80% of Europe's Natural Habitats in Poor Shape

More than 80% of the European Union's natural habitats are in poor or bad condition and more must be done to protect them, the European Environment Agency (EEA) warned in a report. The report, which covers the period 2013-2018, shows a deterioration from the 2007-2012 period when 77% of natural habitats were in “unfavourable” condition. “We clearly need a large-scale restoration in Europe,” one of the authors of the report, EEA expert Carlos Romao, told reporters. “This is a must not only for biodiversity but also for the climate change agenda.” Common farmland species such as the skylark, and habitats such as wet heaths, are declining across the continent. Habitats and species are facing numerous pressures, including intensive agriculture, urban sprawl — coupled with tourism and recreation — unsustainable forestry activities, and pollution, among others. Climate change, with increasing drought and decreasing rainfall, also poses a challenge. In the six-year study, the EAA registered over 67,000 types of human activities that harmed the environment in the 28 EU member states, including Britain. Habitats important to pollinators are another area of concern, as they are crucial to the planet's biodiversity. Their conservation status has deteriorated more than others, the report showed.