Pressures resulting from the COVID-19 crisis could pull the European Union (EU) away from the direction set in December 2019 in the headlines of the European Green Deal. This report indicates the EU must establish its position in the context of attempts to agree a new international framework on tackling nature loss, and back that up with a credible plan to tackle Europe’s biodiversity decline. While the critical international biodiversity summit in Kunming planned for October 2020 is delayed, the opportunity for EU leadership on the issue remains open.
The EU’s Biodiversity Strategy will be an early test of how seriously the Commission is committed to work to protect and restore nature and support new economic activity that supports and enhances nature's contribution to the European economy. This brief emphasises the importance of biodiversity for human and economic health, suggests European businesses are looking for clear policy direction, and presents key policy points for governments to adopt.