Plenary Session: Towards an EU initiative on biodiversity & business
Julia Marton-Lefèvre, Director General, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) chaired the plenary “Towards an EU Initiative on Biodiversity and Business” on Tuesday afternoon. Representatives from the four workshop streams presented their results and introduced the conference declaration.
Workshop A discussed biodiversity-related responsibility schemes. George Jaksch, Senior Director, Chiquita International shared that while many schemes exist, most don’t take biodiversity into account. This is partly due to a lack of clarity in the concept of ‘biodiversity’. Better measurement systems and education of the general public and businesses are thus needed. The workshop identified a strong role for consumers and governments as customers for biodiversity-friendly goods and services. To support responsibility schemes, Jaksch noted that the EU should harmonize sectoral policies and make biodiversity an integral part of any process, create incentives for companies to engage in biodiversity conservation, and help companies and institutions to share experiences.
Workshop B focused on business-related biodiversity assessments. Nigel Winser, CEO of Earthwatch Institute Europe explained that one of the main challenges would be to extend good practices to other sectors and adapt them to small and medium sized enterprises. In addition, companies could benefit from better engagement with consumers, governments and other stakeholders. To support biodiversity assessments, Winser said the EU should use best practices to create tools and standards, and educate consumers to create demand for better biodiversity indicators.
Workshop C looked at markets for biodiversity goods and services. Andre van der Zande, Secretary General, Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, The Netherlands outlined how the complexity of biodiversity influences the business reality. Shell and IUCN presented a publication titled “Building Biodiversity Business” (to be published in December 2007). The workshop analyzed how a biodiversity market would differ from the carbon market, and noted the EU should use its expertise in creating an enabling economic framework to help business become more biodiversity-friendly. Van der Zande added that the EU Business and Biodiversity Facility could play a valuable role as a think tank, match-maker and funding agency.
Workshop D analyzed business and biodiversity partnerships. Kirsi Sormunen, Vice President and Head of Environmental Affairs, Nokia Corporation said that for companies like Nokia, “environmental sustainability is no longer optional, it is the license to operate”. Partnerships would be an excellent way to deliver this promise if they provide proper incentives, clear targets and an atmosphere of trust. The workshop called on the EU to continue its engagement on business and biodiversity beyond 2010 and help create networks to promote partnerships.
Julia Marton-Lefèvre emphasized the need to make the case for biodiversity and to invest in education, communication and the sharing of solutions. While all workshops outlined difficulties, they also proposed solutions and ideas to move forward.
Participants discussed: the role of the financial sector in promoting biodiversity and potential EU policy instruments in agriculture and regional policy. Many highlighted citizens as observers providing objectivity and knowledge to business biodiversity assessments. Several business associations were mentioned as a good framework for business-to-business partnerships on biodiversity.
Closing the session, Patrick Murphy, DG Environment, European Commission presented the message from Lisbon.
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This summary of the plenary session held on Tuesday 13 November 2007 during the High Level Conference on Business and Biodiversity taking place at Lisbon’s Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, is produced by the Countdown 2010 Secretariat.
