In Helsinki, where they were gathered for informal discussions, European Environment and Climate Ministers recognised on Thursday 11 July the urgent need to jointly tackle the climate and biodiversity crises and to be ambitious in responding to these two closely linked crises (see other news).
This is a priority dear to the Finnish Presidency of the Council of the EU. It provided input for the ministerial lunch in preparation for the next Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, to be held in China in October 2020, with a view to adopting a post-2020 framework.
“Climate change and biodiversity are by no means separate, but interdependent subjects. These phenomena have many solutions in common. The root causes must be addressed. The EU expects a clear roadmap, with targets for 2020, 2040 and 2050. We must act now and in all sectors. The general feeling is that action is not an option, but an obligation”, said Finnish Environment Minister Krista Mikkonen, who chaired the discussions.
Recalling that the objective of halting biodiversity loss by 2020 will not be achieved, she stressed the parties' obligation to achieve results for the post-2020 period.
Guest of honour, the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Cristiana Paşca Palmer, was able to discuss with ministers the urgency of taking action by presenting them with the recent IPBES report, this global assessment of the state of biodiversity that has just confirmed the acceleration in the rate of species extinction (see EUROPE 12259/11).
This exchange will prepare the conclusions of the Environment Council expected at its October meeting.
Ministers discussed more specific issues in the field of agriculture, in particular. “Specific commitments could focus on the share of organic production, less use of both pesticides and fertilisers, as well as the recovery of pollinators, farmland birds and landscape features”, said Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella.
The Juncker Commission focused on optimising existing tools to prevent biodiversity loss in Europe and to plan, implement and finance actions to counter it (Action Plan for Nature, People and the Economy, the EU initiative to combat the decline of pollinators, guides on integrating ecosystem services and green infrastructure), he said. He welcomed the importance attached by the Finnish Presidency to this urgent issue.
His call for further action to recognise and take into account biodiversity across trade, industrial, agricultural and economic policies has met the concerns of ministers, who are keen to integrate biodiversity concerns into all relevant policies. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)