundamental to development. For decades, our efforts have continued to put sustainability at the top of the agenda for local and regional governments across the world. Over time, ICLEI has expanded and developed, and we are now working in over 125 countries, with global experts in more than 24 offices.
Through our collective efforts to build a sustainable urban world, ICLEI is shifting the trajectory of global development.
Click here to see their publications.
Source: ICLEI - About
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The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR)
The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) is the oldest and broadest European association of local and regional governments. We are the only organisation that brings together the national associations of local and regional governments from 40 European countries and represents, through them, all levels of territories – local, intermediate and regional.
Since its creation in 1951, CEMR promotes the construction of a united, peaceful and democratic Europe founded on local self-government, respect for the principle of subsidiarity and the participation of citizens. Our work is organised around two main pillars:
1. Influencing European policy and legislation in all areas having an impact on municipalities and regions;
2. Providing a forum for debate between local and regional governments via their national representative associations.
CEMR is also the European section of the world organisation United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), through which we represent European local and regional government on the international stage.What we do
CEMR’s work focuses on five thematic areas, which affect all aspects of the lives of European citizens as well as the local and regional governments that represent them:
- Governance, democracy and citizenship
- Environment, climate and energy
- International engagement and cooperation
- Economic, social and territorial cohesion
- Local and regional public services management
- CEMR statutory affairs, general CEMR affairs
Source: Introducing CEMR
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European Green Capital
Europe is an urban society, with many environmental challenges to face. The European Commission has long recognised the important role that local authorities play in improving the environment, and their high level of commitment to genuine progress. The European Green Capital Award has been conceived as an initiative to promote and reward these efforts.
Background to the European Green Capital Award
The European Green Capital Award is the result of an initiative taken by 15 European cities (Tallinn, Helsinki, Riga, Vilnius, Berlin, Warsaw, Madrid, Ljubljana, Prague, Vienna, Kiel, Kotka, Dartford, Tartu & Glasgow) and the Association of Estonian cities on 15 May 2006 in Tallinn, Estonia.
Their green vision was translated into a joint Memorandum of Understanding establishing an award to recognise cities that are leading the way with environmentally friendly urban living.
View the memorandum please click here. The initiative was launched by the European Commission in 2008.
It is important to reward cities which are making efforts to improve the urban environment and move towards healthier and sustainable living areas. Progress is its own reward, but the satisfaction involved in winning a prestigious European award spurs cities to invest in further efforts and boosts awareness within the city as well as in other cities. The award enables cities to inspire each other and share examples of good practices in situ.
The overarching message that the award scheme aims to communicate to the local level is that Europeans have a right to live in healthy urban areas. Cities should therefore strive to improve the quality of life of their citizens and reduce their impact on the global environment.
Annual Award Process
Starting in 2010, one European city is selected each year as the European Green Capital of the year. The award is given to a city that:
- Has a consistent record of achieving high environmental standards;
- Is committed to ongoing and ambitious goals for further environmental improvement and sustainable development;
- Can act as a role model to inspire other cities and promote best practices to all other European cities.
The winning cities to date include: Stockholm in 2010, Hamburg in 2011, Vitoria-Gastiez in 2012, Nantes in 2013, Copenhagen in 2014, Bristol in 2015, Ljubljana in 2016, Essen in 2017, Nijmegen in 2018, Oslo in 2019, Lisbon in 2020, Lahti in 2021, Grenoble in 2022 and Tallinn in 2023. All are recognised for their consistent record of achieving high environmental standards and commitment to ambitious goals.
Cities as Role Models
The award aims to provide an incentive for cities to inspire each other and share best practices, while at the same time engaging in friendly competition. In other words, the cities become role models for each other.
“Two-thirds of Europeans live in towns and cities. Their health and well-being depends on how well city authorities address environmental challenges. The European Green Capital and European Green Leaf Awards recognise these remarkable efforts of environmentally-friendly cities. I am delighted to see cities from across the EU coming forward to show their progress towards a greener future. The winners to date are role models and inspire other cities to make their urban spaces sustainable and ultimately more enjoyable places in which to live, work and play.”
