The EU intends to halt the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services in the EU by 2020, restore them in so far as feasible, while stepping up the EU contribution to averting global biodiversity loss. The Council conclusion outlines at the same time the EU vision for protecting species in the EU by 2050.

In its conclusion on climate change, the Council evaluated the outcomes of the Copenhagen climate conference and stressed the opportunities for immediate implementation offered by the Copenhagen Accord. It requested the Commission to present a study of the comparability of greenhouse gas emission reductions offered by third countries as well as an impact assessment of the EU’s conditional move to a 30% emissions cut.