EU Development Cooperation: where did biodiversity go?

In a recently published paper titled EU Development Cooperation towards the 2010 biodiversity target , WWF analyses the progress made by the EU towards the 2010 Biodiversity Target in its external development co-operation policy.

In September 2006, more than 450 stakeholders came together in Paris in the conference Biodiversity in European Development Co-operation. Participants from environment and development communities, as well as civil society and the private sector, came together to improve the understanding and treatment of matters linked to biodiversity in development assistance by the European Commission.

The Message from Paris that resulted from the conference identifies challenges and recommended actions to overcome them in order to integrate biodiversity in EU development cooperation.

In the report, WWF acknowledges the importance of the development aid delivered through bilateral relations. However, there is a marked contrast between the 2010 Action Plan (listing biodiversity among the key considerations to be taken into account by states) and their implementation (where the biodiversity issue seems to fall off the agenda).

Therefore, considerable effort is still required to effectively turn policy into action. A first assessment of the work undertaken will be presented in October 2008 at the IUCN World Conservation Congress by the French Presidency of the EU.