Climate and biodiversity efforts falling far short of targets

Neither the EU nor the rest of the world is doing enough to combat global warming and protect biodiversity, according to several major reports.

The chances that the EU will meet important environmental objectives it set itself for 2020 are “slipping away”, the European Environment Agency warned in a report on 29 November. The EU “continues to fall short” in its efforts to meet the objectives, the EEA said, particularly around biodiversity and natural capital.

Across nine indicators for natural capital objectives, eight now look unlikely to be met by 2020, according to the report. The EEA characterised this outlook as “bleak”. Four of the indicators had been classed as likely to be met in previous updates.