How can Europe protect and promote biodiversity?

Q&A: 150 to 200 species die out every day

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/15911479/i001-0021-en.srt

What is biodiversity and  what Europe can do in this field?

Biodiversity is basically life on earth.

It's about what makes  the planet habitable.

and the services  that our ecosystem provides.

and yet scientists tell us that this year  we're destroying more biodiversity

than ever before  in the history of our planet.

They reckon that between  150 and 200 species are being killed off,

For the EP the challenge  and the task ahead

in the International Year of Biodiversity  and over the next 10 years

is to draw up a common, harmonised  policy to protect all living things

that is integrated into  all European policies.

I'm Sabien Leemans.  I work for WWF Belgium.

Only 0.1% of the European budget  is earmarked to nature protection.

How will the EP ensure that concerns  about the decline in biodiversity

are properly integrated  into the new EU budget?

The specific budget for biodiversity  which is called Life+ is very small,

but there are other parts of the European  budget that do fund biodiversity.

The fact is that the EU budget in today's  economic crisis is not going to grow.

So we should focus on  mainstreaming biodiversity

in all the different budgets and policy  fields so that you can have added value.

Regional policy should fulfil its specific  objectives but also look at biodiversity.

The same applies to agriculture  and to fisheries.

I'm Alison Coleman from the International  Union for Conservation of Nature.

Marine biodiversity issues  are a priority.

We neglected the sea because for years  it was seen as a limitless resource.

We will have to review  the fishing quotas.

The EP put forward a resolution and  the Commission is also taking action.

We're will have to  fish differently and less.

We must use protected areas because  there are areas of sea to be protected.

They form less than 10%  of the protected areas in Europe.

A real effort is needed  in that direction.

Another option could be to promote  sustainable aquaculture

as an alternative to some types of fishing  that are harmful to marine biodiversity.

I'm Massimo Pugliese.  I'm a researcher at Turin University.

I work in the centre for innovation in  the agro-environmental sector.

How do you plan to promote  biodiversity in agriculture?

There have been positive developments  in the CAP since 1992.

It's moved away from focusing  on the quantities produced

- and all the practices that harm the  environment and reduce biodiversity -

Strengthening this approach  and this priority will be key

to compensating farmers not for what  they produce and at any price,

but for their contribution to protecting  the environment and biodiversity.