Green Infrastructure. IENE 2012 International Conference

Transcription

1 Green Infrastructure IENE 2012 International Conference Marco Fritz, DG Environment Potsdam, 22/10/2012

2 Content 1) Green Infrastructure why does it matter? 2) Added value 3) Policy development framework 4) Next steps in policy development 5) Examples

3 Part 1: Green Infrastructure Why does it matter? What is it, why is it important? Which problems does it help to solve?

4 What is it, and why is it important? Green infrastructure is a strategically planned and delivered network of high quality green spaces and other environmental features in urban and rural areas, designed and managed as a multifunctional resource capable of delivering a wide range of benefits and services. Green Infrastructure includes natural and semi-natural areas, features and green spaces in rural and (peri-)urban, terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine areas, protected and not protected areas. Green Infrastructure webpage: Examples in EU-27: AT Directive on wildlife protection in road construction, Traffic Action Plan in DK, NL Multi-Annual Defragmentation Programme, FR Trame Verte et Bleue, DE Bundesprogramm Wiedervernetzung,...

5 GI in short Response to ecosystem and habitat fragmentation mostly through land-use changes (intensification, abandonment, urban sprawl) +transport/energy infrastructure Consists in natural and man-made elements (such as restoration zones, green bridges, green roofs and walls, fish migration channels, green urban areas, high nature value farmland or forest areas). Ensures efficient and sustainable use of land by integrating interacting functions or activities on the same piece of land. Maintains ecological coherence as essential condition for healthy ecosystems, which are vital to ensure that the functional elements of ecosystems can continue to interact, both between themselves and with their physical environment.

6 Green Infrastructure - what is in it for Europe? > need to ensure that the European Union comes out stronger from the crisis. The Europe 2020 Strategy: promoting smart, sustainable and inclusive growth supporting a shift towards a resource efficient, low-carbon, sustainable economy by investing in our natural capital. Smart solutions are found in innovative applications of Green Infrastructure for energy efficiency, and for climate change mitigation and adaptation, particularly in urban areas. Green Infrastructure is contributing to better social inclusion by improving human health and by providing jobs. Green Infrastructures role in contributing to the sustainable transformation on the Union's economy is acknowledged in the context of EU policy on adaptation to climate change and in recent proposals on cohesion policy and agricultural policy. The commitment to the development of Green Infrastructure is one of the actions included in the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020.

7 Green Infrastructure why now? Without further action > economic, social and environmental decline resulting from the on-going degradation and loss of Europe s natural capital will continue and probably accelerate Scale and rate of Green Infrastructure deployment within the EU would need to be scaled-up significantly if it is to make a significant contribution (cf 15% restoration target) Absence of improved co-ordination + over-arching framework: sprinkling of independent actions that do not deliver their full potential resulting in a subsequent loss of support and interest in the approach, with fragmentation and destruction of ecosystems and the depletion of their services continuing > Green Infrastructure is about investing in the health of ecosystems throughout the European territory and connectivity measures can be well part of a Green Infrastructure initiative

8 Loss of biodiversity in the EU Europe has suffered more human-induced fragmentation than any other continent (MEA, 2001) 50% of wetlands and high-nature-value farmland gone 40% of all European bird species have unfavourable conservation status EU Health Check 2009 «50% of species and up to 80% of habitats of European conservation interest have unfavourable conservation status»

9 Problem in urbanising Europe: fragmentation, habitat degradation (intensification and abandonment) and loss Unsustainable land use more intelligent ways of land use in the future necessary

10 The fragmentation challenge Indicator development on EU level: fragmentation of agricultural/forest/other land use areas (landscape mosaic pattern) fragmentation due to transport/urban sprawl fragmentation of freshwater systems

11 Unsustainable use of ecosystem goods & services Synergies and trade-offs between ecosystem services Non-sustainable way of life: Major consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem services + dependent economic and social activities: Species have great difficulties in dispersing, migrating or moving Ecosystems that are small or isolated may stop providing us with valuable services such as food, freshwater, water or climate regulation, disaster prevention etc.

12 Sources: D. Smith, EC Climate change mitigation and adaptation disaster prevention It is impossible to solve biodiversity loss without addressing climate change It is impossible to solve climate change without addressing biodiversity and related ecosystem services >> Ecosystems currently absorb half of anthropogenic CO2 emissions and provide adaptation functions, including flood protection and disaster risk minimisation

13 Sources: D. Smith, R. Elliott P. Finck, M. Kulvik Europ. Commission different scales, different solutions

14 cross-sector/cross-border coherence?

15 Part 2: Added value of Green Infrastructure

16 Added value of Green Infrastructure: giving space to ecosystems and maintaining biodiversity strengthening the functionality of ecosystems for delivering goods and services, such as provision of clean water and air, flood retention, attractive recreational areas and investing in restoration mitigating and adapting to climate change effects, for acting as barriers against erosion, and for enhancing the quality of life (health, conserving historic and cultural heritage) multifunctional use for greening transport and energy, including fragmentation mitigation Contributing to developing a greener and sustainable economy by investing in natural solutions (relying upon ecosystem services) instead of purely technical ones with green jobs biodiversity-positive financial investments possible, "bankable term"

17 Tackling the spatial dimension Spatial demands to be solved with integrated spatial planning promote identification of multi-purpose zones and incorporation of restoration into land use planning and policy sustainable land use planning needs to be integrative for being successful participation of citizens and stakeholders early in the planning process information and monitoring

