We enhance the knowledge base, facilitate its sharing and foster cross-sectorial policy dialogue for EU policy making in biodiversity and related fields.
This page describes the EU's international engagement in global biodiversity-related platforms and coalitions
The EU is an active participant in a number of intergovernmental platforms on biodiversity governance, including UN conventions as well as regional and global coalitions.
The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was opened to signature in June 1992 at the Rio "Earth Summit," and entered into force in December 1993. It is the international legal instrument for "the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the utilization of genetic resources" that has been ratified by 196 nations or "Parties." The USA is the only UN member state that did not ratify the CBD. The CBD's governing body, the Conference of Parties (COP), meets every two years to review progress, set priorities and commit to work plans. The CBD Secretariat (SCBD), located in Montreal, Canada, operates under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The SCBD assists governments in the implementation of the CBD and its programmes of work. The EU has been a Party to the CBD since March 1994: the CBD's EU Focal Point is the Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV). The CBD's primary framework for achieving its three objectives is the ecosystem approach for integrated management of land, water and living resources that promotes conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way. Article 6 of the CBD requires Parties to develop national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAPs). At its tenth Conference of Parties (COP-10) in 2010, the CBD adopted a 10-year Strategic Plan to combat global biodiversity loss, enshrined in the 20 concrete Aichi targets. Parties have regularly reported on progress towards these targets, with all reports available to the public. Discussions are ongoing on the global Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework, which will replace the Strategic Plan and its Aichi targets with new goals and targets. COP-15, where the new framework will be finalised, is being held in two phases: phase 1 took place virtually from 11 to 15 October 2021; phase 2 will be an in-person meeting in Kunming, China from 25 April to 8 May 2022. While international discussions on global targets and objectives are ongoing, EU ambition has been announced in the fourth pillar "The European Union for an ambitious global biodiversity agenda" of the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 (EU BDS-2030).
The CBD's Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety was adopted on 29 January 2000 and entered into force on 11 September 2003. It aims to ensure the safe handling, transport and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology with potentially adverse effects on biological diversity and risks for human health. EU legislation was aligned to its provisions and complemented its legislative framework on GMOs via Regulation 1946/2003 on transboundary movement of GMOs.
In 2010, CBD Parties adopted the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from Their Utilization. The Nagoya protocol entered into force for the EU on 12 October 2014, and is reflected in the EU ABS Regulation 511/2014 on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS). Its EU Implementing Regulation was adopted on 13 October 2015, and the first implementation report issued on 24 January 2019. A new guidance document was adopted on 14 December 2020. The EC also set up an ABS Expert Group, which meets approximately four times a year to share information, best practices and lessons learnt, and to develop guidance for the users of genetic resources. In 2017 the EC organised a workshop for Parties to the Nagoya Protocol to exchange views and experiences.
The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) was established in Panama City in April 2012 by 94 governments in response to UNEP's 2010 Busan Outcome. IPBES is an independent intergovernmental platform "established by States to strengthen the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, long-term human wellbeing and sustainable development." It is not a UN body, though UNEP manages it (together with UNESCO, FAO and UNDP) and provides for the IPBES secretariat located in Bonn, Germany. IPBES is for biodiversity and ecosystem services what the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is for climate change.
IPBES is structured as follows: the Plenary or governing body consists of member State representatives, and usually meets once a year. IPBES currently has 137 members, including 23 EU MS. In addition there are observers to IPBES, including non-member States, the CBD and other biodiversity-related conventions and UN bodies, and other related organisations. Four EU MS (CY, MT, PL, SI) are observers, while the EU itself has "enhanced observer" status. IPBES also has a "Multidisciplinary Expert Panel" (MEP) overseeing its scientific and technical functions, "Stakeholders" who contribute to and use IPBES outputs, and "Expert Groups & Taskforces" that carry out IPBES assessments. The IPBES Bureau oversees administrative functions while the Secretariat supports the Plenary, Bureau and MEP to ensure efficient functioning and implementation.
The work of IPBES can be broadly grouped in four categories: Assessments, Policy Support, Building Capacity & Knowledge, and Communications & Outreach. The EU supports IPBES on all these functions. The policy framework of the IPBES 2030 rolling work programme is aligned with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the biodiversity-related conventions and other processes.
