2010 Biodiversity Targets

Actions for the 2010 Biodiversity Targets in Europe (2006)

Recommendations of the meeting of the European Platform for Biodiversity Research Strategy held under the Finnish presidency of the EU. Hanasaari, Finland 17th - 19th November 2006, concerning:

 

ACTIONS FOR THE 2010 BIODIVERSITY TARGET IN EUROPE

 

“There is a need to look beyond 2010 towards a longer-term vision as a framework for policy. This vision should recognise our interdependence with nature and the need for a new balance between development and conservation of the natural world.” Communication from the Commission: Halting the Loss of Biodiversity by 2010 — and Beyond1

 

Participants of this meeting agreed that if society wishes to halt biodiversity loss by 2010 and reverse loss beyond 2010 an unprecedented effort will be required including the following research, implementation and communication actions 2 that must receive high priority and adequate financial support.

 

1. Urgently make use of existing knowledge

  • 1.1 Make the best use of existing knowledge to raise awareness of biodiversity loss as a vital issue for society, to identify best practice for biodiversity management and to improve policy assessment and development.

 

  • 1.2 Strengthen existing skills, capacities and mechanisms, and where necessary establish new mechanisms, for continuous communication and interaction between science, policy and society. Coordinate processes that engage stakeholders within EC-funded research projects and networks.

 

  • 1.3 Improve understanding of risk and uncertainty in biological and socio-economic systems and how they are communicated, evaluated and addressed in research and policy.

 

  • 1.4 Integrate the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity across sectors at various scales of time, space and governance. Focus should include adaptive management, and the use of marketbased instruments.

 

2. Urgently undertake research to:

  • 2.1 Analyse and understand the broad range of services3 provided by components of biodiversity and their interaction and dynamics, and assess their value for human wellbeing and survival.

 

  • 2.2 Improve the understanding and awareness of factors that determine human behaviour related to biodiversity.

 

  • 2.3 Further develop methods to assess and evaluate risk (including those with low probability but severe consequences and risk associated with unmanageable drivers such as climate change) related to biodiversity and ecosystem services, and uncertainties associated with these assessments.

 

  • 2.4 Improve understanding of the major anthropogenic and natural drivers of biodiversity change and their individual and combined impacts.

 

  • 2.5 Examine effectiveness of biodiversity communication between science, society and policy and develop new tools and channels for communication.

 

  • 2.6 Examine how biodiversity - and biodiversity loss - are understood as concepts, and interpreted and used by different actors in various contexts, and assess the science and policy implications.

 

3. To halt biodiversity loss, there is a need to greatly increase European capacity for collaborative long-term research related to biodiversity. The following priorities should therefore be given high priority and should be taken into account in updating the EPBRS Action Plan for Biodiversity Research in Europe4:

  • 3.1 The integration of biodiversity information into national and international informatics gateways. To deliver information relevant to European policy this should include species and habitat distribution, status, and trends, as well as indicators of pressures, sustainable management, ecosystem goods and services, and responses.

 

  • 3.2 The expansion of observation systems and informatics capacity to provide data and information for biodiversity research, management and policy.

 

  • 3.3 The improvement of methods, models and scenarios to evaluate the environmental, social and economic effects of sectoral policies on biodiversity and its sustainable use.

 

  • 3.4 The development of inter-disciplinary research capacity, skills and fora to carry out integrated research on cross-sectoral policies affecting biodiversity.

 

 

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1 Commission of the European Communities COM(2006) 216

2 These action points respond to the EC Communication on biodiversity loss (EC COM(2006) 216 final) and build on the recommendations of previous EPBRS meetings. These actions are intended to achieve outcomes in the short term, medium term and long term (beyond 2010).

3 See list of ecosystem services in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment reports (http://www.millenniumassessment.org/)

4 http://www.epbrs.org/epbrs_library.html