18 Part 3: Policy development framework for Green Infrastructure

19 Green Infrastructure: Policy context EU2020 : smart, sustainable, inclusive growth resource efficiency Policy reform CFP, CAP, Cohesion Policy + Connecting Europe 2013 Towards new financial perspectives (cf MFF LIFE Connecting Europe Facility) 7 th Environment Action Programme EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 (c) Kjell Nilsson Danish Centre for Forest, Landscape and Planning University of Copenhagen

20 Green Infrastructure: integration tool Integration of the concept and the use of Green Infrastructure in policies at EU level, which shape the use of land and its spatial patterns a. Nature protection and biodiversity policies b. Regional policies c. Agriculture policies d. Water policies e. Marine and coastal policies f. Transport and energy efficiency policies g. Climate change policies h. Urban policies (smart cities) i. Resource efficiency policies j. Land and soil policies WATER Framework Directive MARINE Framework Directive CLIMATE CHANGE Policies HABITATS Directive Green Infrastructure BIODIVERSITY UN Convention BIRDS Directive SOIL Draft Directive Financing current revision of the EU funding instruments Non-EU funding (governments, EIB, private banks, developers and civil society)

21 EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2020 COM(2011)244 Our life insurance, our natural capital HEADLINE TARGET Halting the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services in the EU by 2020, and restoring them in so far as feasible, while stepping up the EU contribution to averting global biodiversity loss Target 2: Restore ecosystems By 2020, ecosystem services are maintained and enhanced through the establishment of Green Infrastructure and the restoration of at least 15% of degraded ecosystems. Action 6b: The Commission will develop a Green Infrastructure Strategy by 2012 to promote the deployment of green infrastructure in the EU in urban and rural areas,...

22 Studies with conclusions e.g. on GI and transport Creating connective green infrastructure alongside the construction of new grey transport infrastructure is far cheaper than decreasing the barrier effects later Pressing need for integrated and coordinated approaches in local and regional spatial planning processes for new transport infrastructure to adequately cover wildlife corridors and ensure their long-term effectiveness. GI is far more than de-fragmentation caused by road or railway networks, and about mitigation measures when planning and constructing new transport infrastructure such constructions should ultimately lead to an improvement of the ecosystems' health instead to their degradation Avoiding valuable nature areas (inside/outside protected areas) and conducting SEA/EIAs should have a high priority when planning new roads; Develop standardised methodology for valuing the wider external costs of fragmentation or respective benefits and long-term monitoring of mitigation measures

23 Part 4: Green Infrastructure next steps in policy development

24 06/11 ENV Council conclusions UNDERSCORES the importance of green infrastructure also as a contribution to further integrating biodiversity considerations into other EU policies; and WELCOMES the Commission s commitment to develop a Green Infrastructure Strategy by /11 CoR discussion underlining 2010 position of importance of Green Infrastructure 12/11 ENV Council conclusions CALLS UPON the Commission to consider, within the scope of the Green Infrastructure (GI) Strategy under preparation, among others, the following issues: (a) possible scope and key components of GI; (b) possible framework for GI implementation based on existing experience, particularly in spatial planning, including coastal; (c) methodological issues related to GI, including with regard to spatial connectivity between protected areas and basic requirements for the delivery of the necessary ecosystem services; d) options to integrate GI in existing policy instruments and importance of GI in terms of climate change adaptation; e) identifying opportunities for financing GI; f) communication and promotion of GI targeting different stakeholders and sectors, and in particular local authorities; 05/12 EP statement Urges the Commission to adopt a specific Green Infrastructure Strategy by 2012 at the latest, with biodiversity protection as a primary objective; (draft discussed in 03/12)

25 Milestones on Green Infrastructure Green Paper development (state of play 06/12) 01/12 Study results on case examples and typology, on EU-wide cost-benefit analysis of Green Infrastructure, on climate change and Natura 2000, and on the potential of ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation and mitigation available 05/12 Green Week session on Green Infrastructure & water (stakeholder discussion) 2012/3 Adoption of Communication on Green Infrastructure (Green Paper) 2013 Brochure on GI ready (Explain GI COM to general public) >> follow-up

26 Recommendations of Green Infrastructure Working Group 2011: - Scope and objectives of Green Infrastructure in the EU - How to put Green Infrastructure in place on the ground - What should be the role of the EU? - Financing Green Infrastructure Science for Environment Policy Special Issue 2012 EEA reports: -on fragmentation (2011) -on Green Infrastructure and territorial cohesion (2011) -on mapping Green Infrastructure (2012)

27 Part 5: Examples for Green Infrastructure

28 Contracts Creation of a database of European GI projects (127 entries covering all EU-27 countries) Analysis of six in-depth case studies Expert workshop on green infrastructure

29 Research funding EU Financing possibilities PLUREL Strategies and tools for urban development and sustainable peri-urban land use relationships Structural Funds (the European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund) 3.8 billion have been allocated for nature Cohesion Fund investments across all ERDF Operational Programmes SURF Green Infrastructure: Sustainable Investments for the Benefit of Both People and Nature LIFE+ a major trunk road was rerouted to enable an increase in favourable habitat for the endangered marsh fritillary butterfly (UK) Brochure with 65 project examples from 17 MS

30 Green Infrastructure website