Source: European Green Capital - About
Click here to read more about 'Thirteen European cities have signed the Green City Accord'.
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European Green Leaf Award
The European Green Leaf Award is open to all towns and cities across Europe with a population of 20,000 and up to 100,000 inhabitants. The rules of contest for the latest cycle of the European Green Leaf Award are available here. The rules of contest must be adhered to in order for applicant cities to submit eligible applications.
The 2021 European Green Leaf title was jointly awarded to Gabrovoin Bulgaria and Lappeenranta in Finland.
For 2020, the European Green Leaf title was jointly awarded to Limerick in Ireland and Mechelen in Belgium. Former winning cities include: Leuven (Belgium),Galway (Ireland), Horst aan de Maas (The Netherlands), Cornellà de Llobregat, and Mollet del Vallès (Spain). Torres Vedras (Portugal) and Växjö (Sweden).
The European competition recognises a city’s commitment to better environmental outcomes. The scheme has a particular focus on efforts that generate green growth and new jobs.
Press Releases for the winning European Green Leaf Cities can be found below:
Cornellà de Llobregat and Horst aan de Maas
What is the European Green Leaf Award?
Gain recognition for your environmental achievements
The European Green Leaf Award is a competition aimed at cities and towns across Europe, with between populations of 20,000 and up to 100,000 inhabitants, that recognises commitment to better environmental outcomes, with a particular accent on efforts that generate green growth and new jobs.
The objectives of the European Green Leaf Award are threefold:
- To recognise cities that demonstrate a good environmental record and commitment to generating green growth;
- To encourage cities to actively develop citizens’ environmental awareness and involvement;
- To identify cities able to act as a ‘green ambassador’ and to encourage other cities to progress towards a better sustainability outcomes.
The European Green Leaf Award is presented on an annual basis by the European Commission in conjunction with the European Green Capital Award.
Background
To underpin the work of creating an ever-better environment for European citizens, the EU adopted the 7th Environment Action Programme (7th EAP) entitled “Living well, within the limits of our planet”. It provides the basis for EU environment policy up to 2020. This programme aims to enhance Europe’s ecological resilience and transform the EU into an inclusive and sustainable green economy.
The 7th EAP includes a specific policy objective “To enhance the sustainability of EU cities”. It foresees that the EU will promote and expand existing initiatives that support innovation and best practices in cities, enabling better networking and exchanges between cities and encouraging the leading ones to show how they lead on sustainable urban development.
The European Green Capital Award (EGCA) launched in 2008, is one such initiative. Following its success, many smaller cities seek EU recognition of their effort and commitment in the areas of sustainability & environment. In response, the European Commission launched the European Green Leaf Award.
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Grenoble, Gabrovo and Lappeenranta win prestigious European green city awards
The French city of Grenoble is the winner of the European Commission’s European Green Capital Award 2022. The title of European Green Leaf 2021 is shared by Gabrovo (Bulgaria) and Lappeenranta (Finland). Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius announced the winners last night at the official awards ceremony broadcast live from Lisbon, Portugal – the current European Green Capital.
Announcing the winners, Commissioner Sinkevičius said: “The winners and finalists of the green city awards have proven to be resilient and shown that, even in the most difficult circumstances like this year’s, rapid changes are possible. These success stories also show that sustainability and green transition provide solutions to cope with sudden crises and create better and healthier urban areas for EU citizens. As we continue to adapt to a new normal, our award winning cities will continue to play a leading role in implementing green solutions and creating cities that are fit for life.”
In addition to the responsibilities of winning the title, Grenoble will receive a €350,000 financial incentive from the European Commission to kick-start its European Green Capital year. The winners of the European Green Leaf 2021 title will each receive €75,000. A total of 36 cities competed for these prestigious awards – the highest ever number in the competition’s 13-year history.
The Jury was most impressed by the European Green Capital 2022 winner, Grenoble, for its pioneering approach to climate management that includes a strong commitment to systemic change and an innovative participative democracy approach to city governance. Grenoble’s ambitious plans for its European Green Capital Year impressed the Jury for how it will reach cities and citizens across Europe to inspire solutions.
