During the plenary session (7-10 June 2021) in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 - Bringing nature back into our lives: opening statements by César LUENA (S&D, ES), rapporteur, Saskia BRICMONT (Greens/EFA, BE) INTA; Isabel CARVALHAIS (S&D, PT) AGRI, Bettina VOLLATH (S&D, AT) AFET, Gabriel MATO (EPP, ES) and by Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment. The EU’s biodiversity strategy for 2030 is a comprehensive, ambitious and long-term plan to protect nature and reverse the degradation of ecosystems. The strategy aims to put Europe's biodiversity on a path to recovery by 2030, and contains specific actions and commitments. It is the proposal for the EU’s contribution to the international negotiations on the global post-2020 biodiversity framework. This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery.

statement

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

MATO, Gabriel (EPP, ES)

VOLLATH, Bettina (S&D, AT)

LUENA, César (S&D, ES)

BRICMONT, Saskia (Greens/EFA, BE)

CARVALHAIS, Isabel (S&D, PT)

SINKEVIČIUS, Virginijus (Greens/EFA, LT)

biodiversity strategy (T)

EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 - Bringing nature back into our lives: opening statements by César LUENA (S&D, ES), rapporteur and by Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), C&eacute;sar LUENA (S&amp;D, ES), Thank you very much, president, thank you very much, Commissioner. Well, ladies and gentlemen, after a long path, we're going to take up this particular report, EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. And I'd like to thank a number of different people. First of all, the scientists, the specialist that we've worked together with, because we have from them the evidence, the signals that it is absolutely necessary to work with determination.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), César LUENA (S&D, ES), We'd also like to thank the activists, above all NGOs and young people throughout the world, young people who have simply continued to push to push for things to be done on this particular front. Alexander Soraia, Marco Nikolaou, All of the shadows. I'd like to thank for their work and I'd like to thank the, uh, shadows from the other committees as well. And I'd like to thank the Commission as well, which, we've worked hand in hand with the commission over these years.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), César LUENA (S&D, ES), I'd like to thank the Envy Secretariat, Mary Sauniere, all of those who have worked so wonderfully. And I'd like to dedicate all of this work to them. Thank you very much. Now. This is a well negotiated, well balanced text. And I'd like to ask for the support for this text as it is, there's been so many different votes in the Energy Committee.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), César LUENA (S&D, ES), It is a report which supports the various affirmations, claims, proposals that have been made by the European Commission, and of course, it is a source of impulse, a push stimulus for measures to be taken. And I think it would be a pity indeed. It would be a pity indeed to the young people, to the activists, to the NGOs all over who have worked so hard. It is necessary for them to have a report of this nature robust to support them once again.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), César LUENA (S&D, ES), Now, biodiversity, we have climate law now. Now, why not a law on biodiversity, which would bring all of this together, which would be binding, make obligatory certain measures, and this could go into the future to 2050 and but will start with 2030 as a first point. But why not until 2050? Now, the report that will be presented by the Commission, the need for protection, for preservation of nature.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), César LUENA (S&D, ES), Let's not forget that 30 percent of our ecosystems are are now under particular protection regime. That's what we need. We need them to achieve rather that 30 percent. We need to have specific specific aims for to 30 percent of protection. Now, there are numerous different people who are participating in this debate.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), César LUENA (S&D, ES), MEPs now, there is no common legislative framework on all of the various issues which are covered here, for example, soil and numerous other issues, as well as future legislation of the European Union has to take into consideration this particular strategy. Let's not forget desertification as well.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), César LUENA (S&D, ES), In the European Union it is a priority. It is an issue and an emergency that we have to deal with. We have a planetary crisis going on right now, not only in the European Union of climate and biodiversity. That's why we need a European biodiversity strategy for climate and biodiversity. There's no reason in dealing with one and not the other.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), César LUENA (S&D, ES), These are closely linked. These are things which are linked together and they have to be dealt with together. Climate and biodiversity, a safe and healthy biodiversity. There is no fundamental law on healthy biodiversity. It's a principle, it's principle but it's not law. And that's what we call for in this particular report. And numerous different people in the committees all over have supported this, that it be included in the Charter of Human Rights as well.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), César LUENA (S&D, ES), Erasmus Green, very important indeed. We feel that we have to do the best. We have to have projects, preservation, conservation projects for the ecosystems under threat. And this all has to be included as part of the curriculum as well, that students, girls, boys all over Europe, learn about the various problems that exist.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), César LUENA (S&D, ES), Now, forests, there's great division of opinion here. But what we call for is something very balanced indeed. And we feel that the conservation is protectionist, if you like, approach is one, but what we have to take into consideration numerous other factors as well, to put together a forest policy that will be balanced, indeed, which will protect biodiversity.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), César LUENA (S&D, ES), And this has to be adopted by this House, by the European Parliament. And I do feel that this particular vision for the future that we protect our primary forests are ancient for us, this is absolutely imperative. This has to be on the forefront of our aims. And I do feel that the various studies on containment that existed up until now have to be taken into consideration.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), César LUENA (S&D, ES), And indeed, what has come out in the form of studies up until now really do support what we call for as concerns forest policy in this report. So I do feel that all sectors, fisheries, agriculture, all of this is involved. These sectors also depend on biodiversity. Let's not forget that.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), César LUENA (S&D, ES), And I do feel that when we speak about ambition, we're speaking about ambition, which is realistic and possible, and all of these particular sectors from here, from the European Parliament, we see that we have to have transition. Of course, transition, however, has to be sustainable. It has to be sustainable socially and environmentally. And for all of that, we need a biodiversity strategy.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), César LUENA (S&D, ES), I do feel that this is moderate, this is balanced, and I really do hope that this plenary will support this ever so important paper. I'd like to thank once again the president and the commissioner. Thank you very much.

