Transcript political will is essential - the European Environmental Bureau

Objectives for biodiversity
protection beyond 2010
A perspective from environmental citizens organisations
John Hontelez, EEB Secretary General
Athens Conference 27-28 April 2009
We need to…
• …Adopt new and better targets
• …Take next step in EU conservation policy
implementation: green infrastructure
• …Agree financial rescue package for
ecosystems
• …Adopt new instruments and reform key
policy areas to tackle underlying drivers
• …Mobilize and demonstrate political will.
New and better targets for
biodiversity
A new overarching biodiversity target for 2020 supported by sub targets
and milestones.
Criteria for such targets:
• Measurable and have a baseline
• Set for 2020 but be part of a vision for 2050
• Not only seek to halt but to reverse (where possible)
• Emphasize both the intrinsic as well as the economic value of
biodiversity
• Covering both species and habitats
• Emphasize biodiversity’s importance for dealing with climate change
But these also need to be:
• Accompanied by targets to reduce consumption of energy, water,
space, resources etc.
Possible sub targets
Just some examples of the type of targets we need:
• Bringing all species and habitats that are protected
under the Birds and Habitats Directive to a Favourable
Conservation Status by 2020.
• Bringing our waters into good status by 2015 (in
exceptional cases only by 2021 or 2027)
• Reduce the sealing of land (through the adoption of an
ambitious EU soil policy).
Existing Policies + Green
Infrastructure
• Habitat and Birds Directives in general success story, to be
continued;
• Strong focus on N2000 site designation in the past, now more
attention needed for management and financing of sites as well as
effective species protection - with special attention to the marine
environment (lagging behind);
• Promote “green infrastructures” as a new focus for effective
implementation, combined with the Water Framework Directive
implementation;
• Green infrastructures should tackle fragmentation of habitats while
at the same time delivering critical ecological services.
 Diversity of species and space for natural processes are key to
ecosystem resilience, even more important in times of climate
change.
The rescue package
• We need a LOT more money for biodiversity, as
investment into our natural capital base. The TEEB first
report showed the cost of inaction could be 7% of global
GDP by 2050;
• The value of nature that can be expressed in monetary
terms is only part of the real value of nature;
• 6 billion for Natura 2000 (per year for EU 25)
implementation is most probably an underestimate;
• We need both dedicated and integrated funding lines,
improving what has been achieved so far in different
policy areas.
Tackling the underlying drivers
of ecosystem degradation
New biodiversity package to contribute to a
‘planetary rescue plan’ which:
– Recognizes climate stability, biodiversity, soil and
water as our natural capital, essential for wellbeing in
the future, and brings them into a healthy state.
– Responds to the current crisis to manage a transition
process in different sectors, setting targets for
reducing consumption of energy, space, water and
other resources.
Some of the new initiatives
needed:
• Reform CAP into a sustainable rural development policy;
• Reform ransport policies to reduce carbon emissions and
biodiversity impacts;
• A Directive on Invasive Alien Species;
• Protecting our soils through a combined approach of Soil
Framework Directive, Industrial Emissions Directive and a
Biowaste directive;
• Environmental Fiscal Reform;
• Review of Raw Materials Initiative to develop a more realistic
and ambitious resource and product policy;
• We need to discuss spatial planning!
 A cross cutting issue: Enforcement is key! We need a
Directive on minimum requirements for Environmental
Inspections.
POLITICAL WILL
• Effective biodiversity protection is making choices!
• It should become core business for society, in particular for its
political and business leaders;
• European Council – Commission leadership – National
Governments and Parliaments – European Parliament: all
should start underlining essential importance and urgency of
ecosystem resilience for responding to climate change, for
long term provision of essential natural resources, for peace
and stability globally;
• Without this any ambitious and coherent protection policy will
fail.
POLITICAL WILL IS ESSENTIAL
See also Briefing Paper
European Habitats Forum
Thank you very much
More info:
[email protected]