The importance of sufficient public and private investment to meet the challenge – a restored European and global biodiversity by 2030 capable of delivering the services that can be expected from each ecosystem – was underlined by the European Commission and representatives of businesses willing to invest in biodiversity for people and nature on Monday 19 October.
However, for nature NGOs, it is above all important that Member States take responsibility and respect EU legislation – a shortcoming highlighted by the latest European Environment Agency report on the alarming decline of biodiversity in Europe (see other news).
This contrast dominated a virtual press briefing organised by the Commission on the eve of the opening of European Green Week (see EUROPE 12482/33).
Return on investment. Half of the world’s GDP depends on ecosystems provided by nature. All parties agreed that strategic investments in nature protection and the restoration of floodplains, peatlands and other carbon-rich European ecosystems can bring triple benefits for nature, climate and people.
“The ecological benefits of environmental protection are taken for granted, but they are invisible”, said Nicola Notaro, head of the Commission’s Nature Protection Unit (Environment Services), citing the estimated €300 billion a year that the protected areas of the Natura 2000 network yield in terms of cleaning up the environment.air, water, climate change mitigation, reduction of the negative consequences of extreme weather events and as an asset to enhance socio-economic development in abandoned rural areas.
“Biodiversity can help farmers and foresters who produce locally, can create employment. It is estimated that Natura 2000 has created half a million jobs”, he said.
Concerns for CAP and MFF. Hence its concern about the ongoing negotiations on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the lack of funds earmarked for nature in the draft 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) – a lack which threatens the €20 billion per year proposed by the Commission (see EUROPE 12578/11).
Whatever the outcome, it argued for the use of the funds earmarked for climate, which also benefit biodiversity.
Barbara Herrero, from the NGO Birdlife, believes that “the attitude of the Member States is very worrying”.
She called for “concrete objectives that flow from the spending target”: better spending of agricultural policy money, support for fishermen to stop overfishing, starting to redirect the millions spent on traditional 20th century infrastructure to 21st century infrastructure to restore wetlands, for example.
But what is most important is “a change of policy”, that the money is better spent; that Member States are accountable and sanctioned.
“Many private investors profit from the destruction of nature. If Member States prevented them from making money like that, change would be possible “, she said.
Head of Unit Stefan Leiner (European Commission) recalled that Parliament had asked the EU for a very ambitious strategy last year and that at the UN biodiversity summit in New York, 76 leaders and the financial sector made commitments to nature.
“More policy coherence is needed in the Agriculture Council. Much can be done at the local level to encourage farmers”, he said.
Call for an investment-friendly policy framework. Business for Nature’s Director of Partnerships recalled that 600 companies from all sectors employing 10 million people around the world affirmed in New York their willingness to be more ambitious.
“We can do more, but we can’t do it alone. Policymakers must set the framework for creating an enabling environment for investment”, he said. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)