Contribution of biodiversity and its ecosystem services to development and the achievement of the MDGs
14.7.2010
Question for oral answer O-0108/2010
to the Commission
Rule 115
Michèle Striffler
on behalf of the Committee on Development
- The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity. Also, the theme of the International Day for Biological Diversity in 2010 is biodiversity, development and poverty alleviation. Reversing biodiversity loss is a key dimension of the MDG agenda and that contributes to progress on some of the key MDG goals such as ending extreme poverty and hunger, ensuring health and education for all and achieving environmental sustainability.
2. What are the Commission’s policy responses to address, at the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 10) in Nagoya, the loss of biodiversity as a new challenge to alleviation of poverty? In particular, how does it plan to address, both financially and technically, the needs of the least developed countries? In this context does the Commission intend to adapt the DCI- and EDF-specific objectives to this topic? What stance will the Commission take on the negotiation on the draft protocol on access and benefit sharing (ABS)?
3. In relation to policy coherence for development, what concrete measures and what policy mix does the Commission intend to promote to ensure that the protection of biodiversity contributes to poverty reduction? What policy responses has the Commission envisaged to ensure the mainstreaming of biodiversity into economic sector activities, including agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism?
4. Finally, what kind of mechanisms does the Commission plan to support at the COP 10 to ensure those rights contained in the Aarhus Convention and that the rights of the poor are respected and that they are involved in the consultation process, while ensuring an equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources and ecosystem services?
Tabled: 14.7.2010
Forwarded: 16.7.2010
Deadline for reply: 23.7.2010