20/12/24 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday, 19 December, Bruegel published a report on options to explore so as to improve funding for biodiversity protection. “The economics of biodiversity are still little understood”, writes the think tank. Yet, its impact goes beyond just the local economy. During a debate in the European Parliament on Wednesday, 18 December, European Commissioner for the Environment Jessika Roswall rightly declared, “In fact, 72% of companies in the euro area are highly dependent on at least one ecosystem service” and thus on nature being in good health (see EUROPE 13549/19). Bruegel finds that [amounts raised through] existing tools for funding the restoration and monitoring of biodiversity, such as fees (entrance fees for national parks, hunting and fishing licences) and philanthropy, “are very small”. The institute then identified a series of measures [that could be taken] in the private sector (biodiversity credits, green bonds) as well as the public sector (tax incentives). (FS)