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The current ambitious
target to halt biodiversity loss in the EU by 2010 was set
by the Heads of State and Government in Goteborg, Sweden,
in 2001. They also signed up to the global target of substantially
reducing biodiversity loss by 2010, adopted by the Convention
on Biological Diversity (CBD) at its COP6 in The Hague in
2002. The 2006 Communication on "Halting
the loss of biodiversity to 2010 - and beyond: Sustaining
ecosystem services for human well-being" provided
a detailed Action
Plan as a strategic response to accelerate progress to
meet the 2010 targets. Unfortunately, the 2010 target for
halting the decline of biodiversity in the EU is not going
to be met, and globally the situation is probably even more
dramatic. In 2010 the
European Commission will therefore come up with a proposal
for a new biodiversity target and start work on a supporting
biodiversity policy package that should not only lead
to a halt in the loss of biodiversity but will also lead to
restoration.
In January the Commission has published its Communication
entiteled "Options
for an EU vision and target for biodiversity beyond 2010"
to provide a strategic input to the debate on fixing of a
new political vision and target for biodiversity in the EU.
The Communication reviewes what has been achieved in relation
to current biodiversity target and lessons learnt from this
process; analyses the current situation, and underlines new
and emerging challenges. It also sets out the rationale and
proposes four options for the new post 2010 biodiversity headline
target. This should enable the European Council to fix
a new EU vision and targets under the Spanish presidency
in the first half of 2010. The Commission then intends
to present its post 2010 biodiversity strategy by the
end of 2010 also building on the priorities highlighted in
the Message
of Athens as well as taking into account the outcome of
CBD COP 10.
The high-level biodiversity Conference on "Post-2010
Biodiversity Vision and Target. The role of Protected Areas
and Ecological Networks in Europe" took place in January
in Madrid and was organized by the Spanish Presidency to kick
off debate on the European and global post 2010 policies.
Read more about the Conference here>>
CEEweb's position
We have summarised our main requests in a response
to the Commission's Communication.
CEEweb believes that in 2010 the European Union has a
historical chance to change the course of biodiversity policy
making in Europe (and globally) and to develop truly effective
policies that will stop biodiversity loss. Our knowledge on
biodiversity and ecosystem services and the current political
and economic climate create an enabling environment to introduce
the necessary changes. But for this, a radical alteration
of our current paradigm of biodiversity policy making is needed
and not just the scaling up of efforts and some moderate
changes in current policies. Unfortunately the Communication
"Options for an
EU vision and target for biodiversity beyond 2010"
shows that the Union is not prepared for this change. We are
worried that the EU is about to follow the failed approach
it has preferred since 2002 and therefore it is preparing
a failure for the second time, even though it has the unique
chance to make the first steps in the right direction now.
The political and economic context, as well as our understanding
of biodiversity and ecosystem services has changed a lot since
2002. Climate change is now an issue of major political
concern. It is regarded as an environmental problem with wide
ranging economic and social implications. Evidence is growing,
that we have not only disturbed the climate stability of Earth
but are nearing the boundaries of the planet in other aspects,
as well. In a 2009 article
of Nature , Johan Rockström argues that summing up humanity's
global impact we have transgressed safe limits in the use
of biodiversity, nitrogen load and climate and are close to
safe limits with phosphorus load, ocean acidification and
freshwater and land use.
The 2008 economic crisis has changed our perception of the
prevailing economic model and many renowned scientists, politicians
and Nobel Prize laureates call for a change in the measurement
of well-being or for significant investment into a green economy.
We believe, that the current economic framework not only
caused economic crisis but also leads to climate, food and
humanitarian crises. A 2009 assessment of the Global Footprint
Network shows that if all people lived and consumed like Europeans
we would need 2,6 planets. Europe needs to curb this huge
overshoot if it wants to preserve biodiversity.
While the challenges are immense there is also much at stake:
biodiversity is indispensable for the delivery of ecosystem
services which, in turn, are the basis of all economic activity
and human we-being on Earth. 2010 will show if the European
Union is ready to grow up to the challenges and to lead the
way towards possibly painful but necessary changes.