Most notably, the city achieved top ranking in the areas of climate change mitigation, sustainable urban mobility, sustainable land use, noise and energy performance. With a terrain that limits urban sprawl, the city has no choice but to rely on urban regeneration and rehabilitation, efficient public transport and quality public spaces to renew itself.
- Strongly committed to climate change mitigation and improving energy performance, Grenoble was the first French local authority to adopt a Climate Plan, in 2005. The city reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 25% from 2005 to 2016 and is working towards a 50% reduction by 2030.
- Grenoble addresses noise pollution with designated quiet areas in the city, promoting cycling and reducing speed limits in the city.
- Grenoble’s eco-neighbourhoods have won national awards and the city takes an innovative approach to maximising its limited green space, by encouraging private gardens to open, vertical greening, and an ambitious tree planting programme.
- The city has achieved impressive cycling rates through incentives, reimbursements and pedestrianisation.
The European Green Leaf 2021 winners Gabrovo and Lappeenranta stood out to the International Jury for their approach to environmental management, as well as their communications and engagement, that positions them as ideal role models to inspire other cities.
Gabrovo (Bulgaria)
Gabrovo was commended for its commitment to energy efficiency and clean technology implementation over the past decade. This has resulted in initiatives with citizen involvement, focused on the provision of sustainable transport and maintenance of green areas. Gabrovo has a wide variety of natural habitats and species and has ongoing measures in place to protect and conserve these biodiversity assets.
Lappeenranta (Finland)
Lappeenranta was recognised for its commitment to developing into a model green city and ranked highly in all the award indicators. The city is home to the world-class research and innovation university which contributes to the city in areas such as clean energy research, sustainability, circular economy and water technology. Guided by the Lappeenranta 2033 Strategy, it was the world’s first city to start solely using EKOenergy certified renewable electricity.
The European Green Capital 2022 winner Grenoble, and finalists Dijon, Tallinn and Turin, have each earned a place in the European Green Capital Network to share best practices and motivate other cities. Similarly, the other European Green Leaf 2021 finalists, the Danish cities of Elsinore, Nyborg and Ringkøbing-Skjern will join Gabrovo and Lappeenranta and previous winners and finalists in the European Green Leaf Network.
Background
With more than two thirds of Europe’s population living in urban areas, the European Green Capital and European Green Leaf Awards aim to recognise the environmental achievements of cities and towns that strive for urban sustainability and eco-innovation, and inspire others to take positive action in making their cities fit for life.
The European Green Capital Award is presented to a city with more than 100 000 inhabitants that is at the forefront of sustainable urban living. Each year, a panel of independent urban sustainability experts assesses the performance of the competing cities against 12 environmental indicators and selects finalists to present to an international Jury.
Twelve other cities have won the European Green Capital Award to date: Stockholm (2010), Hamburg (2011), Vitoria-Gasteiz (2012), Nantes (2013), Copenhagen (2014), Bristol (2015), Ljubljana (2016), Essen (2017), Nijmegen (2018), Oslo (2019), Lisbon (2020) and Lahti (2021).
Following the success of the European Green Capital Award, the European Green Leaf Award was established in 2015 to recognise the environmental efforts and achievements of smaller towns and cities with 20 000 to 99 999 inhabitants. The same panel of 12 experts assesses the applications received based on six environmental topic areas and selects the finalists.
Nine other cities have won a European Green Leaf Award so far: Mollèt del Valles, Spain and Torres Vedras, Portugal (2015); Galway, Ireland (2017); Leuven, Belgium, and Växjö, Sweden (2018); Cornellà de Llobregat, Spain, and Horst aan de Maas, the Netherlands (2019); and Limerick, Ireland and Mechelen, Belgium (2020).
Source: Grenoble, Gabrovo and Lappeenranta win prestigious European green city awards - European Commission
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General Union Environment Action Programme to 2030
This proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on a new General Union Environment Action Programme to 2030 is based on Article 192 (3) TFEU. In order to ensure ownership of this Programme and delivery on its priority objectives by the EU and its Member States, this proposal for a Decision sets out an enabling framework supporting the achievements of the priority objectives and ensures that progress towards the objectives is measured on a regular basis.
