Natura 2000 protected marine area (i71)
- 31/10/2025
- objective
- assessment assessment
In 2023, 38.1% of the Belgian marine surface was a Natura 2000 protected area. To achieve the sustainable development goal, this figure must be at least 30% by 2030. This objective has been reached.
Natura 2000 protected marine area - Belgium - trend assessment
percentage of marine surface
| 2000 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2025 | 2030 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| observations | -- | 36.65 | 36.80 | 38.13 | 38.13 | -- | -- |
| trend and extrapolation (November 2025) | -- | 36.45 | 36.83 | 37.57 | 37.96 | 38.50 | 39.10 |
| objective 2030 | 30.00 | 30.00 | 30.00 | 30.00 | 30.00 | 30.00 | 30.00 |
Source: Data BE: EEA (2025), Natura 2000 barometer statistics, http://www.eea.europa.eu/, last update of data 12/03/2025 23:00 and FPS Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment (2025), Notre mer en quelques mots, http://www.health.belgium.be/fr/notre-mer-en-quelques-mots. Data UE: Eurostat (2025) Surface of marine sites designated under Natura 2000, sdg_14_10, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat, last update of data 16/01/2025 (consulted on 02/07/2025); calculations FPB.
Natura 2000 protected marine area - Belgium and international comparison
percentage of marine surface
| 2010 | 2012 | 2015 | 2018 | 2020 | 2022 | 2023 | 2023//2010 | 2023//2018 | 2021//2012 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | 36.65 | 36.56 | 36.80 | 36.80 | 38.13 | 38.13 | 38.13 | 0.30 | 0.71 | 0.47 |
| EU27 | -- | 4.20 | -- | -- | -- | 12.30 | -- | -- | -- | 12.48 |
| //: Average Growth Rates | ||||||||||
Source: Data BE: EEA (2025), Natura 2000 barometer statistics, http://www.eea.europa.eu/, last update of data 12/03/2025 23:00 and FPS Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment (2025), Notre mer en quelques mots, http://www.health.belgium.be/fr/notre-mer-en-quelques-mots. Data UE: Eurostat (2025) Surface of marine sites designated under Natura 2000, sdg_14_10, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat, last update of data 16/01/2025 (consulted on 02/07/2025); calculations FPB.
Definition: this indicator represents the share of Natura 2000 protected marine areas (under the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC - Official Journal of the European Union, 22/7/1992 - and/or the Birds Directive 79/409/EEC - Official Journal of the European Union, 25/4/1979) in the total Belgian marine area (which includes the territorial waters, the exclusive economic area and the continental plate). The indicator is calculated by the FPB on the basis of data from the European Environment Agency and the Federal Public Service Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment. Data come from Eurostat for the European Union. It should be noted that these only concern the 22 EU27 countries with marine areas.
Goal: a share of 30% of protected marine and coastal surface.
The Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs adopted by the UN in 2015 include target 14.5: “By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information”. This target has already been widely reached in Belgium.
The Conference of the Parties of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity of December 2022 has adopted new goals, among which "Ensure and enable that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of terrestrial, inland water, and of coastal and marine areas […] are effectively conserved and managed through ecologically representative, well-connected and equitably governed systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures" (target 10, CBD, 2022).
UN indicator: the selected indicator corresponds to indicator 14.5.1 - Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas.
Sources
-
CBD (2022), Kunming-Montreal Global biodiversity framework, CBD/COP/15/L.25.
- Official Journal of the European Union: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/oj/direct-access.html?locale=nen.
At www.indicators.be the Federal Planning Bureau presents sustainable development indicators.
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