Mairead McGuinness Fine Gael MEP

The world is losing species of plants and animals at an alarmingly rapid rate – up to 1,000 times the natural rate and it is due to human activity.

The European Commission this week launched a fresh blueprint to halt biodiversity loss in the EU over the next 10 years. A similar plan for the decade just ending, sadly, failed. The Communication is entitled “Our life insurance, our natural capital: an EU biodiversity strategy to 2020″

The plan has to work this time, otherwise we face huge costs into the future as we try to restore our natural resources, if indeed we can actually do so.

For example, we take forests for granted. They serve to provide clean air and water and are important in climate change mitigation.

There is no excuse any more. The evidence is there that we need to mind and nurture nature. And the issue has become increasingly more urgent.

The new blueprint includes the full implementation of all existing EU nature protection legislation, financing the EU’s Natura network of nature reserves, the need for more to be done to tackle invasive species – non-native plants and animals introduced into the EU without their natural predators to keep them in check. In fact, they are a major contributor to biodiversity loss and the cause of roughly €12.5 billion of damage each year.

Specific targets are set including restoration of at least 15pc of degraded ecosystems. Agriculture will be affected by the plan and the ideas outlined will likely feed in to the ongoing debate on reform of the CAP.

Fisheries policy will also be part of the new strategy to assist in halting the decline of valuable species.

The plan is underpinned by the fact that biodiversity has an intrinsic value, but also a significant economic value seldom captured in markets.

Because it escapes pricing and is not reflected in society’s accounts, biodiversity falls victim to competing claims on nature and its use.

In future we will need to factor the economics of biodiversity into decision making and reflecting the value of biodiversity in accounting and reporting systems.
The Commission point out that the economic value of insect pollination in the EU has an estimated economic value of €15 billion per year.

When you consider that large sum of money, it might make us all stop taking nature for granted and instead nurture it very carefully!