This Regional Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for Europe and Central Asia provides a critical analysis of the state of knowledge regarding the importance, status, and trends of biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people of Europe and Central Asia region and subregions. The assessment analyses the direct and underlying causes for the observed changes in biodiversity and in nature’s contributions to people, and the impact that these changes have on the quality of life of people. The assessment, finally, identifies a mix of governance options, policies and management practices that are currently available to reduce the loss of biodiversity and of nature’s contributions to people in that region. The assessment addresses terrestrial, freshwater, and coastal biodiversity and covers current status and trends, going back in time several decades, and future projections, with a focus on the 2020-2050 period.
This regional assessment provides invaluable information for policymakers in Europe and Central Asia to make informed decisions regarding the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, the promotion of access to genetic resources, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their use. It also provides valuable information for the ongoing IPBES global assessment, to be released in May 2019 and is expected to inform discussions regarding the post-2020 global biodiversity framework under the Convention on Biological Diversity, as well as to inform action on implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals.