europe sets new targets to halt biodiversity loss
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today
Egypt Today, egypt today
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today

Farmers singled out to halt species loss

Europe sets new targets to halt biodiversity loss

Egypt Today, egypt today

Egypt Today, egypt today Europe sets new targets to halt biodiversity loss

EU environment commissioner Janez Potocnik
BRUSSELS - AFP

EU environment commissioner Janez Potocnik Europe set new targets to halt a mainly man-made loss of species costing billions each year as campaigners called for tougher environmental demands on farmers. "It's our natural capital that we are spending too fast -- and we all know what happens when we borrow beyond our means," said European Union environment commissioner Janez Potocnik.

In the EU, around one in four species are considered "threatened with extinction," he said. Worldwide, species and natural habitats are lost at "alarming rates... up to 1,000 times the natural rate."
Eighty-eight percent of fish stocks are either "overexploited or significantly depleted," as are a quarter of animal species, including "mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds and butterflies."
Potocnik was unveiling new guidelines for EU governments to follow in a call to arms for the bloc's 27 member states, and insisted national treasuries would be making "a much smarter investment" by focusing on prevention rather than a cure.

The Slovenian commissioner said it should be a condition for obtaining grants that EU farmers respect environmental engagements, and suggested that fish whose stocks are low should not be pulled out of the sea.
Alberto Arroyo, a conservation expert at the World Wildlife Federation, said the commission had signalled "good intentions," but stressed meaningful action would only come with reform of the EU's budget, 40 percent of which goes on farm subsidies.
Reformers who want radical changes to agricultural, fisheries and development funding, saying subsidies should be conditional on environmental targets.
Breaking the cycle there will be the "real test," he said of whether political leaders realise "what biodiversity is and why it is so important to us."

European Parliament lawmaker Sandrine Belier, who stands on a Green ticket, likewise said Tuesday's strategy was "too flimsy," and lacked "concrete measures" to enable the EU to reach its revised 2020 objective.
So far, scientists have identified 1.9 million species (perhaps five percent of all living things), and between 16,000 and 18,000 new ones, essentially microscopic, are documented each year.
Eighteen percent of EU land is covered by legislation to protect the environment, under a programme of designated 'Natura' territories, but only four percent of coastal and marine areas enjoy similarly safeguards.

In one striking example, Potocnik said some "35 percent of food resources... depend on pollination by bees and other pollinators" and cited research that insect pollination in the EU has "an estimated economic value of 15 billion euros per year."
He said the "uncontrolled spread on non-native land of animals or insects" from other habitats "causes some 12.5 billion euros worth of damage each year in the EU."

The European Commission readily admitted that 2010 EU targets were badly missed, hence the recalibration after a United Nations conference set out global goals last year in Nagoya, Japan.
The new Brussels strategy followed commitments made by EU leaders in March 2010 -- to "halt" the loss of EU biodiversity by 2020, and "protect, value and restore" EU biodiversity by 2050.
Lost "mainly due to changes in land use, pollution, the over-exploitation of resources, the uncontrolled spread of non-native species and climate change," Potocnik set out a six-pronged approach to tackling the problem.
He listed: "Full implementation" of existing nature protection legislation; "increased use" of green infrastructure; "sustainability of agriculture and forestry" activities; "safeguarding" fish stocks; controlling invasive species; and "stepping up" the EU's contribution to global action.

egypttoday
egypttoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

europe sets new targets to halt biodiversity loss europe sets new targets to halt biodiversity loss



GMT 09:23 2013 Thursday ,03 January

Haifa Wehbe: No 2012 regrets

GMT 16:55 2018 Tuesday ,16 January

Stylist fashion editor commences role

GMT 21:47 2015 Monday ,31 August

Jack Black stars in new 'Goosebumps' trailer

GMT 08:04 2017 Monday ,30 October

Pakistani bridal brand Élan showcases

GMT 11:57 2018 Thursday ,04 January

Thiem through but more seeds fall at Qatar Open

GMT 08:46 2017 Friday ,07 July

Stella Magazine associate editor

GMT 09:48 2017 Sunday ,22 October

Barcelona roll on calmly amidst Catalan chaos

GMT 08:09 2017 Monday ,27 February

A Useful Guide to Repaint the Exterior of Your Home

GMT 13:41 2017 Saturday ,06 May

Shah Rukh Khan’s Dubai film

GMT 23:20 2017 Wednesday ,08 February

In same sportive look as sibling Gigi
 
 Egypt Today Facebook,egypt today facebook  Egypt Today Twitter,egypt today twitter Egypt Today Rss,egypt today rss  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
egypttoday, Egypttoday, Egypttoday