During the plenary session (13-16 January 2020) of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs call for legally binding targets to be adopted during the 2020 global biodiversity conference COP 15, to stop the current trajectory of biodiversity loss. Statements by Virginijus SINKEVICIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Agnès EVREN (EPP, FR), César LUENA (S&D, ES) and Katarina BARLEY (S&D, DE).

COP15 to the Convention on Biological Diversity (Kunming 2020): extracts from the debate

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SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVICIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, This commission wants the European Union to lead on both climate neutrality and the road to the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Kunming in October 2020, where the world is to agree on the post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVICIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, The European Union Biodiversity Strategy 2030, which we will adopt by March 2020, will include proposals for such EU commitments and will set out our ambition for Kunming, including on global targets. Preparations for this strategy are currently going on at full speed within the commission, and the resolution which you will adopt tomorrow will be an important input and inspiration for our own reflections and upcoming decisions.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVICIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, The next multi annual final financial framework will be crucial in this regard. We need to guarantee that adequate resources are provided for the protection, restoration and sustainable use of eco systems from the core EU funding instruments such as the Common Agricultural Policy, Cohesion and Regional Funds, Horizon Europe, the external actual financial instrument and LIFE.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVICIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, This is why the future EU biodiversity strategy will need to address sustainable consumption and production, a reduction of the EU's ecological footprint, and the integration of biodiversity into our trade policy.

SOUNDBITE (French), Agn&#232;s EVREN (EPP, FR), The U.N. proposed that we protect 30 percent of the planet by 2030. There are 17 goals being put forward for COP 15. To me, it's moving to reduce our impact on the natural world and establish links between climate and biodiversity, the two sides of the same coin, that of the survival of our planet. And I fully sunscribe to all these objectives, unlike the empty wishes we've had hitherto sadly. Here we have some specific goals with numbers attached and this is what we're defending in our mission for resolution. But let's take this even further. We want these goals to be legally binding so that they don't remain a dead letter. Let us ensure that COP 15 becomes the equivalent of the Paris agreement on the climate.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), C&#233;sar LUENA (S&amp;D, ES), In most habitats around the world, we've lost no less than 20 percent of biodiversity. More than 40 percent of amphibians and 33 percent of reef corals. And more than a third of marine mammals are threatened. And 10% of insects. This is the sixth mass wave of extinction of the species, according to experts. What is the opinion of the European citizen is? According to the latest survey, 96% of Europeans thnk that it is necessary to protect nature, and that we share this responsibility.

EP Vice-President Katarina BARLEY (S&amp;D, DE)  opens the vote on the resolution and the resolution is adopted by show of hands.

COP15 to the Convention on Biological Diversity (Kunming 2020): extracts from the debate

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