Definition: the farmland bird population index is an aggregated indicator of demographic estimates of 15 species of farmland birds with 1990 as the reference year (1990 = 100). The data come from annual surveys on breeding birds and are collected in the framework of a pan-European bird monitoring network. The data come from INBO, Natagora and SPARNE-DEMNA for Belgians and the regions and from Eurostat for Europe (26 countries).

The birds were chosen because “Birds are seen as good “indicator species” for the integrity of ecosystems and biological diversity. Being close to or at the top of the food chain, they reflect changes in ecosystems rather rapidly compared to other species (OECD, 2012, p. 94). The evolution for other groups of species may therefore be different. The reader can also consult a composite indicator with many species, the Living Planet Index, which was calculated for Belgium in 2020 (WWF, 2020). It is not included here because it is not yet certain that it will be recalculated in the future.

Goal: the farmland bird population index must rise.

The Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs adopted by the UN in 2015 include target 15.5: “Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species”.

The Conference of the Parties of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity of December 2022 has adopted new goals, among which "Ensure that areas under agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries and forestry are managed sustainably, in particular through the sustainable use of biodiversity […] and other innovative approaches contributing to […] conserving and restoring biodiversity and maintaining nature’s contributions to people, including ecosystem functions and services" (target 10, CBD, 2022).

The Federal Long-Term Strategic Vision for Sustainable Development contains objective 37: “The goods and services provided by ecosystems will be restored, valorised and used prudently and sustainably, contributing directly to the maintenance of biodiversity (Belgian Official Gazette, 08/10/2013).

International comparison: the farmland bird population is declining in the EU, but at a slower rate than in Belgium. In Europe, the average annual growth rate is -1.4% between 1990 and 2021, compared to -3.1% in Belgium.

UN indicator: the selected indicator is related to indicator 15.5.1 - Red List Index. The red list gives each species a threat level corresponding to its risk of extinction in the short or medium term. This indicator evolves very slowly and is not regularly updated. The farmland bird population index is therefore used as a proxy to represent the entire biodiversity.

Sources

• General

  • SDGs, Sustainable Development Goals: United Nations (2015), Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 25 September 2015, document A/RES/70/1.

  • Indicators: United Nations (2017), Work of the Statistical Commission pertaining to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 6 July 2017, document A/RES/71/313.

  • UN Sustainable Development: https://sdgs.un.org/ (consulted on 18/01/2023).

  • UN Sustainable Development Goal indicators website: https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/ (consulted on 18/01/2023).

• Specific

  • Belgian Official Gazette: http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi/welcome.pl; recherche sur http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/doc/rech_f.htm (consulted on consulted on).

  • CBD (2022), Kunming-Montreal Global biodiversity framework, CBD/COP/15/L.25.

  • OECD (2012), Towards Green Growth: Monitoring Progress. OECD Indicators, OECD Green Growth Studies, p. 94, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, http://www.oecd.org/greengrowth/towards-green-growth-monitoring-progress-9789264111356-en.htm (consulted on 24/09/2020).

  • WWF (2020), Rapport Planète Vivante - La Nature en Belgique, https://lpr.wwf.be/fr (consulted on 26/10/2020).

More information is available in French and Dutch.