The extensive grassland area, used for grazing, will increase 25 per cent, pressuring the remaining non-domesticated area further. In Europe and the former USSR, natural habitat is projected to be at risk, especially due to climate change. The non-domesticated area is expected to be fairly stable until 2015, and then to decrease slightly from the current 75 per cent to around 70 per cent in 2050, mainly due to an increase in food exports from Europe. The non-domesticated area is to a large extent situated in the boreal and subpolar areas in the former USSR and the Nordic countries. Pressure on the non-domesticated area will on average almost double in intensity.
Climate change is the dominant pressure.
Current natural habitat in Latin America and the Caribbean is at relatively moderate risk in comparison with Asia and Africa because of the comparatively low population pressure and the projected increase in agricultural production through intensification. The non-domesticated area is projected to decrease from 70 per cent to some 65 per cent in 2015 and to 60 per cent in 2050. Pressure on the remaining non-domesticated area in this region is expected to double in intensity, although the current pressure is relatively low. Climate change and, to a lesser extent, population density are the dominant pressures. Climate change will particularly affect the temperate zones.