The EU Focal Point for IPBES is the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD), supported by DG ENV. RTD programmes Horizon 2020 and its successor Horizon Europe require research projects to give input to IPBES. EU and MS research agendas are aligned via Horizon Europe's Biodiversity Partnership: Biodiversa+. IPBES assessments, like the 2016 IPBES assessment on pollination, have relied on EU research while also triggering the 2018 EU policy initiative on pollinators. The conclusions of the IPBES Global Assessment Report, especially on the transformative change needed to halt biodiversity loss, are reflected in the EU BDS 2030 and are crucial for underpinning the evidence base of Horizon Europe, such as the strategic planning process. Upcoming IPBES assessments on Nexus and Transformative Change will include key knowledge requested by the EC, some of which has already been addressed in Horizon 2020 (e.g. on pollination and on climate change and ecosystem services) and Horizon Europe.
As enhanced observer within IPBES, the EU negotiates the IPBES work programme and flags relevant issues for IPBES to look into, often in coordination with MS that are IPBES members. It attends all IPBES plenaries, reviews IPBES products and negotiates IPBES processes and budget. Responsibilities are divided between DG RTD and DG ENV, with the former leading on the budget and IPBES rolling work programme, and the latter on cooperation with MS in the Working Party on International Environmental Issues (WPIEI-Biodiversity) and the group of Western European and Other States (WEOG). DG RTD also informs the Council Research Working Group on IPBES. Negotiations at IPBES plenaries are managed jointly by DG RTD and DG ENV with support from other DGs and the EEA. The EU and its MS participate in plenary negotiations in collective as well as individual capacities. The Council Presidency leads on coordinating a collective position with MS via position papers, supported by the EC delegation. For non-coordinated items, "orientation lines" indicate agreed negotiation points but the EU and its MS can speak further for themselves at the Plenary. The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) takes care of the daily coverage of plenary meetings. IPBES members discuss and approve draft decisions at the closing plenary session.
The EU has also supported and contributed to the development of the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development agreed on by the UN General Assembly in September 2015. Two of the SDGs are particularly relevant for biodiversity:
SDG 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
SDG 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
On the occasion of World Wildlife Day in March 2020, the EC launched "United for Biodiversity," a new global coalition calling for stronger mobilisation in raising awareness on the need to protect biodiversity ahead of the CBD's crucial COP-15 meeting in October 2021. Within one year, 205 institutions (national parks, research centres, science and natural history museums, etc.) from 47 countries had joined the coalition, and the EC aims to increase membership to 500. The EC has also joined the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) for Nature and People, launched at the One Planet Summit in January 2021. The HAC is an intergovernmental group of 70 countries aimed at the protection of at least 30% of land and sea by 2030, and the ratification of an ambitious science-driven global deal to this end at COP-15.
The EU implements a broad range of other international agreements relating to biodiversity conservation such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the Bonn Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats and the Agreement on international humane trapping standards. Relevant in this connection are the EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking and the EU strategic objectives for COP-17 of CITES (2016).
The three "Rio conventions" for international cooperation on the environment (CBD, UNFCCC and UNCCD) are strongly inter-related, and collaborate closely. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was established in 1992 with the ultimate aim of preventing “dangerous” human interference with the climate system. It entered into force in 1994. The UNFCCC works closely with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an independent body founded under the auspices of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to assess scientific literature and provide vital scientific information for the climate change process. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was established in 1994 to specifically address drylands: the arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas that house especially vulnerable ecosystems and peoples. Other UN bodies whose mandate substantially overlaps with biodiversity protection are the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The compounding effects on nature of climate change, land-/sea-use change, resource overexploitation, pollution and invasive alien species are likely to worsen, as already seen in coral reefs, Arctic systems and savannas.
Climate Change (UNFCCC, IPCC, other)Climate change is one of the main direct drivers of biodiversity loss, and its impact on biodiversity is expected to increase in the next decades. It also exacerbates the impact of other drivers, for instance via fires, floods and droughts, and sea level rise. Several scenarios predict that effects on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning could worsen exponentially with incremental global warming. Yet biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are crucial for mitigating as well as adapting to climate change. The Nairobi work programme (NWP), the UNFCCC knowledge-to-action hub for climate adaptation and resilience, recognises the value of nature-based solutions and integrating ecosystems into adaptation strategies. Finally, while the goals of climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation are strongly synergistic, attaining them can involve trade-offs that reduce the efficacy of both efforts if treated separately. An integrated approach is thus of paramount importance. In December 2020, 50 of the world's leading biodiversity and climate experts, selected by a 12-person Scientific Steering Committee assembled by IPBES and IPCC, participated in a virtual workshop to examine the synergies and trade-offs between biodiversity protection and climate change mitigation and adaptation. This represents the first-ever collaboration between the two intergovernmental science-policy bodies. Its conclusions were presented in a workshop report.
