Activities of Gerben-Jan GERBRANDY related to 2015/2137(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Mid-term review of the EU biodiversity strategy (debate)
Amendments (40)
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10
Citation 10
– having regard to the results of the 12th Conference of the Parties (COP 12) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), particularly the mid-term review of progress in implementing the strategic biodiversity action plan 2011-2020 to achieve the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, including the fourth edition of the Global Diversity Outlook, and measures to improve implementation,
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 a (new)
Citation 10 a (new)
– having regard to the conclusions of the Environment Council meeting, 12 June 2014, in particular the commitment of the EU and Member States to increase resources to achieve the Hyderabad commitments, by doubling total biodiversity-related financial resources flows by 2015;
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 27 a (new)
Citation 27 a (new)
– having regard to the IMO International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments,
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas, in addition to its overwhelming intrinsic value, biodiversity also contributes an enormous social and economic value and the socio-economic opportunity cost of missing the 2020 biodiversity targets is estimated to be €50 billion a year;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Expresses its serious concern on the continuing loss of biodiversity; stresses the need for increased political urgency to reverse this trend, therefore calls on the Commission and Member States to address this crisis at the highest political level;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that the general trend with regard to biodiversity loss continues to be a cause for serious concern, and that the 2020 targets will not be achieved without substantial additional efforts; observes, at the same time, that targeted and appropriately financed efforts genuinely produce results and that there is therefore great potential for improvement;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Considers political will, implementation, enforcement and further integration of the protection of biodiversity into other policy areas to be essential;
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Deplores the fact that nature and economic development are again in opposition; is convinced of the need to embed nature more in society, the economy and, private enterprises to protect economic development;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Considers it vital to recognise that investing in biodiversity is essential from a socioeconomic point of view; welcomes methods to measure the economic value of biodiversity, such as The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) reports; considers that these instruments, despite possible shortcomings, can raise awareness, improve the use of available resources and result in better decision- making;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Stresses that the EU and Member States failed to meet the Biodiversity Strategy for 2010. Given the lack of progress towards achieving the 2020 biodiversity targets calls on the Commission to provide the Parliament with two-yearly reports in which Council and Commission elaborate on the state of play, reasons for non-achievement and the strategy for future compliance;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Urgently calls on the Commission and Member States to give priority to achieving the 2020 targets; calls for a multi- stakeholder approach and stresses the vital role of national, regional and local actors in this regard; stresses that greater public awareness of, funding and support for biodiversity protection are also essential;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Expresses its concern that there is still no detailed insight into the veritable funding and financing of nature conservation per Member State; considers this a significant gap in our knowledge; calls on the Commission and Member States to identify and compile the relevant, national budget lines, without delay;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to improve coherence across relevant sectoral policies to incorporate biodiversity goals while ensuring that the next Multiannual Financial Framework guarantees no net overall loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Calls on the Commission to set up a high level group on Natural Capital to achieve these goals by giving them a higher political prominence and priority;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses that the full implementation of the Nature Directives is essential for the strategy as a whole, and calls on all parties concerned to do their utmost to achieve this; calls on the Commission and Member States to ensure that enforcement of the directives is a political priority, and thus that speedy, effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties are applied when breaches are detected;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Commission to improve the guidelines, which should facilitate the optimal applicationfull implementation and enforcement of the directives, in accordance with existing case-law; calls on the Commission to give higher priority to dialogue with Member States and civil society to encourage exchanges of best practices;
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Urges the Member States to complete the designation of terrestrial and marine Natura 2000 sites and draw up management planrespective financial and management plans, encouraging the integration of complementary policies such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Water Framework directive. Stresses that across the EU the management of Natura 2000 sites required a minimum of €5.8 billion but they contribute annually €200-€300 billion worth of environment and socio- economic benefits;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to increase data collection and monitoring of habitats and species in particular where gaps are predominant in order to evaluate the progress in achieving these targets;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9b. Urgently calls on Member States and Commission to increase the transparency in reporting of the funds allocated to nature conservation at national and EU level;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Urges the Commission and Member States to continue to enforce the Nature Directives conscientiously; stresses that compliance with and enforcement of EU legislation must be improved; calls, in that context, for additional effortconcrete measures to halt illegal hunting of protected birds;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Urges the Commission and Member States to continue to enforce the Nature Directives conscientiously, improving procedures for preventing and detecting breaches swiftly and ensuring that any derogations are closely monitored, strictly enforced and reported in conformity with EU law; calls, in that context, for additional efforts to halt all illegal hunting of protected birds immediately;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on the Commission to publish without delay a specific proposal on the development of a trans-European network for green infrastructure (TEN-G) by 2017, earmarking structural funds for this purpose and taking into account the lack of financial incentives. Encourages joint development together with Member States of a strategy for European wildlife corridors for targeted species;
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Notes and regrets that there has not yet been a measurable improvement of the biodiversity status in agriculture; urges the Commission and Member States to monitor, assess and increase the effectiveness of greening measures and other rural development measures of the CAP; calls on the Commission to take into account its findings in the mid-term review of the CAPon the lack of progress towards halting biodiversity loss in the mid-term review of the CAP, including an evaluation of the impacts on biodiversity of Members States' flexibility in implementing the greening measures;
