Countdown 2010 Partners Assembly
11 June 2007, Brussels
Agenda 10:00 – 11:30 Countdown 2010 and biodiversity today Facilitator: Sebastian Winkler, Head of Countdown 2010 11:45 – 13:00 A vision for 2010 Facilitator: Tamas Marghescu, IUCN Regional Director for Europe 14:00 – 15:30 Moving towards 2010 – and beyond Facilitator: Ladislav Miko, DG Environment, European Commission 15:45 – 17:00 Common Agenda and Governance Facilitator: Wiebke Herding, Countdown 2010 Network Development Officer Minutes – Session 1: Countdown 2010 and biodiversity today Sebastian Winkler welcomes all participants to the Partners’ Assembly and presents the agenda. Today’s meeting is important in stimulating the engagement of all partners and in setting the future agenda. It will also appoint the new advisory board for the initiative. Camille Pisani explains how this meeting takes place in a special venue: The Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS) is 160 years old. Its museum attracts more than 200.000 visitors annually. Natural history museums like this one are very much interested in the world as it used to be – these institutions provide important research centers on biodiversity. RBINS today is contributing to biodiversity in two ways: The institute provides the Belgian focal point for the CBD while the museum provides education and awareness raising. This is also why RBINS today becomes a partner of Countdown 2010. Ahmed Djoghlaf challenges all partners in his keynote speech: “We still have a lot of work to significantly reduce the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional and national levels and the time is ticking. But the target can be achieved through local actions and global programmes. Most important is the engagement of all in the spirit of collaboration, including governments, local authorities, local and indigenous communities, scientific institutions, NGOs, the private sector, women, and youth. We owe future generations a healthy environment. There is no time for delay.” Sebastian Winkler invites all partners to think outside the box, and to change habits. After all participants briefly introduce themselves to their neighbours, he calls upon Countdown 2010 partners to share their success stories.
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Richard Edwards presents how Arkive provides visual information about the extinction crisis. Their website now features pictures and videos of 2.500 endangered species and attracts 6 mio visitors per year. In addition, the organisation celebrates nature films with their Wildscreen festival.
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Gregoire Poisson introduces how UEPG, the European Aggregates Association helps to restore sites and create new habitats. Its 13.500 member companies increasingly understand themselves as land managers, and the association promotes the importance of biodiversity through an award scheme and best-practice examples.
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Rob Maessen explains the growth of Countdown 2010 in the Dutch region of Noord-Brabant and beyond. In 2005, the city of Tilburg was the first to join. Within only two years the partnership expanded to thirty-six organisations and municipalities.
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Ben Delbaere and Hartmut Fuenfgeld introduce the project ‘LARA 2010’ (Local and Regional Authorities for Biodiversity 2010) in which Countdown 2010, ICLEI and ECNC work with five model regions all over Europe to help municipalities and regions meet the 2010 biodiversity target.
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Staffan Widstrand presents the exhibition ‘Wild Wonders of Europe’ which will celebrate the beauty of European nature through outdoor shows, publications and a TV series over the next couple of years.
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Ignace Schops shares his motto ‘Think globally, act locally and change personally’. The province of Limburg in Belgium is putting this into practice: 44 municipalities of the region have adopted local endangered species.
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Yvonne Higuero introduces her work for the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy, including the promising interactions in developing 2010 biodiversity indicators. She stresses that we need to think out of the environment box and establish dialogues with new stakeholders.
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Jim Thompson shares how his Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management has taken the 2010 biodiversity target on board and uses the Countdown 2010 logo on all publications.
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Gerald Plattner presents the efforts of the Austrian Federal Forests Enterprise to mainstream biodiversity conservation into their operations. Particular challenges at the moment are Climate Change, Public Awareness and Mountains.