The objectives of this proposal for a Decision cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States alone. Since environment and climate policy is an area of shared competence in the EU and a decentralised policy, one of the purposes of this Programme is to create common ownership of all three EU institutions and the Member States of its objectives, providing policy makers and other stakeholders - including regions and cities, businesses, social partners, civil society organisations and individual citizens - with a predictable framework and direction for action.Source: Proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the council on a General Union Environment Action Programme to 2030. 2020. European Commission.
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Environment Action Programme to 2020
Over the past decades the European Union has put in place a broad range of environmental legislation. As a result, air, water and soil pollution has significantly been reduced. Chemicals legislation has been modernised and the use of many toxic or hazardous substances has been restricted. Today, EU citizens enjoy some of the best water quality in the world and over 18% of EU's territory has been designated as protected areas for nature. However, many challenges persist and these must be tackled together in a structured way.
The 7th Environment Action Programme (EAP) will be guiding European environment policy until 2020. In order to give more long-term direction it sets out a vision beyond that, of where it wants the Union to be by 2050:
"In 2050, we live well, within the planet’s ecological limits. Our prosperity and healthy environment stem from an innovative, circular economy where nothing is wasted and where natural resources are managed sustainably, and biodiversity is protected, valued and restored in ways that enhance our society’s resilience. Our low-carbon growth has long been decoupled from resource use, setting the pace for a safe and sustainable global society."
It identifies three key objectives:
- to protect, conserve and enhance the Union’s natural capital
- to turn the Union into a resource-efficient, green, and competitive low-carbon economy
- to safeguard the Union's citizens from environment-related pressures and risks to health and wellbeing
Four so called "enablers" will help Europe deliver on these goals:
- better implementation of legislation
- better information by improving the knowledge base
- more and wiser investment for environment and climate policy
- full integration of environmental requirements and considerations into other policies
Two additional horizontal priority objectives complete the programme:
- to make the Union's cities more sustainable
- to help the Union address international environmental and climate challenges more effectively.
The programme entered into force in January 2014. It is now up to the EU institutions and the Member States to ensure it is implemented, and that priority objectives set out are met by 2020.
Source: Environment Action Programme to 2020 - European Commission
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Urban Atlas
The Urban Atlas is providing pan-European comparable land use and land cover data for Large Urban Zones with more than 100.000 inhabitants as defined by the Urban Audit. The GIS data can be downloaded together with a map for each urban area covered and a report with the metadata.
Methodology
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Compiled from thousands of pictures from European satellites, Urban Atlas provides sufficient coverage for detailed and cost-effective mapping of larger urban zones, yielding accurate land cover and usage data. Urban Atlas' mission is to provide high-resolution hotspot mapping of changes in urban spaces and indicators for users such as city governments, the European Environment Agency (EEA) and European Commission departments. More than 300 major cities in the EU will be covered by early 2011.
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European Environment Information and Observation Network (Eionet)
The European environment information and observation network (Eionet) is a partnership network of the EEA and its member and cooperating countries. The EEA is responsible for developing Eionet and coordinating its activities. To do so, the EEA works closely with national focal points (NFPs), which are typically based in national environment agencies or environment ministries. NFPs are responsible for coordinating national networks, involving many institutions.
NFPs are responsible for coordinating networks of Eionet Groups (EGs), bringing together experts from national institutions and other bodies involved in environmental information.
Taking up its work in 1994, Eionet has become a well-known and trusted provider of high‑quality data, information and assessments for Europe.
The concept of Eionet encompasses the following defining elements:
• Strong institutional cooperation across several levels (national, regional, European, international) as well as partnerships with civil society, facilitated by a coordinating entity
• Agreed common content — data, information, indicators, analysis
• Shared infrastructure, standards and tools.Member and cooperating countries
The EEA currently has 32 member countries and six cooperating countries. The 32 member countries include the 27 European Union Member States together with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey.