SOUNDBITE (French), Saskia BRICMONT (Greens/EFA, BE), President, colleagues, the IBPES has rung the alarm, over 800000 viruses present in the environment could affect humans. If you look at the current impact of the Covid 19 pandemic, the fallout is 100 times worse than it would have been if we had prevented it. Intensive farming is something that needs to be examined amongst a whole host of other factors as well.

SOUNDBITE (French), Saskia BRICMONT (Greens/EFA, BE), If we don't want to be permanently in a state of lockdown due to a range of pandemics, human health is intrinsically linked to the health of nature. Thank you, Mr. Luena, the rapporteur for the biodiversity report, for focussing on the interactions between international trade and biodiversity because no less than one third of species of endangered species are facing the situation due to international trade.

SOUNDBITE (French), Saskia BRICMONT (Greens/EFA, BE), And there are ways to combat this respect and biodiversity and trade agreements by a preliminary impact assessments and sanctions if rules are not complied with. A moratorium on all imports of animal species from risk countries recognising and sanctioning ecocide. And so we call on the European Commission to implement these recommendations in order to ensure the coherence of policy on the international stage and to place Europe as a leader in this area ahead of the biodiversity summit taking place next October.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Isabel Maria Estrada CARVALHAIS (S&D, PT), Thank you very much, commissioner colleagues, biodiversity loss is one of the greatest challenges of our time. That's why I congratulate the significant level of ambition that set out in the aims of the biodiversity strategy. And I very much support the report put forward by my colleague, Mr. Luena.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Isabel Maria Estrada CARVALHAIS (S&D, PT), These policies are there to be to help us in our transition. We want them to be transformative. This is about managing natural resources and is closely linked to biodiversity. We need to increase the resilience of the environment. And so we need effective and concrete measures to defend biodiversity. We need fair and equitable action in this regard. And this also has a significant social impact.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Isabel Maria Estrada CARVALHAIS (S&D, PT), Protecting biodiversity is an effort that needs to be made collectively with the whole of society participating in these efforts, in particular when it comes to those who work the land. These are the people who are going to be able to share their knowledge and experience in order to create a sense of appropriation, of taking ownership of this new pathway forward, which, in my view, will be crucial to the success of this.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, President. Honourable members, dear colleagues. Let me first thank the rapporteur, Mr Luena, as well as the shadow rapporteurs and the entire ENVI Committee, but also the committees for opinion INTA, AGRI, PESCHE and AFET for, of course, the engagement and in-depth work on this very important report.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Biodiversity is truly a crosscutting issue, and we can only succeed in reversing its decline if we have all relevant actors on board. And I therefore appreciate the broad and honest debate in this House as well as your spirit of compromise, which has allowed for a large support of the draft resolution you have tabled for this plenary.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, . When the Commission published the EU biodiversity strategy in May last year, it drew on a clear scientific evidence. Healthy nature shapes the environment and the climate in which humanity can thrive. Science is telling us that biodiversity, the unique fabric of life on earth, is under intolerable strain.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Decades of unsustainable human activities have changed our climate, altered ecosystems, polluted our environment, overexploited species, and caused the spread of invasive alien species. And if we continue down this path, we risk irreparable damage to the foundations of our wellbeing and prosperity. Let us not forget that almost half of the global GDP, some 40 trillion euro, depends on nature.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, We would undermine our chances of coping with climate change, we would even expose our children to an existential risk, we have no alternative, no excuse, and indeed very little time. But we must seize the moment and being radical changers in the way we produce, consume and trade. Looking back on the first year of implementing the biodiversity strategy and the impressive list of deliverables, I can see a lot has been done, but we still have so much more to do.