20 December 2010: The EU Council’s environment ministers, meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on 20 December 2010, discussed follow-up to the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

The Council: underlined the necessity of further integrating and mainstreaming biodiversity into the development and implementation of all relevant policies; recognized the central role of biological diversity in the global fight against hunger and in favor of food security, as well as the importance of promoting more sustainable consumption and production (SCP) patterns with a view to reducing the ecological footprint of the EU on biodiversity within and outside its borders; committed to the implementation of the Strategy for Resource Mobilisation and to substantially increase resources (financial, human and technical) from all possible sources, balanced with the effective implementation of the CBD and its Strategic Plan against an established baseline to be presented for agreement by the parties at COP 11, in 2012, including more effective and efficient use of existing resources and the development of innovative mechanisms, particularly with regard to leveraging resources from private sources with the full involvement of stakeholders; and underscored the need to reflect biodiversity priorities in the EU Financial Framework to ensure that biodiversity’s contribution to sustainable and green growth, social and human wellbeing is fully factored in.

The Council called on the European Commission to ensure: implementation of the relevant targets of the CBD Strategic Plan through the future biodiversity strategy and strategy on invasive alien species at EU level, and their integration through every ongoing policy reform processes at EU level (the Common Fisheries Policy, the Common Agricultural Policy, the Rural Development Policy and the Cohesion Policy); mutual supportiveness of the measures taken to reach the targets of the CBD Strategic Plan and the EU Climate and Energy targets to be met by 2020; appropriate linkages and biodiversity coverage in the priorities related to the green growth agenda at EU level and global level, with a particular focus on resource efficiency, innovation and research; and accounting, when adequate financing for Natura 2000 network is being put in place, for the fact that biodiversity is unevenly spread throughout the EU.

The Council also requested a thorough impact assessment of the effects of the ABS Protocol (on access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilization) on relevant sectors and EU policies and laws. During the discussions, Germany called for the impact assessment to reflect the issue of access to pathogens and health protection.

The Council invited the EU member States and the Commission to: sign at the earliest opportunity the ABS Protocol and to start preparations for its timely ratification and implementation; actively contribute to the preparation of advice on the application of relevant safeguards for biodiversity in relation to REDD+; and facilitate the development and implementation of such safeguards under REDD+. [Environment Council Conclusions] [Conclusions on Biodiversity]