The six West Balkan countries are cooperating countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia as well as Kosovo [i]. The cooperation activities of these countries are integrated into Eionet and are supported by the European Union under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance.
The EEA also engages in international cooperation beyond its own member and cooperating countries.
Following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU on 31 January 2020, it ceased to be part of the EEA’s institutional networks and governance. In addition, the UK no longer participates in meetings or other coordination processes connected to the EEA’s mandate. In principle [1], the United Kingdom no longer has a legal obligation to maintain or provide information and advice, or to assist in fulfilling its obligations under EU Environmental legislation beyond the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020.
European Topic Centres
Apart from the NFPs and EGs, Eionet currently covers seven European topic centres (ETCs) in the areas of:
- Biodiversity and Ecosystems (ETC-BE)
- Climate change adaptation and LULUCF (ETC-CA)
- Resource use and circular economy (ETC-CE)
- Climate change mitigation (ETC-CM)
- Data integration and digitilisation (ETC-DI)
- Human health and the environment (ETC-HE)
- Sustainability, trends prospects and responses (ETC-ST)
Click here for more information: Eionet website
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EASME - Executive Agency for SMEs
The Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) has been set-up by the European Commission to manage on its behalf several EU programmes in the fields of SME support & innovation, environment, climate action, energy and maritime affairs.
The Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) has been set-up by the European Commission to manage on its behalf several EU programmes.
Vision, mission, values
Our vision
'We aim to help create a more competitive and resource-efficient European economy based on knowledge and innovation'
Our mission
'We provide high quality support to our beneficiaries, turning EU policy into action. As an executive agency of the European Commission, we manage significant parts of COSME, LIFE, Horizon 2020 and EMFF. We ensure that actions funded by these programmes deliver results and provide the Commission with valuable input for its policy tasks'.
Our values
The EASME is committed to the public service principles for EU civil servants. These are:
- commitment to the European Union and its citizens;
- integrity;
- objectivity;
- respect for others;
- transparency.
Source: EASME
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Circular economy action plan
This Circular Economy Action Plan provides a future-oriented agenda for achieving a cleaner and more competitive Europe in co-creation with economic actors, consumers, citizens and civil society organisations. It aims at accelerating the transformational change required by the European Green Deal, while building on circular economy actions implemented since 2015.
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Biodiversity strategy for 2030
The EU’s biodiversity strategy for 2030 is a comprehensive, ambitious and long-term plan to protect nature and reverse the degradation of ecosystems. The strategy aims to put Europe's biodiversity on a path to recovery by 2030, and contains specific actions and commitments. It is the proposal for the EU’s contribution to the upcoming international negotiations on the global post-2020 biodiversity framework. A core part of the European Green Deal, it will also support a green recovery following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Objectives
The biodiversity strategy aims to put Europe’s biodiversity on the path to recovery by 2030 for the benefit of people, climate and the planet.
In the post-COVID-19 context, the strategy aims to build our societies’ resilience to future threats such as
- the impacts of climate change
- forest fires
- food insecurity
- disease outbreaks - including by protecting wildlife and fighting illegal wildlife trade
Actions
The strategy contains specific commitments and actions to be delivered by 2030.
Establishing a larger EU-wide network of protected areas on land and at sea
The EU will enlarge existing Natura 2000 areas, with strict protection for areas of very high biodiversity and climate value.
Launching an EU nature restoration plan
Through concrete commitments and actions, the EU aims to restore degraded ecosystems by 2030 and manage them sustainably, addressing the key drivers of biodiversity loss.
As part of this plan, the Commission will propose binding nature restoration targets by the end of 2021.
Introducing measures to enable the necessary transformative change
The strategy highlights unlocking funding for biodiversity, and setting in motion a new, strengthened governance framework to
- ensure better implementation and track progress
- improve knowledge, financing and investments
- better respecting nature in public and business decision-making
Implementation
Two online tools track progress in implementing the strategy
- an online actions tracker provides up-to-date information on the state of implementation of the strategy’s many actions
- a targets dashboard shows progress to the quantified biodiversity targets set by the Strategy, at the EU level and in the Member States
Source: Biodiversity strategy for 2030 - European Commission