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Wishful thinking - in sharp contrast to reality
25-06-2009
BirdLife International welcomes that Environment Ministers today discussed both the EU’s biodiversity policy and the threat emerging from Invasive Alien Species. Their adopted Conclusions rightly stress the urgency and importance of halting the collapse of ecosystems and the loss of species and habitats, and express Ministers’ worries about the EU’s likely failure on its 2010 target to halt the loss of biodiversity.
BirdLife International is encouraged by Environment Ministers’ recognition that EU-level action is needed to tackle the severe and growing environmental and economic impacts of invasive alien species.
"Environment Ministers gave a clear message today. But their governments still follow a business-as-usual-approach, which bit by bit is dismantling the web of life on our planet" —Konstantin Kreiser, EU Policy Manager at the BirdLife European Division
However, BirdLife sees the Council Conclusions as 'wishful thinking' contrasting sharply with the political reality, where the same governments continue to follow old-fashioned recipes in stimulating short-term growth at the expense of future generations, the global poor and last but not least future public budgets.
Konstantin Kreiser, EU Policy Manager at BirdLife International in Brussels commented:
• "Environment Ministers gave a clear message today. But their governments still follow a business-as-usual-approach, which bit by bit is dismantling the web of life on our planet".
• "If we fail to act on the environment now, the costs for society (and public budgets) will dwarf the current economic crisis!".
• "Ministers today rightly stressed the economic sense it makes to take more action for biodiversity now – looking at the huge future costs that will emerge if we fail. However, this is nothing more than lip service when you look at how their agriculture colleagues are blocking urgently needed CAP reform".
• "We very much welcome the clear statement Ministers made on strengthening Natura 2000. This network of protected areas is our safety net for times of climate change, as it provides the strongholds for our threatened wildlife and for the environmental services on which we people depend. Furthermore, we hope Ministers will pursue further their call to provide more funding for biodiversity in the next EU budget round, because currently Natura 2000 is short of funds, which means it cannot unfold its huge potential".
On Invasive Alien Species Konstantin Kreiser commented:
• "The impact of Invasive Alien Species already costs the €EU 12 billion per year, damages ecosystems and drives native wildlife to extinction. Climate change and growing international trade will intensify the problem. On this issue, action must be taken at EU level - if a single Member State fails to implement adequate safeguards, the entire Community is put at risk. Therefore, we must have a comprehensive and effective EU legislation and policy, backed by full engagement from Member States".
On the fact that the Czech Presidency was forced to give up their plan of adopting a Soil Directive, in the light of opposition from a German-Austrian led coalition, BirdLife commented:
• "The fact that a group of (wealthy) Member States, that normally want to be seen as environmentally aware, are persistently blocking the Soil Directive really puts into question their credibility as progressive nations. Protecting our soils is central to address climate, biodiversity and food security concerns".
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Credits: BirdLife European Division