Guidance on Integrating Climate Change and Biodiversity into ...

Biodiversity Action Plans(BAPs)• BAPs provide details on how the Biodiversity Strategy is to be achieved. They arepresent at European level (for example, the 2006 BAP now superseded by the 2020Biodiversity Strategy), but also exist across the EU and worldwide under the CBD (asNational Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans, NBSAPs). In Member States, they aresometimes aligned with the EU 2006 BAP.• BAPs form the wider implementation framework for biodiversity, beyond Natura2000. At Member State level, they list identified species and habitats, assess theirstatus within the ecosystem, create conservation and restoration targets andestablish the budgets and timelines needed to achieve said targets.• BAPs can also require the protection of certain species where they occur outside ofprotected areas.3.3 Interactions between climate change and biodiversityThe natural environment is intrinsically interlinked. These links are evident among manyenvironmental issues, including climate change and biodiversity. This section does not attempt tofully describe the links between these two aspects, but simply focuses on the key interactions thatare directly relevant to SEAs.Two examples of interactions between biodiversity and climate change are:Using green infrastructure for floodrisk managementThe EU Floods Directive establishes aframework for the management of floodrisks. It gives the EU Member States thechoice of measures to put in place toreduce the adverse consequencesrelated to floods.Article 7 requires Member States to settheir own flood management objectives.The objectives must also focus on ‘nonstructural’measures (ranging from earlywarningto natural water retentionmeasures) and/or on the reduction ofthe likelihood of flooding.These are potentially very cost-effectivealternatives of achieving flood protectionto constructing new or reinforcing dykesand dams. They often deliver multiplebenefits in addition to flood protection.Examples of such measures are:• restoring natural flows byrealignment of coastal areas, or reconnectionof rivers with theirfloodplain;• restoration of wetlands which canstore flood water and help ‘slow theflow’ of flood waters;• urban green infrastructure such asgreen spaces or green roofs.Source: DG Environment relevantwebpage• Supporting biodiversity delivers clear carbon benefitsby enhancing the natural environment’s ability toabsorb and store carbon via soil and plant matter.Evidence suggests that healthy natural habitats suchas soil, wetlands, and forests can sequester significantamounts of carbon. Damaging the biodiversity orphysical environment of these areas can release thisstored carbon, even indirectly, contributing to climatechange and to reducing biodiversity.• Biodiversity and the natural environment provideservices that increase our resilience to the impacts ofclimate change, such as changes in precipitation andtemperature. For example, well-functioning greenspaces can regulate storm water flow, reducing therisk of flood events. Ecosystems and their services canbe used in many PPs with success as cost-effectivealternatives to build infrastructure, for example, tomanage flood risks (see box left). Green spaces andvegetation also provide cooling within cities reducingthe impact of heat waves and the urban heat islandeffect and plants stabilise soils, reducing the risk oflandslides and erosion. By contrast, deforestation cancontribute to mudslides, etc.The link between biodiversity and climate change is notone-way. The effects of a changing climate are alreadyhaving an impact on biodiversity and ecosystem serviceprovision. It is predicted that climate change will be the28 <strong>Guidance</strong> on integrating climate change and biodiversity into SEA