Europe is warming at approximately twice the global average
The European Commission has presented a new guide with recommendations to help Member States adapt the Natura 2000 network of protected natural areas to climate change.
The document clarifies how the provisions of the Birds and Habitats Directives apply when designating and managing Natura 2000 sites in the context of climate change impacts.
It also offers recommendations on practical adaptation measures and a climate adaptation framework for Natura 2000 managers, national authorities, and stakeholders responsible for protecting Europe’s most valuable habitats and species.
The guidance is not legally binding and does not create new obligations, as explained by the European Commission. However, it provides Member States with the necessary flexibility to tailor adaptation measures to national and regional circumstances.
This guide, designed to balance nature protection with daily life and economic activity, is primarily aimed at Natura 2000 site managers and environmental authorities, while also helping landowners, environmental organizations, and other actors understand the role they can play in building a climate-resilient natural world.
Increasing climate pressures on European nature
Europe is warming at about twice the global average, exposing its ecosystems, habitats, and species to more intense heatwaves, droughts, wildfires, and floods.
The Natura 2000 network, covering approximately 18.6% of the EU’s land territory and more than 10.5% of its seas, hosts a significant portion of European biodiversity. Much of this biodiversity is under considerable pressure, as recently shown in the EEA’s The European Environment 2025 report, and this pressure is expected to continue increasing.
Without proactive adaptation, climate change risks causing widespread species decline and habitat loss across the network, undermining decades of conservation efforts.
At the same time, the climate and biodiversity crises are deeply interrelated. Degraded ecosystems release greenhouse gases and lose their ability to store carbon, while healthy ecosystems—especially peatlands, wetlands, forests, and coastal habitats—are key tools for climate mitigation and adaptation.
The guidance helps harness this potential by promoting nature-based solutions that provide benefits for both biodiversity and climate resilience.
Cost-effective long-term protection
The guidance updates previous EU guidelines on climate change and Natura 2000, reflecting recent scientific knowledge and policy developments. It outlines how to:
- Plan and implement adaptation measures
- Adjust site boundaries or conservation objectives
- Restore degraded habitats to increase their resilience
- Create strategic partnerships with sectors such as agriculture, water management, and disaster prevention (e.g., floods and wildfires).
The European Commission has presented a new guide with recommendations to help Member States adapt the Natura 2000 network of protected natural areas to climate change.
The document clarifies how the provisions of the Birds and Habitats Directives apply when designating and managing Natura 2000 sites in the context of climate change impacts.
It also offers recommendations on practical adaptation measures and a climate adaptation framework for Natura 2000 managers, national authorities, and stakeholders responsible for protecting Europe’s most valuable habitats and species.
The guidance is not legally binding and does not create new obligations, as explained by the European Commission. However, it provides Member States with the necessary flexibility to tailor adaptation measures to national and regional circumstances.
This guide, designed to balance nature protection with daily life and economic activity, is primarily aimed at Natura 2000 site managers and environmental authorities, while also helping landowners, environmental organizations, and other actors understand the role they can play in building a climate-resilient natural world.
Increasing climate pressures on European nature
Europe is warming at about twice the global average, exposing its ecosystems, habitats, and species to more intense heatwaves, droughts, wildfires, and floods.
The Natura 2000 network, covering approximately 18.6% of the EU’s land territory and more than 10.5% of its seas, hosts a significant portion of European biodiversity. Much of this biodiversity is under considerable pressure, as recently shown in the EEA’s The European Environment 2025 report, and this pressure is expected to continue increasing.
Without proactive adaptation, climate change risks causing widespread species decline and habitat loss across the network, undermining decades of conservation efforts.
At the same time, the climate and biodiversity crises are deeply interrelated. Degraded ecosystems release greenhouse gases and lose their ability to store carbon, while healthy ecosystems—especially peatlands, wetlands, forests, and coastal habitats—are key tools for climate mitigation and adaptation.
The guidance helps harness this potential by promoting nature-based solutions that provide benefits for both biodiversity and climate resilience.
Cost-effective long-term protection
The guidance updates previous EU guidelines on climate change and Natura 2000, reflecting recent scientific knowledge and policy developments. It outlines how to:
- Plan and implement adaptation measures
- Adjust site boundaries or conservation objectives
- Restore degraded habitats to increase their resilience
- Create strategic partnerships with sectors such as agriculture, water management, and disaster prevention (e.g., floods and wildfires).
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