The European Commission has published new guidelines on how the European network of protected areas, Natura 2000, can act as a powerful driver of sustainable tourism, whilst safeguarding resilient ecosystems that protect habitats and species. Tourism accounts for a significant share of the EU’s economy: it generated around 807,000 million euros in 2024 and employs […]
Maritime transport: environmental and sustainability challenges persist.
Europe’s maritime sector is making progress towards greater sustainability but will need to increase its efforts over the coming years to meet EU climate and environment goals aimed at reducing energy use, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions as well as better protecting biodiversity. That is according to the second edition of the European Maritime Transport Environmental […]
Wildfires in 2023: 41 % of the burnt area in the EU within Natura 2000 protected sites
This year’s fire season, which sparked the largest wildfire ever recorded in the EU, has been devastating for humans and the environment. As we are taking stock of this year’s deadly wildfires, some worrying trends emerge. Protected areas appear to have a higher probability of burning than non-protected areas. 41% of areas burnt in the […]