Restoring biodiversity

The EU is committed to bringing biodiversity loss to a halt, at both a European and global level. On 14 October, environment ministers adopted conclusions as the EU's position for the 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, which will take place over the coming weeks in Nagoya, Japan.

Summer field in Hamois, Belgium
© Luc Viatour, Wikimedia

"Europe cares about nature and environment. We have the policies, the budgets, the laws. But what we Europeans need to do, is to inspire global action", said Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, in a video message on 7 October.

The Union intends to stop the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services (for example providing food and water, protecting from floods and storms and regulating the climate) by 2020 and restore them where possible, while stepping up the EU's contribution to averting the decline. The targets set for 2010 have not been met, and further efforts are necessary. The EU endeavours to reduce its ecological footprint on global biodiversity, in particular through resource efficiency.

The review of the convention is expected to lead to the adoption of a revised strategic plan. One of the EU's key priorities for the plan is including biodiversity in all policies and restoring ecosystems. The Union intends to address underlying causes of biodiversity loss, to reduce direct pressures on biodiversity and to safeguard ecosystems and genetic resources.

On 8 October, Herman Van Rompuy attended an event organised in the context of the ''International Year of Biodiversity 2010'' at the Hoge Kempen National Park near Genk, Belgium. On this occasion, he presented two of his haikus (ultra-short classical Japanese poetry) at the end of his speech:

More information:
Council conclusions
Webcast of press conference
Video statement by Herman Van Rompuy on biodiversity, 7 October
Remarks by Herman Van Rompuy at Hoge Kempen National Park (video), 8 October