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Minutes – Session 2: A vision for 2010 This session uses a time travel format. Participants are asked to imagine the closing press conference for Countdown 2010 in late December 2010. They are given thirty minutes to prepare group statements on the following questions: 1. What is the current State of biodiversity? The group suggests that consumption patterns have shifted to local and sustainable production. Certain species have extended their range, reforestation programmes, sustainable food production around the world, politicians are hand in hand with economists, and states are competing in their biodiversity measures. Of course, we are still struggling, there is still a lack of information, although, software specialists have helped us in sharing information and processing it. Biodiversity is now more closely linked to the wellbeing of society, people are more aware of energy consumption; they don’t just turn on lights without being aware of the carbon footprint. 2. What are the highlights in Countdown 2010 history? The group suggests that Countdown 2010 has managed to make biodiversity a “sexy” topic and recalls the following highlights: 2005 – Sebastian Winkler joins Countdown 2010 2006 – CBD Conference of the Parties helps to get closer to the commitments 2007 – Countdown 2010 goes global, ranging from civil society to business, science and politics 2007 – Business and Biodiversity conference in Portugal, 20 important businesses commit themselves to be more conscious, biodiversity is the major issue now 2008 – CBD COP meeting in Bonn, regional authorities are important partners 2009 – US President Gore signs the CBD and joins Countdown 2010 together with the president of China 2010 – the loss of biodiversity has been significantly reduced, the Nagoya protocol has been signed by 30 countries. Its main elements: Get back to the level of biodiversity of 1970, every country will pay a fee if they don’t reach their targets. 3. What are the main political breakthroughs? The group suggests that biodiversity is the lead topic this year; Countdown 2010 has made environment friendly travelling available to raise public awareness and promoted a bottom up approach in biodiversity that received a considerable amount of money from the EU, helped in valuing natural resources and biodiversity. The level of environmental education has risen significantly. The funding for this came through a substantial reform in the EU’s agricultural policy. 4. What comes after the 2010 biodiversity target? The group suggests that a seminal movie on biodiversity by George Bush presented the following recommendations: 1. Partnerships among all stakeholders
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2. We need to achieve more; we have a baseline for comparison 3. Announce the objectives of Countdown 2010 to the world, to be recognized 4. Moving towards measurable objectives, companies 5. Education: talk to our children and explain the importance of biodiversity and establish 2020 objectives 5. What has made Countdown 2010 successful? The group suggests that three major issues have determined the success of Countdown 2010: 1. It has seen a lot of action and organic growth through the partnership approach (“everyone is important”, “inspiration comes from everywhere”) 2. The initiative has touched everyone’s hearts, images of damage show how development and biodiversity are important. The link between biodiversity and climate change is now clear. 3. The initiative has reached minds as well, personal changes have been a key part of the initiative. 6. How has Countdown 2010 managed to reach out of the biodiversity box? The group suggests that the problem is that we are the box, how do we reach everyone else? Teach them what biodiversity is, not use the jargon too much when communicating. Partners often have other interests, economics, private lives, etc. lets make these potential partners understand, why biodiversity is important to their welfare and their activities (right to natural resources etc). These issues cannot be separated, and this should be made understood. Ena Okada briefly presents Toyota’s efforts for sustainabilities. This principle features in all areas of operations. All companies (Plants and sales operations) are making contributions; Toyota fund for Europe gives additional emphasis on environment and copies good practices. An annual budget of 1.5 Million for NGOs encourage NGO-Business partnerships. She then invites all participants to lunch.
