The Countdown 2010 Review – Issue 1, June 2007

This document presents a short overview of Countdown 2010’s achievements in 2006-2007, prepared for the 2007 Partners’ Assembly. Download ‘the Review’ as pdf.

Biodiversity and Politics in Europe

From the European Council to the Committee of the Regions: Everyone was “deeply concerned by the continuing decline in biodiversity and ecosystem services in the EU and at global level”. The European Commission’s Communication “Halting the Loss of Biodiversity by 2010 – and Beyond” evoked a positive response from all corners of the European Union. The real test will be how the Commission and the Member States implement, finance and monitor all 157 actions defined in the annexes.

Implementing the Birds and Habitats Directives is one important part of the work, but will not suffice. Countdown 2010 has brought together key actors to come up with solutions in certain areas.

The European Union’s current triple presidency (comprised of Germany, Portugal and Slovenia) has decided to make biodiversity one of their core issues. This commitment helped to establish the “G8+5 Potsdam Initiative on Biodiversity 2010″, in which the richest and the most biodiverse countries of the world agreed on a common action plan. In addition, the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity will be held in Bonn, Germany in May 2008 and the World Conservation Community will set new directions at the fourth World Conservation Congress in Barcelona.

Events

19-21/09/06 Conference “Biodiversity in European Development Cooperation”
07/12/06 Consultation on the Biodiversity Communication
18-20/04/07 Conference “Countdown 2010 for Marine Ecosystems”

EU Priority Objectives for 2010

• Safeguard the EU’s most important habitats and species
• Protect biodiversity and ecosystem services in the wider EU countryside and marine environment
• Improve compatibility of regional and territorial development with biodiversity in the EU
• Reduce the impact of invasive alien species and alien genotypes
• Improve international governance and EU external assistance
• Reduce the impact of international trade
• Support biodiversity adaptation to climate change.
• Strengthen the knowledge base for conservation and sustainable use
• Ensure adequate financing
• Strengthen EU decision-making
• Build partnerships, public education, awareness and participation

Local Action on Biodiversity

Biodiversity will not be saved in conferences. It will be saved by thousands of people and organizations all over who start caring for the land around them. The Countdown 2010 project “LARA 2010 – Local and Regional Action for Biodiversity 2010″ brings together regions and municipalities from Denmark to Spain, from the Netherlands via Austria to Croatia and helps them take responsibility for biodiversity conservation in their area.

In Britain, the Countdown 2010 Action Fund has supported 34 local projects, amongst others restoring heathlands in Leicestershire,
placing 20.000 volunteers and creating a “School Grounds Action Manifesto”. As most people live in cities, particular emphasis of Countdown 2010’s work is placed on urban biodiversity.

What’s beyond your own nose?

Did you know that half of the planet’s biodiversity can be found in tropical rainforests? And that these continue to disappear rapidly?
As the 2010 biodiversity target is a global target, Countdown 2010 has started to work with stakeholders beyond Europe, and a number of regional Countdown 2010 hubs are currently emerging.

• Africa: Southern Africa (Johannesburg)
• Americas Latin America (Quito), Canada (Montreal)
• Asia: Lower Mekong (Hanoi), China (Beijing)
• Europe: European Union (Brussels), Russia (Moscow), Caucasus (Tbilisi), Balkans (Belgrade)

New Business Opportunities

Business is all about survival. In order to survive, businesses need to generate profits. But long-term sustainable development requires good environmental performance as well as good social performance. This is why Countdown 2010 engages closely with the business sector: About twenty private sector institutions have so far joined the initiative. Business engagement is also a policy issue. On November 12-13, the European Conference on Business and Biodiversity will be held in Lisbon.

Biodiversity, reloaded

After the relaunch of the Countdown 2010 website in December 2006, visits have grown by more than 300% in three months. All information on Countdown 2010 is available within a click, links to all partners are provided, and country-specific information has been added.

Innovative communication tools such as the viral flash film “The BioDaVersity Code” constantly attract new visitors and subscribers to the Countdown 2010 Newsletter.