Double coup for biodiversity
2 December 2009, Brussels. Countdown 2010 has two new Ambassadors. Ignace Schops, Green Nobel Prize Winner and Jeffrey A. McNeely, Senior Science Advisor at IUCN, have pledged their commitment to biodiversity for 2010.
The year 2010 was declared the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB) by the United Nations. Countdown 2010, the only multistakeholder initiative in Europe dedicated to the 2010 Biodiversity Target is on full speed to launch the IYB in just a few weeks. Countless initiatives will take place in 2010 and Countdown 2010 will play a major role in the celebrations.
Ignace Schops is the Director of Regionaal Landschap Kempen en Maasland, the first national park in Belgium which Ignace himself created a few years ago. He won the Goldman Environmental Prize, known as the Green Nobel Prize, in 2008 for this achievement. Ignace is also a Fellow of Ashoka, the world leading social entrepreneurs association and the Vice president of Natuurpunt, a Belgian environmental organization. In 2010 Belgium will be a key player for biodiversity in Europe and internationally as it holds the EU Presidency.
“It’s an honor for me as a Belgian to become a Countdown 2010 Ambassador! I’ll make efforts to help biodiversity projects wherever it’s needed!” said Ignace Schops.
Jeffrey A. McNeely has worked at IUCN since 1980, after spending twelve years in Thailand, Indonesia, and Nepal conducting research and practical applications of resource management activities. Jeffrey has written and edited over 40 books and 500 popular and technical articles on a wide range of environmental topics, as well as serving on the editorial board of 14 international journals.
“I am delighted to serve as Countdown 2010 Ambassador during the International Year of Biodiversity. People need to understand the importance of biodiversity to their lives and I will do my best to make this message live” said Jeffrey A. McNeely.
Countdown 2010 Ambassadors are an esteemed group of influential decision-makers who are strongly committed to the 2010 Biodiversity Target and use their personal capacity to help reduce, or stop altogether, the loss of biodiversity. During the International Year of Biodiversity in 2010, Ambassadors will play a major role in helping Countdown 2010 spread the biodiversity message worldwide.
The signing ceremony took place during the “European Biodiversity – The Private Sector Offer” held at the European Parliament. The conference was organized by ELO and the MEPs Véronique Mathieu and Joseph Daul and the European Biodiversity Foundations in close collaboration with Countdown 2010 and IUCN.