- You can read more about our recommendations
regarding the development of the global biodiversity target
under the CBD.
- Our recommendations regarding biodiversity and climate
change are summarised here>>.
- Ceeweb has also contributed to the brifing paper produced
by the European
Habitats Forum on possible options for the post 2010
vision and target. Download
the paper>>
The EU post 2010 biodiversity vision
The European Commission has provided some options for the
possible post 2010 EU Biodiversity Vision. The two options
are:
Biodiversity in the EU is maintained, restored and enhanced
for its intrinsic value, for the long-term wellbeing and enjoyment
of people, and to ensure nature's vital services (in a changing
climate) and the economic prosperity that this brings.
Biodiversity and ecosystem services in the EU - our natural
capital - are preserved and valued to continue to support
economic prosperity and human well-being.
The high-level biodiversity Conference on "Post-2010
Biodiversity Vision and Target. The role of Protected Areas
and Ecological Networks in Europe" was the first
step after the Copenhagen Summit to take measures on the halting
of biodiversity loss. More information about it can be found
under the following link
CEEweb's Vision
Our vision is reducing the
pressure on biodiversity as much as possible in terms
of emissions, use of natural resources and space,
so that biodiversity can adapt to the more and more
changing environment induced by human activities and
can maintain its functions.
We understand that environmental
pressures include:
-
emissions, e.g. chemicals
from fertilisation, greenhouse gas from fossil
fuels, wastes from industry and households;
-
use of space, e.g. urban
expansion, establishing infrastructures;
-
and use of resources
e.g. taking specimens from nature through logging,
hunting, use of groundwater.
Degraded ecosystems are
to be rehabilitated if pressures are not increased
as a result.
Full summary
of CEEweb's response to the Commission’s Communication
„Options for an EU vision and target for biodiversity
beyond 2010” and recommendations for the post
2010 Biodiversity Strategy
Pictures by CEEweb from
the Conference on "Post-2010 Biodiversity
Vision and Target. The role of Protected Areas and
Ecological Networks in Europe" can be viewed
here
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The mid-term review of implementation of the EU Biodiversity
Action Plan provides the first comprehensive assessment of
progress at both European Community and Member State levels
in the four main policy areas. The produced mid-term
assessment and the country
profiles show that even though progress has been made
since 2006 in several areas, the EU is highly unlikely to
meet its 2010 target of halting biodiversity decline.
Conclusion
CEEweb sees the most important reason for the lack
of delivery in the fact that decision makers ignore
the drivers behind environmental pressures. Even though
it is a positive sign that the EU BAP identified some
of the deeply underlying causes (including population
growth, growing per capita consumption, failures of
governance and economics as well as globalisation),
the identified BAP actions hardly consider these drivers
and thus cannot change their course. Consequently,
no matter how much efforts is made on reducing environmental
pressures like habitat fragmentation, degradation
and destruction, over-exploitation, the spread of
invasive species and pollution, these pressures will
be continuously regenerated by the constant fundamental
drivers behind.
CEEweb's first recommendations
include both short term priority actions and long
term priority measures
Leaflet
on assessing the BAP and its implementation (pdf,
118 kb)
Full report
Press
release
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As a result of the biodiversity policy review, the European
Commission produced a Communication in May 2006: HALTING
THE LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY BY 2010 AND BEYOND Sustaining
ecosystem services for human well-being. The annexed EU
Action Plan to 2010 and Beyond sets out specific actions
with related targets, which address both EU intitutions and
Member States. The Action Plan also specifies actions and
targets for monitoring, evaluation and reporting. Annex 2
describes the 16 headline indicators
for biodiversity, in line with the proposed global indicators
endorsed by the Convention on Biological Diversity. The
Impact Assessment, which is also annexed to the
Communication, aims to analyse the impact of the actions.
It also provides the European institutions and public with
information on the impacts of biodiversity loss and of proposed
measures to halt this loss.
