Factsheet: Law on natural heritage and biodiversity

Law 42/2007, of 13 December, on natural heritage and biodiversity, establishes the basic legal framework for the conservation, sustainable use, improvement and restoration of Spain’s natural heritage and biodiversity and encompasses the regulations set out in the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. As established in Law 42/2007, Spain has drafted a Strategic Plan for National Heritage and Biodiversity which was defined by means of Royal Decree 1274/2011. The Plan features an analysis of biodiversity in Spain and reviews the most significant issues and the commitments undertaken to ensure its conservation and sustainable use. The Plan establishes a series of specificGoals, Targets and Actions for government to fulfil. The overall goal is to halt biodiversity loss and the decline of ecosystem services, then restore them to their former state. Of the nine goals set, the following are particularly significant: – Acquire the knowledge needed to ensure conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; – Encourage mainstreaming of biodiversity issues in agriculture, tourism and the management of inland and marine waters; – Reduce the impact of invasive alien species; – Inform the public and raise awareness about biodiversity issues and encourage public commitment to biodiversity conservation; and – Design a biodiversity conservation policy, taking into account biodiversity’s economic value and the needs of climate change adaptation.