The Social Dimension of Biodiversity Policy

EU, November 23, 2011

A new EU-commissioned report has investigated the social value of biodiversity conservation, particularly in terms of its links to employment. It estimates that 35% of jobs in developing countries and 7% of jobs in the EU are dependent on ecosystem services. The value of biodiversity and its related ecosystems is becoming increasingly recognised in policy. Biodiversity is important in supporting vital ecosystem services (ES) such as provision of clean water, but can also provide social benefits, such as improved employment. The report focussed on the impact of biodiversity on employment and the value of biodiversity and the services provided for vulnerable rural people. Read the report...

New Zealand scientists record 'biodiversity breakdown'

BBC News, February 4, 2011


Scientists in New Zealand say they have linked the modern-day decline of a common forest shrub with the local extinction of two pollinating birds over a century ago. They say the disappearance of two birds - the bellbird and stitchbird - from the upper North Island of the country has lead to a slow decline in common plants, including the forest shrub New Zealand gloxinia.
Ship rats and stoats imported into the country around the year 1870 are blamed for the birds' demise.
The researchers claim the study, published in the journal Science, offers rare experimental proof of a breakdown in a local ecosystem. Read more...

The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB)

October 20, 2010

 

The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) study is a major international initiative to draw attention to the global economic benefits of biodiversity, to highlight the growing costs of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, and to draw together expertise from the fields of science, economics and policy to enable practical actions moving forward.  Read more...

Are accountants the last hope for the world's ecosystems?

The Guardian, October 28, 2010

So it has come to this. The global biodiversity crisis is so severe that brilliant scientists, political leaders, eco-warriors, and religious gurus can no longer save us from ourselves. The military are powerless. But there may be one last hope for life on earth: accountants. Ecological bean counting may not seem to hold much power in slowing the massive loss of the world's species, but it appears to be moving up the agenda of the UN biodiversity conference in Nagoya as the economic implications of losing ecosystems becomes more apparent. Read more...

BISE and baseline: new tools to combat biodiversity loss in Europe

EEA, June 01, 2010

At the opening session of the Green Week conference in Brussels, the European Commission and the European Environment Agency (EEA) unveiled two new tools to combat biodiversity loss: BISE (the Biodiversity Information System for Europe) and 'Biodiversity baseline'. BISE is a web portal centralising information about European biodiversity in a single location. The baseline offers a comprehensive snapshot of the current state of biodiversity and will be used to monitor progress in the renewed efforts to halt biodiversity loss. Read more...

Οταν η Σανζ Ελιζέ µεταµορφώθηκε σε πράσινο λιβάδι

ΤΑ ΝΕΑ, 25 Μαΐου 2010

ΤΙΠΟΤΕ ΑΠΟ τον συνήθη εαυτό της δεν θύµιζε τις δύο τελευταίες ηµέρες η Λεωφόρος των Ηλυσίων Πεδίων, στην καρδιά του Παρισιού. Εκατοντάδες χιλιάδες άνθρωποι την περπάτησαν - αυτό δεν άλλαξε - αντί για τις βιτρίνες, όµως, χάζευαν χωράφια φυτεµένα µε σιτάρι, φασόλια, αµπέλια, µπανάνες, ανανάδες και εκατοντάδες άλλα είδη δηµητριακών, φρούτων και λαχανικών, όπως επίσης και αρκετές κατσίκες, αγελάδες και άλλα ζώα.
Πίσω από την πρωτοβουλία Νature Capitale και τη διήµερη έκθεση µε το ίδιο όνοµα βρισκόταν η ένωση Νέοι Αγρότες, που εκπροσωπεί περίπου 55.000 γάλλους αγρότες κάτω των 35 ετών. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...

Η Σανζ Ελιζέ θα γίνει... κήπος

ΤΑ ΝΕΑ, 28 Απριλίου 2010

Το βράδυ της 22ας Μαΐου, της Παγκόσμιας Ημέρας της Βιοποικιλότητας, μία από τις ωραιότερες λεωφόρους του κόσμου θα μεταμορφωθεί σε γιγάντιο κήπο: μέσα σε μια νύχτα, στη λεωφόρο των Ηλυσίων Πεδίων του Παρισιού, από την Αψίδα του Θριάμβου ώς το Ρον Πουέν, θα ανθίσουν 150.000 δένδρα. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...

EU admits failure to protect biodiversity

ENN, January 02, 2009

The EU is "highly unlikely" to meet its objective of putting a stop to biodiversity loss by 2010, the European Commission admits.
For the bloc to even come close to achieving the target, "intensive efforts" will have to be made by both the Commission and individual member states, according to the mid-term assessment of progress on implementing the Biodiversity Action Plan to halt biodiversity loss in the EU. Read more...