The EU and its MS are among the 197 Parties to the UNFCCC and 192 Parties to its Paris Agreement to limit global warming below 1.5°C, adopted at the UNFCCC's COP-21 in December 2015. Apart from the UNFCCC, the EU pursues global climate action via other intergovernmental fora (IPCC, G8 & G20, OECD, MEF, IEA) and the Global Climate Action Agenda as well as via bilateral relations with non-EU countries and regions, policies and initiatives at EU and international level, as well as via financial support to developing countries for tackling climate change and technology transfer.
Land degradation and desertification (UNCCD and other)Land degradation and desertification are issues of both global and EU concern. Combating them and restoring degraded land are urgent global priorities for protecting biodiversity. Land use change is the foremost direct driver of biodiversity loss with the largest relative global impact. There is great potential for cost-effective synergies between targets for land degradation neutrality (LDN) and biodiversity conservation in terms of design, implementation, financing and monitoring. The EU and its MS are among the 197 Parties to the UNCCD, the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management. In 2017 the UNCCD adopted its 2018-2030 Strategic Framework focused on achieving the SDG 15.3 on combating desertification and restoring degraded land and soil. The EU works with UNCCD partners towards improving living conditions of dryland populations, land and soil productivity and resilience against drought. The EU also supports the global Economics of Land Degradation (ELD) Initiative established in 2011 to improve awareness of the economic dimension of land and sustainable management.
UN Environment Programme (UNEP)The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has a Nature Action wing dedicated to preserving and accounting for ecosystems and biodiversity, building integrated solutions, harnessing public funding, engaging business and educating for sustainability. The UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) works with scientists and policymakers worldwide to place biodiversity at the heart of environment and development decision-making. It works closely with the SCBD and is recognised by the EU as a provider of support services to the Convention, as well as technical support to CBD Parties. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the European Commission (EC) and UNEP has been recently updated for the cooperation period 2021-2025. It indicates that partners will explore options for developing the global component of the EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity under the World Environment Situation Room (WESR). These discussions between the EU's Joint Research Centre (JRC) and UNEP-WCMC are currently underway.
UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)The EU is working to negotiate and develop an international legally binding instrument under the UNCLOS on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, also known as the BBNJ-instrument or High Seas Treaty. After more than a decade of work, championed by the EU, the negotiations on this new international agreement are reaching their final stage.
UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)Cropland expansion and intensification is a major driver of biodiversity loss. Again, the costs and benefits are not uniformly distributed, with tropical regions predominantly affected while Europe and North America often benefit from lower world market prices. At the same time, biodiversity loss eventually causes lower plant productivity and increased yield variability. FAO emphasises the importance of healthy ecosystems for ensuring nutritious food and productive agriculture, entailing wise management of biodiversity and ecosystem services like soil maintenance, pollination and pest- and disease-control. The EU and FAO have worked since 1991 on countless joint programmes that prioritise biodiversity protection, sustainable resource use and climate change in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Near East and Latin America. The cooperation tackles issues ranging from food safety and security, sustainable agriculture and disease and pest control, to land tenure, soil management, illegal fisheries, desertification and deforestation.
World Health Organization (WHO)Healthy communities rely on well-functioning ecosystems to provide clean air, fresh water, medicines and food security, and to limit disease and stabilize the climate. Recent unprecedented rates of biodiversity loss are impacting human health worldwide. Drivers of biodiversity loss like land-use change, agricultural expansion and intensification, and wildlife trade and consumption, are also triggering pandemics. The CBD and WHO have jointly emphasized the strong connection between biodiversity and health, and the need for closer partnerships and integrated approaches. This includes mainstreaming biodiversity in food-based interventions to support nutrition and health. The upcoming IPBES Nexus Assessment will focus on the inter-linkages between biodiversity, water, food and health. The EU is a top contributor to the WHO. The EU-WHO partnership for protecting global health has grown significantly in recent years in order to adequately respond to rapid changes like biodiversity loss that are presenting new, formidable challenges to health systems worldwide.
The EU’s relationship with Africa is a key priority for the Commission. At the upcoming 6th EU-AU summit, the EU and its African partners will discuss joint priorities towards a comprehensive strategy with Africa. Five partnerships have been proposed, of which one covers the green transition, including "joint action to protect and reduce pressure on forests, water and marine ecosystems while enhancing their management by tackling illegal harvesting and combating environmental crime, thereby tackling the drivers of biodiversity loss." Inter alia action on this was proposed via the ‘NaturAfrica’ initiative.
EU Strategies, Directives, Communications and other legal instruments relevant to global biodiversity governance, many of which have been cited in the above text on the EU's international engagement, are listed on this page.
03 Feb 2022 | 08 Jan 2025
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