G7 Elmau Progress Report
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G7 Elmau Progress Report Biodiversity – A vital foundation for sustainable development Baobab trees, scientific name Adansonia, are recognizable from their distinctively broad trunks. Occurring naturally in the arid zones of continental Africa, Madagascar and Australia, the trees store massive amounts of water in their trunks to cope with seasonal droughts. The fruit of the Baobab is shaped like a large pod and known as “monkey bread” or “cream of tartar fruit” and is rich in vitamin C. Gil.K/Shutterstock This report was prepared by Germany as chair of the G7 Accountability Working Group. It reflects the consensus of this group. In the preparation, the German government was supported by a team of researchers from the department Environmental Policy and Natural Resources Management of the German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE), Bonn, and from the Science-Policy Expert Group at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig. However, sole responsibility for the text rests with Germany as chair of the G7 Accountability Working Group. G7 ELMAU PROGRESS REPORT CONTENTS Foreword ....................................................................................VII Key political messages .........................................................................VIII Executive summary .............................................................................IX 1.. Biodiversity, development and the G7...........................................................1 2. The global status of biodiversity, the drivers of biodiversity loss and impacts on human well-being .........6 2.1 The importance of biodiversity for human well-being and poverty reduction........................8 2.2 Biodiversity – status and trends ..........................................................10 2.3 The drivers of biodiversity loss...........................................................11 3. G7 international biodiversity priorities and funding by country .....................................14 3.1 Introduction ........................................................................16 3.2 Overview ...........................................................................18 3.3 Canada .............................................................................20 3.4 France .............................................................................22 3.5 Germany ...........................................................................24 3.6 Italy ...............................................................................26 3.7 Japan ..............................................................................28 3.8 United Kingdom .....................................................................30 3.9 United States ........................................................................32 3.10 European Union ......................................................................34 G7 ELMAU PROGRESS REPORT 4. G7 approaches and good practices to reduce the loss of biodiversity ..................................38 4.1 Directly improving the state of biodiversity .................................................40 4.2 Addressing the direct drivers of biodiversity loss .............................................46 4.3 Addressing the indirect drivers of biodiversity...............................................49 4.4 Enhancing benefits from biodiversity and ecosystem services to society ...........................55 5. Interlinkages with other G7 commitments ......................................................60 5.1 Biodiversity and food security ...........................................................62 5.2 Biodiversity and human health ..........................................................68 5.3 Biodiversity and climate change .........................................................73 6. Discussion and conclusions ..................................................................80 References ...................................................................................85 Annex A: List of active G7 commitments.............................................................88 Annex B: List of abbreviations.....................................................................94 Annex C: Boxes, tables, figures and examples .........................................................96 G7 ELMAU PROGRESS REPORT We are ... committed to intensifying our efforts to slow the loss of biodiversity. 2011 Deauville Summit Rice terraces. Banaue, Philippines. UFZ/André Künzelmann G7 ELMAU PROGRESS REPORT VII FOREWORD Without intact ecosystems and biodiversity, there can be The G7 nations realize that the preservation of vital natural no good life and no future for humankind on our planet. resources is essential to reach a large number of other Ecosystems are not just living environments and spaces of development goals in areas such as food security, climate recreation for us. They are also an important resource, for and health. instance for producing food and medicinal substances. Intact ecosystems protect us from flooding, prevent erosion This is why the G7 countries made a commitment to protect and foster soil formation. They regulate the Earth’s climate biodiversity – not only within their national borders, but system and its water and nutrient cycles. Often, intelligent also internationally and together with their partners. In the solutions from our natural environment serve as models present report, the G7 countries provide an account of what for materials, technologies and processes that we use on a they have already accomplished along that road. This in- daily basis. Not least, the jobs and livelihoods of billions of cludes activities ranging from cross-border nature conser- people depend on ecosystems – especially those of poor vation to taking the economics of biodiversity benefits into people. account in political decision-making. But these vital resources for the survival of current and The challenge of our time is to share our planet’s wealth of future generations can only be protected if we halt the con- resources so that all people may live with dignity, and to tinuing destruction of biodiversity. Ecosystems are coming respect the boundaries of our planet so that future genera- under increasing pressure as a result of population growth tions may continue to live here and prosper. and non-sustainable production and consumption pat- terns. They are becoming weaker. Without biodiversity and intact ecosystems, sustainable development and poverty reduction on a global scale will not be possible. Dr Gerd Müller Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development VIII G7 ELMAU PROGRESS REPORT Biodiversity – A vital foundation for sustainable development Key political messages • The G7 acknowledges the importance of biodiversity for human well-being, sustainable development and poverty alleviation. • The G7 has acted on its commitment through policies, finance and other means to protect species and their habitats while also addressing the multiple causes of biodiversity loss. • The G7 is aware that significant challenges still need to be tackled in order to improve the status of biodiversity and ecosystems worldwide. G7 ELMAU PROGRESS REPORT IX Executive summary Biodiversity – the variety of life on Earth – underpins First, G7 action is visible in financial terms: G7 countries delivery of nature’s services. Ecosystems and the goods account for almost half of all bilateral biodiversity aid. and services they provide form the foundation on which Every G7 country ranks among the top 10 donors to the every society and economy is built. Biodiversity enables Global Environment Facility. Some G7 members have a range of vital services, including the provision of clean more than doubled their contributions to international water and air, food, medicinal herbs and other medical biodiversity finance. Overall, the G7 has shown relatively products, flood protection, crop pollination and resilience to stable financial support for biodiversity in developing drought as well as the provision of resources to support eco- countries – a strong signal, given the impact of the financial nomic growth. The poor often depend more heavily on crisis and its aftermath. Second, the G7 has taken signifi- nature and the services it provides; consequently, the loss of cant measures to directly conserve biodiversity: supporting these natural resources affects them more severely. the management of protected areas and the establishment of ecological corridors; fighting poaching, illegal logging and The loss of biodiversity and the ecosystem services it pro- wildlife trafficking. Third, the G7 has attacked some crucial vides is continuing in many geographical areas at an alarm- direct drivers of biodiversity change by helping to control ing rate, although significant improvements have also invasive alien species and promoting the sustainable use been observed, as highlighted by the recent Global Biodi- of natural resources. Fourth, the G7 has also started to versity Outlook 4. With the challenge of biodiversity loss address the main indirect drivers of biodiversity loss, in mind, the G7 committed in 2011 to intensifying its efforts namely by changing consumer incentives, making to slow the loss of biodiversity. The group explicitly set this knowledge available about the multiple values of natural commitment in the context of related development goals: capital in order to support decision-making, and developing human