EU Council on Biodiversity: Conclusions of the Council and Representatives of the Governments of Member States - Message from Paris

Sumario: EU Council on Biodiversity: Conclusions of the Council and Representatives of the Governments of Member States - Message from Paris (11 December 2006: Brussels)

Conclusions of the Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the Council on Biodiversity: the Message from Paris, 2770th GENERAL AFFAIRS Council meeting, Brussels

The Council adopted the following conclusions:

"The Council

1. EMPHASISES the essential contribution of biodiversity and ecosystem services to human well-being, particularly for poor people who are both users of and contributors to the development of these resources; RECOGNISES the important link between biodiversity and achieving poverty reduction as well as other MDGs; and UNDERLINES that conservation, sustainable use of and equitable sharing of benefits from biodiversity as well as sustaining ecosystem services are core development issues.

2. WELCOMES the Message from Paris; SHARES the concern expressed on the continuing decline of biodiversity and ecosystem services, and UNDERLINES the urgent need for intensified and coordinated efforts to halt this trend;

3. APPRECIATES that the Conference on Integrating Biodiversity in European Development Cooperation in Paris, 19-21 September 2006, brought together development, environment and biodiversity experts, policy makers from the EU as well as from partner countries and private sector, representing a broad range of stakeholders; and EMPHASISES the importance of continued joint work to implement the commitments already made.

4. HIGHLIGHTS the importance of including biodiversity and sustaining ecosystem services in policy dialogue processes with partner countries and regions encouraging them to further identify needs and prioritise them in national and regional development strategies and plans; and EMPHASISES, in this context, the important links to good governance and coherence with relevant international conventions;

5. REITERATES that, to ensure sustainable results, mainstreaming of ecosystem services and biodiversity in development cooperation programming and any subsequent enhanced financial support from the international community and partner countries must be founded on national and regional ownership that is reflected by the integration and mainstreaming of biodiversity into development strategies and plans;

6. UNDERLINES, in this context, the importance of strengthening civil society, and capacity building programmes for all relevant stakeholders;

7. STRESSES the need to turn commitments into practical action;

8. INVITES the Commission, within the framework of its biodiversity reporting and in close cooperation with Member States, to report to the Council on a regular basis on the implementation of main priority actions identified in the Message from Paris; and RECALLS the importance of close cooperation with partner countries in monitoring processes, where relevant.

REFERENCES

- A European Community Biodiversity Strategy, COM (1998) 42 final;
- Biodiversity Action Plan for Economic and Development Cooperation, COM (2001) 162 final;
- Decision VI/26 Conference of the Parties (VI), Convention on Biological Diversity;
- Presidency Conclusions, Gothenburg European Council 15 - 16 June 2001;
- World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg (2002);
- The European Consensus, COM (2005) 311 final - O.J. C 46 of 24.2.2006, p.1;

- UN General Assembly Resolution 60/1, World Summit 2005;
- EU Sustainable Development Strategy, COM (2005) 658 final - docs 15796/05 and 10117/06;
- Ecosystems and Human Well-being, Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005);
- External Action: Thematic Programme for Environment and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources including Energy, COM (2006) 20 final;
- Halting the Loss of Biodiversity by 2010 - and Beyond, Sustaining ecosystem services for human well-being, COM (2006) 216 final;
- Council Conclusions on Halting the Loss of Biodiversity by 2010 doc. 15709/06;
- Court of Auditors, Special Report no 6/2006, concerning the environmental aspects of the Commission's development cooperation; together with the Commission's replies, doc. 11805/06;
- Council Conclusions on the Court of Auditors' Special Report no 6/2006 - doc. 13753/06 (adopted on 26 October 2006);
- Message from Paris, Integrating Biodiversity into European Development Cooperation, from the participants, 19-21 September 2006, Paris".

Ref: CL06-240EN
Fuente UE: Consejo
Foro NU:
Fecha: 11/12/2006

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