ECNC

 

ECNC activities for 2009 included participation in relevant meetings in the framework of the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy (PEBLDS), input into the discussions about the future of the Ministerial ‘Environment for Europe’ process, the preparation of the 5th Intergovernmental Conference ‘Biodiversity in Europe’ and involvement in activities such as the PEEN Committee (see under ECNC Programme Area Green Infrastructure).

In September 2009 the state of Europe’s biodiversity and post-2010 biodiversity targets for the pan-European region were discussed at the 5th Intergovernmental Conference ‘Biodiversity in Europe’, held in Liège, Belgium. ECNC played an active role in both the preparations for the conference and the conference itself. ECNC contributed, inter alia, to facilitating a working session on ecosystem valuation, presenting the results of the ‘Business case for biodiversity’ project, reviewing discussion documents and coordinating with UNEP the media and communication for the conference.

Funding: ECNC core funding.
Partners: Members and observers of the PEBLDS Council.
More details: http://www.ecnc.org/programmes/policy-support-ongoing-projects?action=detail&id=80
http://www.ecnc.org/programmes/policy-support-ongoing-projects/conference-biodiversity-in-europe
Photo: Opening ceremony; speaker: Deputy Director-General of the Norwegian Ministry of Environment and host of the conference, Mrs Birthe Ivars. © ECNC.

 

Activities in 2009 included participation in meetings of the EU Coordination Group for Biodiversity and Nature. For other relevant EU support activities, including ECNC’s work for the EEA European Topic Centre for Biological Diversity, please see the other relevant programme areas.

The EU high-level conference ‘Biodiversity protection beyond 2010: priorities and options for future EU policy’ took place in April 2009 in Athens, Greece. The conference addressed the EU’s possible future policy priorities and took stock of the results of the EU’s biodiversity policy to date. ECNC was actively involved in the conference and part of its preparations, focusing – at the request of the European Commission – on the theme of Business and Biodiversity. ECNC’s Executive Director chaired the working group which dealt with business and biodiversity, reported the results back to the plenary and participated in the Conference Forum.

Funding: ECNC core funding.
Partners: Members of the EU Coordination Group for Biodiversity and Nature.
More details: http://www.ecnc.org/programmes/policy-support-ongoing-projects?action=detail&id=81http://biodiversity-chm.eea.europa.eu/stories/european-message-athens-future-biodiversity

 

ALTER-Net is a partnership of 23 organizations from 17 European countries that develop durable integration of biodiversity research capacity at a European level. Co-funded by the European Commission’s 6th Framework Programme between 2004 and 2009, since May 2009 it operates independently, now coordinated by the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA).

Since the start of ALTER-Net, ECNC has been in charge of developing a science–policy interface to improve information exchange related to biodiversity assessment. ECNC continues to be involved in this process to the extent possible.

During 2009, an ECNC delegation actively participated in the ALTER-Net final conference, ‘Inter-disciplinary Challenges for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research’, which took place in March 2009 in Leipzig, Germany. The conference looked at the challenges facing ecosystem services and biodiversity from three different perspectives: understanding the challenges; changing our thinking; and providing solutions to the challenges. ECNC staff contributed to the poster session and helped facilitate some of the side events at the conference, dealing with biofuels.

Also in March 2009, ECNC participated in a workshop in Helsinki, Finland, coordinated by the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE). The meeting aimed at finalizing the ALTER-Net activities on interdisciplinary research and exploring and developing further research areas in relation to policies outside Europe, predators and wildlife, and integrated conservation and management.

At the end of September, ECNC represented the ALTER-Net in the half-yearly European Platform for Biodiversity Research Strategy (EPBRS) meeting held under the Swedish EU Presidency. This meeting addressed the issue of ‘Targets for biodiversity beyond 2010’ and in particular the role of research in relation to such targets. The EPBRS meeting discussed various issues in relation to the post-2010 target, ranging from criteria for target setting, communication, indicators, stakeholder engagement, conflicts between targets, and governance and accountability. Research recommendations were formulated in support of post-2010 targets and research.

Funding: Financial pledges and in-kind support from a number of ALTER-Net parties, including ECNC. Co-funded by the European Commission’s 6th Framework Programme between 2004 and 2009.
Partners: Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH; UK); Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National des Sciences de l’Université de l’Environnement (France); ECNC; Hydrobiological Institute, Czech Academy of Sciences (HBI CAS); Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA); Macaulay Land Use Research Institute (UK); Umweltforschungszentrum Leipzig – Halle GmbH (UFZ; Germany); National Environmental Research Institute (Denmark); Alterra (the Netherlands); Corpo Forestale dello Stato, Servizio CONECOFOR (Italy); Department of Systems Ecology, University of Bucharest (Romania); Institute of Landscape Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences (ILE SAS); The Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE); European Regional Centre for Ecohydrology (ERCE; Poland); Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU); Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (Spain); Institute of Ecology and Botany, Hungarian Academy of Sciences; Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO, Belgium); Centre National du Machinisme Agricole, du Génie Rural, des Eaux et des Forêts (CEMAGREF; France); Umweltbundesamt GmbH (UBA; Austria); Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL; the Netherlands); Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK; Germany).
More details: http://www.ecnc.org/programmes/policy-support-ongoing-projects?action=detail&id=67
http://www.alter-net.info

 

Biodiversity is the key item in cooperation with the Province of Noord-Brabant. Municipalities, water boards, businesses and organizations in Noord-Brabant have been encouraged to join the Countdown 2010 initiative, to draft local and business biodiversity plans, to concretize biodiversity activities and to report the results.

In 2009 these activities included promoting the Countdown 2010 initiative towards municipalities, water boards, businesses and organizations in the Province.

In the framework of the cooperation with the Province ECNC also drafted local biodiversity plans, concretized biodiversity activities and promoted civic involvement, including involvement of young people. Tourism companies and industries in Noord-Brabant were also supported in their biodiversity activities.

ECNC maintained the Biodiversiteit in Brabant website, and published its newsletters (see http://www.biodiversiteitbrabant.nl).

ECNC provides the secretariat of the Noord-Brabant Task Force on Biodiversity and Countdown 2010, and assists in implementing its strategy, action plan and communication efforts.

Funding: Province of Noord-Brabant (the Netherlands).
More details:  http://www.biodiversiteitbrabant.nl
http://www.molo.nl
Photo: Saxifraga: Jörg Mager.