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Minutes – Session 3: Moving towards 2010 – and beyond Ladislav Miko introduces the session in explaining how it’s often difficult to prioritize action on biodiversity. The EC’s biodiversity communication has 130 actions, and all are equally important. Natura 2000 has great potential – moving in the right direction, close to completing the designation in most MS. But Natura 2000 is not enough; impacts of climate change etc. The willingness is high, but good information on how to make it efficiently is still missing. We seem to be fantastic in creating ideas, but how good are we in implementing them? Participants split into working groups. The following results are reported: Biodiversity as a local issue (Hartmut Fuenfgeld, ICLEI) Priority areas: To build a platform to exchange views To integrate biodiversity across the political agenda To create a facility both on the political and the civil level Creating more ownership at the “people” level Think about commitments and CSR, land management activities and framework Conclusions: The local level is powerful and can make a change and we should use it. When we produce material, it should be translated to the local languages. Ensure continuation beyond projects Different forms of partnership Sharing knowledge help create awareness Business and biodiversity (Viktor Vreeken, WBCSD) An elaborated presentation of WBCSD, opportunity for business to incorporate biodiversity into their operations Sharing success stories of partnerships Think local act global Market base approach
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Communicating biodiversity (Frits Hesselink, Commission on Education and Communication) Ways to mobilize people to take action: Countdown 2010 is a “coalition of the willing” to meet the goal If there will be a clear feeling about biodiversity, a branding so that people will understand each other than it would be possible to identify the target and to tailor the measures to be taken Focus on who we want to target; Policy makers, businesses and people and build specific campaigns for each group and not a general one. Keep the message simple and positive: Link the reputation of business to their impact on biodiversity, and people link their quality of life to this impact
Biodiversity and the international policy agenda (Stefan Leiner, European Commission) There is an effect on Europe from the rest of the world and vice versa There are a lot of issues to be dealt with and if we want to have a new Nagoya protocol by 2010 we have to ensure a long-term financial support and to add the issues that have no global commitments. Finance – to set a few Trust Funds International events: G8, CBD COP 9 There is a need for a report such as the “Stern report” which will include issues such as poverty and the cost of policy inaction. Biofuels: The incentive to support it could result in biodiversity loss in forestry
In the ensuing discussion, participants raise the question how we can link the biodiversity debate to the environment in the broader sense. In order to report back to the world, we need to work on our success stories. We are very diverse but Countdown 2010 bridges the differences and brings us all together. The challenge is; we only have 3 more years and three more Countdown 2010 Partner Assemblies.
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Minutes – Session 4: Common Agenda and Governance Wiebke Herding introduces the elections of the new Advisory Board. Alistair Gammel reports from the current Advisory Board, which has served for three years. Countdown 2010 was probably the best idea that IUCN had in a long time. Europe in this context means not only the EU, it recognizes wider Europe (including the Caucasus and Russia as well). Countdown 2010 has been very successful in communication, good branding. Countdown 2010 is a new form of cooperation, much opened membership, bit confusing sometimes and sharp focus on biodiversity loss and action. The Advisory Board advises the secretariat two, three times a year. They validate the secretariats actions, which is the motor behind the initiative. Conferences have always been organized by Countdown 2010. The advisory board at the beginning was hand selected, but with the recent growth in membership, democracy has to be introduced. Wiebke Herding presents the list of candidates for 2007-2008. The participants are requested to make their choice on the forms submitted to them earlier. Sebastian Winkler announces the results of the elections (not in order of scores): 1. Peter Carter, European Investment Bank 2. Sue Collins, Butterfly Conservation 3. Ahmed Djoghlaf, Secretariat of Convention on Biological Diversity 4. Alistair Gammell, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds 5. Mark Halle, International Institute for Sustainable Development 6. Rolf Hogan, WWF International 7. Robert Lamb, Ministry of the Environment Switzerland 8. Carlos Martin-Novella, Ministry of the Environment Spain 9. Ignace Schops, Regionaal Landschap Kempen en Maasland 10. Norman Weisz, EEA Grants 11. Rob Wolters, European Centre for Nature Conservation 12. Monika Zimmermann, ICLEI In addition to these, the European Commission, the European Presidency and the host of the secretariat have one seat each. The secretariat can appoint up to five additional members. Sebastian Winkler thanks all participants for their constructive participation, and closes the meeting.