Amendment 206 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Notes that the greening of Pillar I of the CAP was designed to improve and ensure the conservation of biodiversity; underlines the potential of such measures; urges the Commission to evaluate the impact on biodiversity in light of the increased flexibility afforded by the greening measures;
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13b. Highlights the need to move from a means-based approach to a results-based approach;
Amendment 223 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls on the Commission and Member States to make every effort to implement the reformed Common Fisheries Policy correctly and promptly so aapplying ecosystem-based management of fisheries to achieve the goal of maximum sustainable yield ensuring that effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties are enshrined in national law while at the same time stepping up monitoring and enforcement actions;
Amendment 237 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Calls on Member States to ratify and swiftly implement the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments;
Amendment 241 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Urges Member States to increase funding dedicated to data collection and research to assess and complete existing knowledge gaps on the marine ecosystems and fisheries resources making sure the data is made publically available in a transparent manner;
Amendment 243 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 c (new)
Paragraph 14 c (new)
14c. Calls on the EU and Member States to complete the network of Marine Protected Areas as required by Art. 21 of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive 2008/56/EC, so that the EU is able to achieve Aichi target 11 of least 10% of coastal and marine areas by 2020;
Amendment 244 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 d (new)
Paragraph 14 d (new)
14d. Calls on the Commission to draw conclusions from 2014 study on the state of play of regarding the application and implementation of the Council Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 on IUU and use these conclusions to work with Member States and third countries to improve the implementation of this regulation. Urges the Commission to play a leading role to secure an ambitious UN convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS);
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Urges the Commission to draw up an accurate list of invasive alien species which are of concern to the Union, without delay; stresses the importance of regularly updating this list, and of carrying out additional risk assessments for species, so that the legislation on invasive alien species can act as a powerful lever;
Amendment 250 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Urges the Commission to draw up urgently an accurate list of invasive alien species which are of concern to the Union; stresses the importance of regularly updating this list, and of carrying out additional risk assessments for species, so that the legislation on invasive alien species can act as a powerful lever and urges Member States to mobilise financial resources for implementing the necessary measures effectively;
Amendment 265 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls on the Commission and Member States to phase out environmentally harmful subsidies by 2020 ensuring evaluations of environmentally harmful subsidies are completed by 2016 and reporting requirements are incorporated into relevant EU sectorial policy areas; urges the Commission and Member States to fully endorse and facilitate the transition to a circular economy; calls on the Commission to submit an ambitious action plan for combating illegal trafficking inof wild animals and plantslife and an EU action Plan on deforestation and forest degradation while at the same time closing existing loopholes on the EU Timber Regulation;
Amendment 272 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Welcomes the Commission's B4 Life Flagship project 2014-2020 and urges Member States to increase funding to match the level of ambition of the project in order for the EU to deliver on its Hyderabad commitment to doubling total biodiversity-related financial resource flows by 2015. Urges the Commission to step up efforts to further integrate biodiversity into EU development aid programmes post 2020 and to address without delay the global wildlife poaching crisis by adopting and funding an EU Action Plan on Wildlife Trafficking and a EU wildlife conservation strategies for Africa, Latin America and Asia;
Amendment 287 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Highlights that Natura 2000 is still a relatively young network, whose full potential is far from having been achieved; considers that the Nature Directives remain relevant and that best practices on implementation demonstrate their effectiveness; underlines that there is ample flexibility in the Nature Directives, including the option for adaptation according to technical and scientific progress; notes that smart implementation and international cooperation are essential for reaching the biodiversity targets;
Amendment 299 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Is convinced that the problem lies not with the legislation itself but primarily with its incomplete and inadequate implementation; opposes a possible revision of the Nature Directives because this would jeopardise the implementation of the biodiversity strategy, bring about a protracted period of legal uncertainty and possiblywith the risk that it would result in weaken thed legislationve protection and financing;
Amendment 319 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Regards the rapid biodiversity loss outside protected nature areas as a gap in the strategy; encourages the Commission to develop an appropriate framework for preventing the net loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services by working with local authorities and civil society;
Amendment 336 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Considers that, in order to use the available resources more efficiently and in a more targeted manner, it is essential that the Commission draw up specific criteria for the Natural Capital Financing Facility, which should guarantee that projects deliver positive and tangible results for biodiversity; LIFE projects should be linked with funding from other programmes streams such as the Structural funds so as to scale up and replicate successful projects through the EU and create a larger multiplier effect;
Amendment 343 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Stresses the importance of research and development, andto invest in research to strengthen knowledge base about biodiversity and the links between biodiversity preservation and benefits to human health and economic well-being, calls on the Commission and, Member States to focus in particular on the links between band regional authorities as well as the private sector to draw expertise and best practises from the global initiative Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity and health(TEEB);
Amendment 350 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Calls on the Commission and Member States to launch a European initiative on pollinators, and to make proposals on the Soil Framework directive, on a directive on Access to Justice and on the revised EU legal framework on environmental inspections without further delay;
Amendment 366 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Stresses that the issues relating to biodiversity, climate change and scarcity of raw materials are inseparably linked; calls on the Commission and Member States to take this into account in the further discussions on a new international agreement on climate changeby ensuring that the EU Biodiversity strategy for 2020 is fully integrated in the EU's position in discussions on a new international agreement on climate change, especially when according to the EU-funded ROBIN project, biodiversity protection is part of the solution to climate change, mitigation and adaptation, particularly given that tropical forests offer a 25% mitigation potential of total greenhouse gas emissions;