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Global Challenges and SDGs
Global biodiversity challenge
IEEP’s work on the global biodiversity challenge focuses on the socio-economic importance of biodiversity and ecosystem services, using this knowledge to support global conservation objectives while recognising the intrinsic value of biodiversity in the process. It also explores opportunities for making natural capital an integral part of the transition to more sustainable economies, while at the same time ensuring the equitable sharing of benefits from biodiversity resources.
The global loss of biodiversity and degradation of natural capital continues at a rapid pace. This is despite the fact that biodiversity and well-functioning ecosystems provide a range of benefits – both direct and indirect – to society and the economy, playing a crucial role in sustaining livelihoods and wellbeing. Efforts to meet the global biodiversity targets should play a key role in achieving the priorities of the 2030 sustainable development agenda.
IEEP has a rich experience on assessment, policy influence and capacity building on integrating biodiversity into wider policies and decision-making processes to support sustainable development. We play an integral role in synthesising and analysing information on the value of nature for the purpose of policy and decision-making, both in the EU context and globally. We have also been involved in a range of global initiatives and dialogues aimed at increasing the understanding and building the capacity of stakeholders to integrated biodiversity into sectoral policies and management practices.
Today we celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity aiming at increasing understanding of the diversity of life on the planet and awareness of its importance for human development. IEEP takes the opportunity to share some key positive lessons from recent EU biodiversity action and identify key remaining challenges towards 2030.
IEEP has published a new report that presents success stories relating to habitats and species that are the focus of the EU nature directives and provides key lessons on effective approaches that can be shared to achieve better overall results. The study focuses on supporting EU action through better knowledge and evidence, and provides an important contribution to the current discussions on the EU and global biodiversity policy regime for the post-2020 era.
IEEP has published a new report that presents success stories relating to habitats and species that are the focus of the EU nature directives and provides key lessons on effective approaches that can be shared to achieve better overall results. The study focuses on supporting EU action through better knowledge and evidence, and provides an important contribution to the current discussions on the EU and global biodiversity policy regime for the post-2020 era.
With the 2030 benchmark in the horizon, the EU needs to step up the contribution of its trade policy to biodiversity and sustainable development. IEEP identifies concrete opportunities how improving the integration of protected areas into EU trade agreements will help to support global biodiversity conservation as well as multiple sustainable development goals (SDGs).
New guidance by IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (IUCN-WCPA) has been published to help practitioners assess ecosystem services within important sites for biodiversity conservation.
The report is the result of collaboration between over 20 international experts, including IEEP’s Marianne Kettunen.
IEEP Lead of Global Challenges and SDGs Programme, Marianne Kettunen, co-authored the UNDP call for action to safeguard nature in order to secure water-related services and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The EU contributes to halting the global loss of biodiversity through conservation efforts within its own territory as well as at the global level. IEEP’s Marianne Kettunen explores the EU’s external biodiversity policy, arguing the need for a more coherent framework and effective implementation – and making the policy integral to EU’s action on SDGs at the global level.
The EU contributes to halting the global loss of biodiversity through conservation efforts within its own territory as well as at the global level. IEEP’s Marianne Kettunen explores the EU’s external biodiversity policy, arguing the need for a more coherent framework and effective implementation – and making the policy integral to EU’s action on SDGs at the global level.
The Commission’s renewed strategy on EU outermost regions puts forward a new approach to foster development and appears rather ‘green’, acknowledging the ORs’ rich biodiversity as a unique natural asset.
2017 is an important year for discussing the future of Europe. A key basis for this debate is the White Paper of the European Commission alongside subsequent reflection pieces regarding specific dimensions of European policy, including the social dimension of Europe, globalization, the Economic and Monetary Union, European defense and European finances.
This report presents the state of play of legal and operational issues to be tackled with a view to better support a transition towards a green and circular economy in the EU Outermost Regions (ORs), including Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Mayotte, Reunion Island, Saint-Martin, the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands.
With the Brexit process being formally started, it is time to consider the importance that sharing experience has for the development of concepts and principles in environmental policy says Nigel Haigh, former director of IEEP. Read more in his article here.
Together with Greener UK, IEEP's David Baldock discussed the need for strong UK institutions to effectively implement post-Brexit environmental laws. Read the full Guardian article here.
IEEP’s work on innovative financing for EU biodiversity conservation was presented in Cancun, Mexico at the 13th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.
IEEP will share its expertise on environmental taxation and the reform of environmentally harmful subsidies at a forum event on greening taxation and subsidies in the Pacific region during the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Hawaii.
IEEP assessed threats to Gough and Inaccessible Island World Heritage Site on behalf of the RSPB. The report brings together evidence that globally important seabird colonies and endemic species are under threat of extinction from invasive alien species, especially predatory house mice, and that the proposed mouse eradication programme should proceed as quickly as possible.
An International Symposium on Northern development took place in Québec City from the 25 - 27 February 2015. IEEP’s Marianne Kettunen was one of the Nordic experts invited to present at the event and take part in the high-level discussions.
