Dutch demand for products from tropical regions is influential in the rapid decline of local plant and animal species (biodiversity) in those regions. These are not only products such as palm oil, coffee, wood, or soy for animal feed, but also meat and fish, all delivered to us via trade chains. Some of these products are consumed directly, while others are used in the production of export goods. Examples of such exported end products are wood products and meat (with imported animal feed used in the production of the latter). Therefore, producers hold an important key to halt biodiversity loss by making their trade chains more sustainable

Role of the Netherlands

The role that Dutch producers could play in reducing biodiversity loss is larger than one would think, given the size of the Dutch land area. Not only are many international companies based in the Netherlands, it is also a trading nation involved in many trading activities.

Recommendations

In its report, the PBL offers three recommendations to slow down the decline in biodiversity. Certification is a way for producers to make trading chains more sustainable. This would contribute to an effective combination of production, on the one side, and biodiversity and sustainable preservation of the environment, on the other. Consumers also play an important role here; their choice for sustainable products will stimulate sustainable production processes. Another recommendation in the report says that producers who invest in local economies could take into account the biodiversity in protected areas, as well as local populations’ dependence on nature.

Finally, the PBL report provides the Dutch Government with the recommendation that a sustainable use of the environment in donor countries could be furthered by simultaneously addressing biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation.

END OF PRESS RELEASE

The Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) is the national institute for strategic policy analysis in the field of environment, nature and spatial planning.

The PBL contributes to improving the quality of political and administrative decision-making by conducting outlook studies, analyses and evaluations in which an integrated approach is considered paramount. Policy relevance is the prime concern in all their studies. The PBL conducts solicited and unsolicited research that is both independent and always scientifically sound.

For more information please contact +31 70 3288 688, persvoorlichting@pbl.nl

Side event on 28 October

During the UN Biodiversity conference in Nagoya, Japan, a special side event (id2209) will be held on this research, on 28 October, from 16:30 to 18:00 hours. Location: Room 136, Bldg 1, 3rd floor.

Special website on the meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP10)

This website contains all information on PBL activities during the COP10. http://www.pbl.nl/en/dossiers/cop10nagoya/index.html

UN biodiversity conference

Nagoya, Japan, is hosting the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).  This time, the meeting’s focus is on the previously set target to decrease the decline in global biodiversity by 2010. It is the general consensus that this target has not been achieved. Therefore, an important part of the COP10 will be devoted to new objectives and new strategies, aimed at actually achieving such a reduction in biodiversity loss.  It is the expectation that, for the first time, specific agreements will be made on a fair distribution of access to and benefits of biodiversity. Besides participating in the conference, many of the parties offer information in the form of side events. The conclusions from the PBL report and as stated in this press release will be published on 28 October, during one of these side events.