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Participants
1. 2. 3. Luis Almeida Capão (Agencia Cascais Natura) Shulamit Alony (Countdown 2010) Vlatko Andonovski (Balkan Foundation for Sustainable Development) Peter Baert (Limburgse Soorten) Graham Bennett (Syzygy) Niall Benvie (Wild Wonders of Europe ltd) Nicolas Bertrand (United Nations Environment Programme, CBD Secretariat) Peter Bos (Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselveiligheid (LNV)Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality ) Szilvia Bősze (Hungarian Ministry for Environment and Water) Bernd Bruhns (IUCN Regional Office for Europe) João Cardoso de Melo (Agencia Cascais Natura) Frederic Chemay (SPF Santé Publique, Sécurité de la Chaine Alimentaire et Environnement) Sue Collins (Butterfly Conservation Europe) Joana Cruz (Terra e TudoConsultoria e Gestão de Recursos Naturais) Pieter de Pous (European Environmental Bureau) Ben Delbaere (ECNC-European Centre for Nature Conservation ) Andras Demeter (DG Environment) Ahmed Djoghlaf (Convention on Biological Diversity) Teppei Dohke (Japan IUCN Committee) Johanna Donvez (IUCN Regional Office for Europe) Johannes Drielsma (European Association of Mining Industries, Metal Ores & Industrial Minerals (Euromines)) Richard Edwards (ARKive) Barbara Engels (Federal Agency for Nature Conservation) Duarte Figueiredo (ICNB) Joep Fourneau (Regionaal Landschap Lage Kempen) Hartmut Fuenfgeld (ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability) Eduardo Galante (CIBIO Centro Iberoamericano de la Biodiversidad) 28. Alistair Gammell (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) 29. Richard Gowing (The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country) 30. Rossi Graziano (Italian Botanical Society SBI) 31. Sophie Hansen (IUCN Regional Office for Europe) 32. Minu Hemmati (The Generative Change Community) 33. Dirk Hendricks (IUCN Regional Office for Europe) 34. John Henson Webb (IUCN UK Secretariat) 35. Wiebke Herding (Countdown 2010) 36. Frits Hessenlink (IUCN CEC) 37. Ivonne Higuero (UNEP/Regional Office for Europe) 38. Rolf Hogan (WWF International) 39. Jean-Claude Jacques (IUCN Regional Office for Europe) 40. Elisabeth Jaskulke (SUEZ) 41. Eva Juul Jensen (Danish Ministry of the Environment) 42. Vilmos Kiszel (Göncöl Foundation) 43. Zoltan Kun (PANparks Foundation) 44. Hugh Laxton (UK Nature and Landscape Office Brussels) 45. Stefan Leiner (DG Environment) 46. Lucien Lux (Ministry for the Environment Luxembourg) 47. Rob Maessen (Provincie NoordBrabant) 48. Irina Maia (IFOAM) 49. Israel Marcos Álvarez (Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre) 50. Tamás Marghescu (IUCN Regional Office for Europe) 51. Carlos Martin-Novella (Spanish Ministry of Environment) 52. Claus Mayr (Naturschutzbund Germany) 53. Johanna Medvey (Countdown 2010) 54. Mariana Mesquita (European Bureau for Conservation and Development (EBCD)) 55. Ladislav Miko (DG Environment) 56. Gabriele Obermayr (Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management) 57. Ena Okada (Toyota Europe) 58. Nuno Oliveira (AmBioDIV)
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59. Nuno Gomes Oliveira (Parque Biologico de Gaia) 60. Alain Peeters (UCL) 61. Gerald Plattner (Austrian Federal Forests Enterprise) 62. Gregoire Poisson (UEPG European Aggregate Association) 63. Dragi Pop-Stojanov (Balkan Foundation for Sustainable Development) 64. Catherine Ribes (Conseil Regional d'Ile-de-France) 65. Sonja Ribi (IUCN - Swiss National Committee) 66. Joanna M Robertson (Countryside Council for Wales) 67. Peter Ruhlmann (Region Syd Danmark) 68. Elisa Sainz de Murieta Zugadi (Ministry of Environment and Land Planning Regional Government of the Basque Country) 69. Carlos Sánchez Martínez (Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre) 70. Marco Schlueter (IFOAM) 71. Ignace Schops (Regionaal Landschap Kempen en Maasland) 72. Jacques Selliers (GreenFacts) 73. Alfredo Cunhal Sendim (Sociedade Agricola do Freixo do Meio) 74. Mathieu Simon (Ile de France Europe l'DFE) 75. Stamatis Sivitos (European Bureau for Conservation and Development (EBCD)) 76. Jim Thompson (Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management) 77. Linda van Duivenbode (European Federation of Associations of Environmental Professionals) 78. Ingrid Visseren-Hamakers (Utrecht University) 79. Annika Vogt (Countdown 2010) 80. Viktor Vreeken (WBCSD) 81. Karl Wagner (WWF International) 82. Janice Weatherley (A Rocha) 83. Susanne Wegefelt (European Commission) 84. Norman Weisz (EEA Grants) 85. Staffan Widstrand (Wild Wonders of Europe ltd) 86. Sebastian Winkler (Countdown 2010)
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