EU nature decline: Majority of protected habitats rated as in poor or bad condition

The most comprehensive health check of the EU’s environment ever undertaken has found that unsustainable farming, urban sprawl and pollution are the main culprits for the decline of our natural environment.
The new report states that as much as 81 per cent of protected habitats are in poor condition and that most protected species have either a poor or a bad conservation status.
It concludes that unless fundamental changes are made to the way we produce and consume food, manage forests and build cities – decline in Europe’s biodiversity will continue to threaten thousands of animal species and natural landscapes.