The four key policy areas and ten priority objectives
in the Biodversity communication
POLICY AREA 1: Biodiversity in the EU
Objectives
1. To safeguard the EU's most important habitats and species.
2. To conserve and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services
in the wider EU
countryside.
3. To conserve and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services
in the wider EU
marine environment.
4. To reinforce compatibility of regional and territorial
development with
biodiversity in the EU.
5. To substantially reduce the impact on EU biodiversity
of invasive alien
species and alien genotypes.
POLICY AREA 2: The EU and global biodiversity
Objectives
6. To substantially strengthen effectiveness of international
governance for
biodiversity and ecosystem services.
7. To substantially strengthen support for biodiversity
and ecosystem services in
EU external assistance.
8. To substantially reduce the impact of international
trade on global
biodiversity and ecosystem services.
POLICY AREA 3: Biodiversity and climate change
Objective
9. To support biodiversity adaptation to climate change.
POLICY AREA 4: The knowledge base
Objective
10. To substantially strengthen the knowledge base for
conservation and
sustainable use of biodiversity, in the EU and globally
THE FOUR KEY SUPPORTING MEASURES
1. Ensuring adequate financing
2. Strengthening EU decision-making
3. Building partnerships
4. Building public education, awareness and participation
A review of EU biodiversity policy launched in 2003 aimed
to provide an assessment of the implementation, effectiveness
and appropriateness of the Biodiversity Strategy and Action
Plans. Through the review the EU aimed at delivering the commitment
to halt biodiversity loss (in the EU) by 2010 and to optimise
the EU contribution to the Johannesburg target to significantly
reduce the rate of (global) biodiversity loss by 2010.
As an important milestone in the process, a stakeholder conference
entitled Biodiversity and the EU - Sustaining Life, Sustaining
Livelihoods took place under the auspices of the Irish Presidency
of the European Union between 25-27 May 2004, in Malahide,
Ireland. The result of the conference is a non-binding document
called "Message
from Malahide" setting priority objectives and targets,
as well as the endorsement of the first
set of biodiversity headline indicators and the Killarney
Declaration on research priorities.
Based on the analysis of the review process, the Commission
has identified four key policy areas for action and ten priority
objectives and related to these. In addition, the Commission
has identified four key supporting measures. Within the internet
consultation conducted between end 2005 beginning 2006, the
respondees generally supported the proposed objectives and
measures.
The implementation of the CBD by the Community calls for
a two-step process. The adoption of this strategy containing
the general policy orientation is the first step. The second
is the development and implementation of Biodiversity Action
Plans and other measures by the Commission through its
services responsible for the policy areas concerned. This
second step enables to translate into concrete actions the
objectives derived from the Convention.
Thus four Biodiversity Action Plans (BAPs) were adopted in
2001:
The Community
Biodiversity Strategy
provides the framework for developing Community policies
and instruments in order to comply with the Convention on
Biological Diversity.
The basis is provided by the Article 6 of the CBD that specifically
requests each party to "develop national strategies,
plans or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use
of biological diversity or adapt for this purpose existing
strategies, plans or programmes which shall reflect, inter
alia, the measures set out in this Convention relevant to
the Contracting Party concerned".
The Biodiversity Strategy aims to identify gaps in the European
Community conservation policy, and to promote biological diversity
into the policies of the Community, complementary to strategies,
programmes and plans of the Member States, in order to ensure
the full implementation of the CBD. The relevant obligations
of the CBD for the European Community are set out in section
II of the strategy, in the context of four major themes. The
objectives to be achieved in the context of the relevant Community
policies (natural resources, agriculture, fisheries, forests,
tourism, energy and transport, regional policies and spatial
planning, development and economic cooperation) and instruments
in order to meet these obligations, are specified in section
III.
DG
Environment - Nature and biodiversity
The
European Community Clearing House Mechanism - EC CHM
The work of CEEweb related to EU biodiversity policies
was largely supported by the European Commission.
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