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, We are making progress on implementation of 100 plus actions which we are committed to deliver by 2030. The commission has drafted guidance and engaged with national authorities and stakeholders in the design of measures to implement the EU biodiversity commitments. We have made progress in preparing new legislation underpinned by in-depth impact assessment, as well as new policy strategies on the range of topics from nature restoration to forests and soil.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, We're working with member states to ensure that biodiversity will be high on the list of national priorities when funding and investment decisions are made under EU long term budget, in particular under Common Agricultural Policy funds, as well as in the National Recovery and Resilience Plans.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, The process for preparing the post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework at the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in China is also gathering speed. The EU has positioned itself as the global leader. We now have to leverage this position and build a coalition for a global biodiversity framework that can achieve the vision of living in harmony with nature in tandem with the world's efforts to tackle climate change.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, It is important that we all recognise that this is an agenda of common interest with no feasible alternative. We know what needs to be done to put the EU and global biodiversity on the path to recovery. And we have a unique opportunity to steer a fair transition and create multiple wins in the covid-19 recovery. This is our chance to demonstrate that effective protection, restoration and mainstreaming of biodiversity throughout all sectors is possible and brings tangible benefits to all.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, As regards the external angle, sustainability is a central pillar in the trade policy review communication of the Commission of February 2021. It aims to further enhance the contribution of trade in achieving the objectives of the European Green Deal, while of course respecting our international obligations. The road ahead will not always be straight and it certainly won't be easy. But there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, With the European Green Deal, we have new political momentum. The ambition of the biodiversity strategy was endorsed by the council and I very much look forward to seeing also the European Parliament's resolution adopted. And I hope it's encouraging. Ambition can be maintained. Your strong support, your proposals and your continued involvement in the implementation of our strategy will be essential for the success of our efforts in the EU and around the world. Thank you for your attention.

SOUNDBITE (German), Bettina VOLLATH (S&D, AT), Thank you very much, President. What do you need to measure a tree? How large or small the person is? If you look up at this part of a poem from Friederike Mayrocker . She recognised the magnitude of nature. She died Friday at the age of 96. We, too, don't have very much time, according to the climate clock, we only have six year,. Two hundred and seven days and a few hours in order to take serious action.

SOUNDBITE (German), Bettina VOLLATH (S&D, AT), No one has the right to help themselves to nature without any restraint. How dare we? As Greta Thunberg said, so it's our responsibility to act now with the EU biodiversity strategy. What we can achieve is an environment as a human right and protecting biodiversity as a social obligation in order to think, to dream, to write, to see we need grass, flowers and the heavens. That is what my record wrote at the end of her poem.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Gabriel MATO (EPP, ES), Thank you very much, president. Commissioner, so absolutely necessary to have a EU biodiversity strategy that takes into consideration farmers and fishermen. But this strategy do not see these people as those that cause all evils. We ought to understand that these people are those that provide food on our table.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Gabriel MATO (EPP, ES), And these are people that work in harmony with nature. So we ought not point a finger of accusation at farmers and fishermen forgetting other factors which are terribly detrimental for biodiversity. So indeed, we have to have arguments based on scientific studies, balanced.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Gabriel MATO (EPP, ES), Because if we don't do that, we know what this will lead to. It will lead to a lack of credibility and we will undermine the policy that we're trying to bolster. So it's important for us to have a balanced approach, a balanced approach which goes hand in hand with reality.